Optimum Review 2024: Internet, TV, Mobile, & More

I want to find a provider who will provide the most value. That led me to write this review on Optimum’s various products.

I’ll cover the following points throughout this piece:

• Pros & cons
• Fiber internet overview
• Business fiber internet overview
• Cable TV overview
• TV, internet, & mobile coverage and availability
• Cellular plans
• Bundles
• Deals
• How to reach customer support
• Getting started & installation guide

This is where the fun begins.

Optimum Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Free router with internet plans
• Affordable internet
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons:

• Not the most flexibility with TV channel choices
• Strange pricing scheme for international packages

Optimum Fiber Internet Packages, Pricing, & Features

Optimum offers these fiber optic internet plans:

Tier	Starting Price *	Max. Speed (DL & UL) †	Best For
300	$40/mo.	300/20 Mbps	Homes with <6 people
500	$60/mo.	500/20 Mbps	Homes with >6 people
1 Gig Fiber Internet	$80/mo.	940/35 Mbps	Homes with >10 people
2 Gig Fiber Internet	$100/mo.	2,000 Mbps	Home server management
5 Gig Fiber Internet	$180/mo.	5,000 Mbps	Home server management

* Does not include taxes and other fees. These will vary by region. Pricing already accounts for discounts when enabling automatic payments.

† Actual internet speed will vary by connectivity method (e.g., Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet) among other factors.

Here are some quick facts about all these plans:

• No contracts
• No data caps
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Free installation when ordering online
• Includes 1 free gateway

Take the “Best For” column on the table with a grain of salt. Those numbers represent average low-bandwidth usage among folks in your home.

If someone frequently downloads files, you may want to upgrade from the 300 Mbps plan to the 500. Or 1.0 Gbps if you have the extra money.

Before getting a plan, figure out what your home usually does on the internet. Figure out how many devices you have running background tasks. For instance, phones or PCs constantly checking for automatic updates.

Yes, that uses data.

Their 5.0 Gbps plan isn’t available to many customers, yet. Just a couple pockets in New York and Connecticut. If the price point I found is true, then it’s more competitively priced per megabit than other providers with multi-gig plans.

Most homes won’t need 2.0 or 5.0 Gbps internet speeds. Unless they frequently download and upload massive files. Or manage home servers.

Optimum Data Cap

Optimum does not enforce a hard data cap on any of their internet plans. Your home can use as much data as you want.

Optimum Hidden Fees & Equipment

Additional fees for Optimum internet plans include:

Equipment	Fee
Installation Fee	Free when ordering online, $99–$149.99 otherwise
Reconnect Fee	$10–$15
Late Payment Fee	$10
Network Enhancement Fee	$3.50/mo.
Wi-Fi Extender Rental	$3.00/mo.

The Network Enhancement Fee goes toward reinvesting into their network infrastructure. According to Optimum.

Optimum fiber customers will need an optical network terminal (ONT) instead of a modem. Though, it’s technically a fiber optic modem. Hence, the need for professional installation.

Optimum offers a free router with their internet plans at the time of writing. If this changes, you’ll want to consider buying a third-party router. We’ve listed a bunch of recommendations in a separate guide.

Optimum Wi-Fi Hotspots: What They Are & How to Connect

All Optimum internet customers have access to more than 2 million Wi-Fi access points throughout the United States. When accessing the SSID, log in with your online Optimum ID.

Forums suggest these hotspots offer up to 25 Mbps (download) and 10 Mbps (upload) speeds. You likely won’t see these speeds. Your rates will depend on how many others are using the network simultaneously.

The SSIDs are:

• optimumwifi: open public network
• optimum: secure public network using 128-bit encryption

I highly recommend using the secure public network. The public network will give a hacker or eavesdropper more chances to spy on your device’s activities.

To find these hotspots, use Optimum’s Wi-Fi hotspot map.

Optimum allows non-customers to access these hotspots for $4.99 a day. Or $0.99 if you’re using the GuestWiFi network from NYC Parks.

Log into optimumwifi by selecting the SSID and entering your account information.

The Optimum network will require a bit more work. iPhone users will have to tap an additional pop-up. It’ll ask you to tap “Trust” in the certificate window.

Android users will need to adjust their EAP Method and CA Certificate settings. Optimum has a tutorial on its website.

Optimum Business Internet Plans, Pricing, & Features

Optimum offers the following fiber optic business products [1]:

Tier	Starting Price *	Max. Speed (DL & UL) †	Best For
Business Fiber 300	$205/mo.	300 Mbps	Guest Wi-Fi networks
Business Fiber 500	$245/mo.	500 Mbps	Businesses with under 20 people
1 Gig Business Fiber	$350/mo.	940/800 Mbps	Server management
2 Gig Business Fiber	$375/mo.	2,000 Mbps	Server management
5 Gig Business Fiber	$450/mo.	5,000 Mbps	Server management

* Does not include taxes and other fees. These will vary by region. Pricing already accounts for discounts when enabling automatic payments.

† Actual internet speed will vary by connectivity method (e.g., Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet) among other factors.

All Optimum Business products include a 30-day money-back guarantee and same-day service if an issue arises.

Additional services businesses could add to their internet packages include:

• Business TV: best for bars, restaurants, & waiting rooms
• Optimum phone: unlimited VoIP calling to the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, & the U.S> Virgin Islands
• Pro WIFI: separate guest private Wi-Fi, captive network portal, & customer analytics
• Business Service Plan: $9.99/mo. for device protection, technical support, & service protection
• LTE Wireless Failover: backup multi-carrier LTE internet
• Includes 1 free static IP address: afterward, you’ll need to pay for each IP (staring at $20 each)

There’s a lot of information regarding Optimum Business products. I’ll need to cover the details in a separate piece. Otherwise, you’d be here forever.

One more thing before moving on to Optimum’s residential TV service. Optimum doesn’t charge to use their Smart Router.

Optimum Cable TV Packages

Optimum’s cable TV plans are as follows [2]:

Tier	* Starting Price	Channels
Basic TV	$35/mo.	50+
Core TV	$105/mo.	220+
Select TV	$130/mo.	340+
Premier TV	$155/mo.	420+
Optimum Stream	$10/mo.	50+

* Does not include taxes and other fees. These will vary by region. Pricing already accounts for discounts when enabling automatic payments.

Here are essential tidbits:

• 30-day money-back guarantee
• No contracts or cancellation fees
• Cable television

Optimum Stream includes more than 50 livestreaming channels like Peacock (the free version). Use those brackets as a hint that you can access these channels free without paying $10.

You may as well buy a Roku TV box for $30 at Walmart and watch free livestreaming channel apps through it.

I’ll cover equipment, channels, add-ons, additional expenses, and more throughout the following sections. Buckle up and apply some eye drops. Because you have a lot of reading.

1. Optimum TV Channel Lineup

Compare channel availability for all Optimum’s TV packages:

Channel	Optimum Core	Optimum Select	Optimum Premier
A&E		⬤	⬤
ABC	⬤	⬤	⬤
ACCN		⬤	⬤
American heroes Channel		⬤	⬤
Animal Planet		⬤	⬤
Antenna TV	⬤	⬤	⬤
BBC America	⬤	⬤	⬤
BBC World News	⬤	⬤	⬤
Bein sports		⬤	⬤
BET	⬤	⬤	⬤
BET Her		⬤	⬤
Bloomberg Television	⬤	⬤	⬤
Boomerang		⬤	⬤
Bounce	⬤	⬤	⬤
Bravo	⬤	⬤	⬤
BIG Network		⬤	⬤
BUZZR	⬤	⬤	⬤
C-SPAN	⬤	⬤	⬤
C-SPAN 2	⬤	⬤	⬤
C-SPAN 3	⬤	⬤	⬤
Cartoon Network	⬤	⬤	⬤
CBS	⬤	⬤	⬤
CBS Sports network	⬤	⬤	⬤
Charge	⬤	⬤	⬤
Cheddar News	⬤	⬤	⬤
CLEO TV	⬤	⬤	⬤
CMT	⬤	⬤	⬤
CNBC	⬤	⬤	⬤
CNN	⬤	⬤	⬤
HLN	⬤	⬤	⬤
Comedy Central	⬤	⬤	⬤
Comet	⬤
Cooking Channel		⬤	⬤
Court TV	⬤	⬤	⬤
Cowboy Channel		⬤	⬤
COZI	⬤	⬤	⬤
cptv	⬤	⬤	⬤
Crime Investigation	⬤	⬤	⬤
CW	⬤	⬤	⬤
Dabl	⬤	⬤	⬤
Daystar	⬤	⬤	⬤
Destination America		⬤	⬤
Discovery		⬤	⬤
Discovery Family		⬤	⬤
Discovery Life		⬤	⬤
Disney Channel	⬤	⬤	⬤
Disney Junior	⬤	⬤	⬤
Disney XD		⬤	⬤
E!	⬤	⬤	⬤
ESPN	⬤	⬤	⬤
ESPN Deportes		⬤	⬤
ESPN2	⬤	⬤	⬤
ESPNEWS		⬤	⬤
ESPNU		⬤	⬤
estrellaTV	⬤	⬤	⬤
euronews	⬤	⬤	⬤
EWTN	⬤	⬤	⬤
fetv		⬤	⬤
FLIX		⬤	⬤
Food Network	⬤	⬤	⬤
FOX	⬤	⬤	⬤
FOX Business	⬤	⬤	⬤
Fox Deportes		⬤	⬤
FOX News	⬤	⬤	⬤
FS1	⬤	⬤	⬤
FS2		⬤	⬤
Freeform	⬤	⬤	⬤
Fuse		⬤	⬤
FX	⬤	⬤	⬤
FXM		⬤	⬤
FXX		⬤	⬤
fyi		⬤	⬤
Galavision		⬤	⬤
getTV	⬤	⬤	⬤
GOLTV			⬤
Great American Family		⬤
Game Show Network		⬤	⬤
Hallmark Channel		⬤	⬤
Hallmark Drama		⬤	⬤
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries		⬤	⬤
HBO			⬤
HBO Comedy			⬤
HBO Family			⬤
HBO Latino			⬤
HBO Latino			⬤
HBO Zone			⬤
HBO 2			⬤
Heroes & Icons	⬤	⬤	⬤
HGTV	⬤	⬤	⬤
History Channel		⬤	⬤
HSN	⬤	⬤	⬤
HSN2	⬤	⬤	⬤
IFC		⬤	⬤
ID		⬤	⬤
ion Television	⬤	⬤	⬤
jtv	⬤	⬤	⬤
JBS	⬤	⬤	⬤
Justice Centrality	⬤	⬤	⬤
Lifetime	⬤	⬤	⬤
Lifetime Movies		⬤	⬤
Logo		⬤	⬤
Magnolia Network		⬤	⬤
MeTV	⬤	⬤	⬤
Motortrend	⬤	⬤	⬤
Movies!	⬤	⬤	⬤
MSG	⬤	⬤	⬤
MSGSN	⬤	⬤	⬤
MSNBC	⬤	⬤	⬤
MTV	⬤	⬤	⬤
MTV Classic		⬤	⬤
MTV Live		⬤	⬤
Tr3s		⬤	⬤
MTV2		⬤	⬤
myTV	⬤	⬤	⬤
National Geographic Wild		⬤	⬤
National Geographic		⬤	⬤
NBA TV		⬤	⬤
NBC	⬤	⬤	⬤
NBC Universo		⬤	⬤
news12	⬤	⬤	⬤
news12+	⬤	⬤	⬤
News Nation		⬤	⬤
NFL Network		⬤	⬤
Nick Jr.		⬤	⬤
Nickelodeon	⬤	⬤	⬤
Nicktoons		⬤	⬤
OWN		⬤	⬤
Oxygen True Crime	⬤	⬤	⬤
Paramount Network	⬤	⬤	⬤
PBS	⬤	⬤	⬤
WLIW21	⬤	⬤	⬤
PBS Kids	⬤	⬤	⬤
ALL ARTS	⬤	⬤	⬤
Create	⬤	⬤	⬤
WORLD	⬤	⬤	⬤
POP		⬤	⬤
QVC	⬤	⬤	⬤
QVC2	⬤	⬤	⬤
Recipe TV	⬤	⬤	⬤
REELZ	⬤	⬤	⬤
Rewind TV	⬤	⬤	⬤
SCI		⬤	⬤
SEC		⬤	⬤
Shop HQ	⬤	⬤	⬤
Shop LC	⬤	⬤	⬤
SHOWTIME			⬤
SHOWTIME 2			⬤
SHOWTIME Entertainment			⬤
SHOWTIME Family			⬤
SHOWTIME Next			⬤
SHOWCASE			⬤
SHOWTIME West			⬤
SHOWTIME Women			⬤
SHO BET			⬤
Smithsonian Channel		⬤	⬤
Sportsman Channel			⬤
SNY	⬤	⬤	⬤
StartTV	⬤	⬤	⬤
STARZ			⬤
STARZ Cinema			⬤
STARZ Comedy			⬤
STARZ Encore Action		⬤	⬤
STARZ Encore Family		⬤	⬤
STARZ in Black			⬤
STARZ Kids & Family			⬤
Stingray	⬤	⬤	⬤
Sundance TV	⬤	⬤	⬤
SYFY	⬤	⬤	⬤
TBN	⬤	⬤	⬤
TBS	⬤	⬤	⬤
Teenick		⬤	⬤
Telemundo	⬤	⬤	⬤
Teleitos	⬤	⬤	⬤
Tennis Channel		⬤	⬤
NBC Golf		⬤	⬤
this	⬤	⬤	⬤
TLC		⬤	⬤
TNT	⬤	⬤	⬤
Trvl		⬤	⬤
TBN	⬤	⬤	⬤
truTV	⬤	⬤	⬤
TUDN		⬤	⬤
TCM		⬤	⬤
TV LAND		⬤	⬤
TV ONE		⬤	⬤
TVG			⬤
Unimas	⬤	⬤	⬤
Universal Kids		⬤	⬤
Univision	⬤	⬤	⬤
USA	⬤	⬤	⬤
VH1		⬤	⬤
Vice		⬤	⬤
WE tv	⬤	⬤	⬤
The Weather Channel	⬤	⬤	⬤
Regional News Network	⬤	⬤	⬤
YES	⬤	⬤	⬤

This list doesn’t include local channels. And it has a mixture of high-definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) channels. 

Optimum offers 4K UHD content through the Smithsonian Channel and Stingray Naturescape in their On Demand Library. Or head to channel 200. It plays 4K UHD sports games and special events.

You’ll need a 4K TV to watch the footage in UHD. Otherwise, you’re only watching it in 1080p FHD.

Like any other cable provider, they offer Video On Demand and Pay-Per-View. Content on these platforms will come with varying costs. Then there are channel add-ons.

2. Optimum TV Channel Add-ons

The following sections will cover the following channel add-on types:

• Sports
• Premium channels
• International channels

I’ll talk about pricing, whether there’s a means to get cheaper packages, and the number of channels each includes.

Channel lineups for EVERY package will have to sit in a separate guide.

Optimum Sports Packages

Access the following sports networks as add-ons through Optimum:

Channel	Price
Fox Soccer Plus	$14.95/mo.
College Sports Package	$5.00/mo.
Sports Package	$15/mo.
NBA League Pass	NA
MLB Extra Innings	NA
NHL Center Ice	NA

You must call Optimum’s Sales department to order the NBA league Pass, MLB Extra Innings, and NHL Center Ice packages. 

The College Sports Package includes these channels:

• ACCN ESPN
• BIG NETWORK
• CBS SPORTS NETWORK
• ESPNU
• Stradium College Sports
• SEC ESPN NETWORK

You’ll find these channels with the Sports Package:

Bein Sports	BIG Network	CBS Sports Network	ESPNU
Fight Network	FS2	Game+	GOLTV
Motorsports Network	MLB Network	NBA TV	NFL Network
NFL Red Zone	NHL Network	Sportsman Channel	Tennis Channel
NBC Golf	TVG	Willow	World Fishing Network

Optimum TV Premium Channels

You’ll find the following premium channels with Optimum:

Channel	* Price	Channels Included
HBO MAX	$14.99/mo.	NA
SHOWTIME	$11.95/mo.	11 SD, 7 HD
STARZ & STARZ ENCORE	$11.95/mo.	16 SD, 3 HD
Cinemax	$11.95/mo.	9 SD, 9 HD
The Movie Channel	$11.95/mo.	4 SD, 4 HD
Playboy TV	$14.95/mo.	NA

* Doesn’t include sales tax.

Optimum doesn’t offer premium channel bundling to lower your premium channel’s cost. If you want almost all premium channels, consider getting the Premier or Select TV packages.

Optimum International Channels

Get the following international channels as add-ons:

Channel	* Cost
Espanol TV	$15/mo.
Russian TV	$19.95/mo.
French TV	$14.99/mo.
South Asian TV	$14.99/mo.
Brazilian TV	$19.95/mo.
Korean TV	$14.95/mo.
Chinese TV	$14.95/mo.
Filipino TV	$14.95/mo.
Greek TV	$14.95/mo.
Italian TV	$14.95/mo.
Portuguese TV	$10.95/mo.
Polish TV	$14.99/mo.
Caribbean TV	$6.95/mo.
Africa TV	$4.95/mo.
i24NEWS (French)	$9.99/mo.
TV Japan	$24.95/mo.
BFMTV	$9.99/mo.
The Israeli Network	$14.95/mo.
CaribVision	$4.95 each
Shanson TV	$14.99/mo.

* Doesn’t include tax.

Almost all packages allow you to subscribe to individual channels from each language type for $9.95 monthly. That’s helpful if, for instance, you watch 1 channel from Greek TV. But don’t want to pay $14.95 a month.

Broadcast Basic customers will have to pay $24.95 monthly for many of these plans. Instead of the above rates.

3. Optimum TV Hidden Fees & Equipment

Here’s a list of equipment and hidden fees for Optimum television:

Equipment or Fee	Fee
Apple TV 4K	$10/mo. or $180 (one-time)
Cable Box (HD/SD)	$11/mo.
Optimum TV Box	$10/mo.
CableCARD	$2.50/mo.
Digital Adapter	$5.00/mo.
Optimum Amplify	$15/mo.
TV Broadcast Fee	$9.99/mo.
Outlet Premium Service Fee	$1.50 per household
Regional Sports Fee	$10.47/mo.
Installation Fee	Free when ordering online $99–$149.99 otherwise
Reconnect Fee	$10–$15

Optimum’s TV services come with a voice remote that has no notable features. It’s voice-activated. Tell it to find videos of teacup pigs on YouTube, and it’ll direct you to a search results page on the YouTube app.

The Optimum TV box includes many built-in apps like Netflix and YouTube. It also has a built-in DVR, 4K support, and access to your cable TV channels.

The CableCARD allows customers to use third-party TV boxes or DVRs with cable providers. If you have an existing and compatible cable box, you could pay much less for the Optimum cable box rental.

The regional sports and TV broadcast fees are unavoidable. They’re the consequences of going with cable television. Along with paying for TV boxes. The only way to avoid these fees, while watching live television, requires you to switch to live TV streaming service.

Like YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream.

You’ll incur a reconnect fee if you previously had the service, Optimum canceled it on you, and you need to reactivate it.

Optimum DVR Pricing & Features

Here are the DVRs Optimum offers:

DVR	Fee	Hours of Storage
DVR Service (Per TV Box)	$12.95/mo.	NA
Cloud DVR	$9.99/mo.	25 hrs.
Cloud DVR Plus	$17.99/mo.	75 hrs.
Cloud DVR Max	$21.99/mo.	150 hrs.

You’ll first pay for the DVR service. Then, to store your recorded footage, you have to choose a cloud DVR storage plan.

4. Optimum TV App

The Optimum TV app is for Android and iOS operating systems and includes these features [3]:

• Watch live TV from anywhere with an internet connection
• Manage and view DVR recordings
• Use your device (e.g., phone) as a remote for your Optimum TV box
• Stream on up to 3 devices simultaneously

Not all features are available in every area throughout the U.S. Optimum doesn’t specify who gets what feature.

They don’t specify the internet speeds you’ll need to watch live TV on this app without buffering. For an extreme benchmark, I’ll use DirecTV Stream. They require 8.0 Mbps of bandwidth available per device [4].

At least have that amount of downstream bandwidth available when watching content on the Optimum TV app.

Optimum Coverage Map & Availability

Most of Optimum’s TV and internet plans are available in some areas throughout the following 21 states:

Arizona	Arkansas	California	Connecticut
Idaho	Kansas	Kentucky	Louisiana
Mississippi	Missouri	Nevada	New Jersey
New Mexico	New York	North Carolina	Ohio
Oklahoma	Pennsylvania	Texas	Virginia
West Virginia

Optimum isn’t available in every ZIP code in these states. Enter your address on their website and check whether it’s available in your area.

Here’s an Optimum internet coverage map:

Optimum 5 Gig Fiber Internet plan is available in some areas throughout New York and Connecticut. You’ll have to enter your address on their website to see whether your home can get this package.

Optimum Mobile uses T-Mobile’s towers and offers 4G LTE and 5G coverage throughout the following areas [5]:

Coverage in Hawaii and Alaska:

Speaking of Optimum Mobile—

Optimum Mobile Plans

Optimum Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that uses T-Mobile’s towers. And they offer the following plans: 

Tier	* # of Lines	† Price	Premium Data	Mobile Hotspot Data
Unlimited	1	$45/line per mo.	20 GB	5.0 GB
Unlimited	2–4	$30/line per mo.	20 GB	5.0 GB
Unlimited	5	$25/line per mo.	20 GB	5.0 GB
Unlimited Max	1	$55/line per mo.	50 GB	15 GB
Unlimited Max	2–4	$40/line per mo.	50 GB	15 GB
Unlimited Max	5	$35/line per mo.	50 GB	15 GB
1 GB	NA	$15/mo.	1.0 GB	NA
3 GB	NA	$25/mo.	3.0 GB	NA

* Optimum allows customers to have up to 5 lines per account.

† Does not include taxes and other fees. These will vary by region. Pricing already accounts for discounts when enabling automatic payments.

You could bring your own unlocked phone. So long as you pay $20 for a SIM card. Otherwise, they offer decent deals on their phones. I’ll talk about these in a bit.

Optimum does support eSIM for anyone possessing eSIM-compatible devices.

What phone models does Optimum Mobile offer?

Here’s a list:

Moto g pure	Galaxy Z Flip5 5G	Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G	Galaxy S22+ 5G
Galaxy S22 5G	iPhone 14	iPhone 14 Pro	iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro Max	iPhone SE (3rd Gen.)	iPhone 13 mini	iPhone 13
iPhone 13 Pro Max	iPhone 13 Pro	Galaxy s@1 FE	Moto g stylus 5G
Galaxy A53 5G	moto 5G	TCL 20 Ax 5G	Galaxy A13 5G
Galaxy Ao3s

Optimum Mobile International Services

Here are Optimum’s international text, MMS, and talk rates:

Tier	From the U.S.	Outside the U.S.
Group A	$20/mo.	Daily Travel Pass: $10
Group A	$20/mo.	Weekly Travel Pass: $40
Group B	$30/mo.	Daily Travel Pass: $15
Group B	$30/mo.	Weekly Travel Pass: $60
Group C	$50/mo.	Daily Travel Pass: $25
Group C	$50/mo.	Weekly Travel Pass: $80
Group D	$60/mo.	Daily Travel Pass: $35
Group D	$60/mo.	Weekly Travel Pass: $100

Each group includes a list of countries. When paying for “X” group, you can call them from the U.S. Or pay for the daily and weekly Travel Passes when visiting those countries.

Say I want to visit India for a week—it’s in Group C. I’ll pay $80 for the week I’m in India.

Optimum TV, Internet, & Mobile Bundles

Optimum doesn’t offer discounts when bundling their TV and internet plans. But here’s what the pricing looks like when doing so:

Bundle	Starting Price *	Max. Internet Speed †	Channels
Optimum 300 + Basic TV	$75/mo.	300/20 Mbps	50+
Optimum 300 + Core TV	$145/mo.	300/20 Mbps	340+
Optimum 500 + Core TV	$165/mo.	500/20 Mbps	340+
Optimum 500 + Premier TV	$215/mo.	500/20 Mbps	420+
Optimum 1 Gig + Premier TV	$235/mo.	940/35 Mbps	420+

* Does not include taxes and other fees. These will vary by region. Pricing already accounts for discounts when enabling automatic payments.

† Actual internet speed will vary by connectivity method (e.g., Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet) among other factors.

Bundling any broadband internet plan with Optimum Mobile plans will have the following effects on your bill:

Internet Plan	New Price When Bundling	Visa Prepaid Card Included
300	$30/mo.	NA
500	$50/mo.	$100
1 Gig Fiber Internet	$65/mo.	$300
2 Gig Fiber Internet	$85/mo.	$200

Prices when bundling Optimum Mobile and Internet plans.

You’ll save $10–15 per month when bundling Optimum internet and cellular plans.

Their 500 Mbps, 1.0 Gbps, and 2.0 Gbps plans also come with free Visa prepaid cards. The amount received will vary by package.

Optimum Internet, TV, & Voice Deals & Freebies

Optimum will buy you out of your contract for up to $100. Not much, but if your current provider charges $100 or less for your early termination fee (ETF), you’ll save some money.

You’ll get varying amounts credited to your account when buying one of the following phones:

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: $300 credit
• Samsung Galaxy S22+5G and Ultra 5G: $300
• Motorola moto g pure: $60
• Samsung Galaxy S23: $300
• S23+: $400
• S23 Ultra: $500

Optimum requires customers to link these phones with their Optimum Mobile plans.

Enable and keep Auto Pay and Paperless Billing active and get a $5.00 monthly discount.

While you’re peeling costs off your bill, see if you qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). It’s a government benefits program that gives you a $30 monthly credit toward your internet bill.

How do you qualify?

Participate in at least one of these programs:

• Women, Infants, Children (WIC)
• School Breakfast Program (SBP)
• Head Start
• Medicaid
• Food Stamps (SNAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance
• VA Survivors or Veteran’s Pension
• Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Tribal TANF
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
• Federal Pell Grant
• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance

Visit fcc.gov/acp to check if you qualify. If so, Optimum will give you a free 300 Mbps plan. On top of getting free internet, they’ll credit $10 to your Optimum balance each month. From the remaining amount provided by the ACP.

Optimum does not offer discounts for seniors, students, nurses, or first responders.

Learn more about deals here.

How to Contact Optimum Customer Support

Here are the various channels used to reach Optimum’s customer service:

• Sales: 833-970-2474
• Customer support:
  • All other areas: 877-694-9474
  • North Carolina: 877-491-0050
  • Connecticut: 203-870-2528
  • Long Island: 631-393-0637
  • New Jersey, Pennsylvania: 973-230-6048
  • NY: Bronx, Brooklyn, Westchester: 718-860-3514
• Live chat: Optimum.net/support
• Twitter: @OptimumHelp
• Contract buyout proof: [email protected]
• CCPA questions: [email protected]
• Closed captioning issues:
  • 888-420-0777
  • 516-803-1682 (fax)
  • [email protected]

Send mail written complaints regarding closed captioning to this address:

Altice USA
Attn: Vinny Guerrera, Director Executive Customer Relations
200 Jericho Quadrangle
Jericho, NY 11753

Write letters and send questions regarding their privacy policy to this address:

Optimum
Attn. Shared Services Dept
1111 Stewart Ave.
Bethpage, NY 11714

How to Get Started With Optimum

Whether your home has an existing optical network terminal (ONT), you’ll need Optimum to activate it. And if your home doesn’t have one, you must schedule an appointment for a technician to install one.

After setting up your ONT, you’ll plug your router into your Ethernet, coaxial ports, and power outlet. Upon powering on your router, test your internet speeds. Ensure you’re getting the speeds advertised on your plan.

Or at least speeds close to it.

If you have slow Optimum internet, follow our guide on ways to troubleshoot. Some of what I wrote include:

• Using an Ethernet cable over Wi-Fi: a more reliable connection
• Unplug and replug your router for 10 seconds: it’ll reset your router’s cache, which may have stored an error
• Check Optimum’s internet outage map

Read the rest of the linked guide to learn more.

Need to connect Optimum TV?

Plug in your TV box to the wall outlet, coaxial port, and your TV’s HDMI port. While waiting for your receiver to power on, shove batteries into your remote.

Power on your TV and use the INPUT button to change your source to HDMI. Now you’ll have to wait a bit for your receiver to download firmware updates.

Once done, activate your TV box by visiting selfinstall.optimum.net.

FAQs: Optimum Internet & TV

Explore unanswered questions about Optimum’s services.

Conclusion

Optimum offers reasonably-priced fiber optic internet at varying speeds. However, their cable TV packages come off as a bit pricey. And you can’t bundle their home internet and TV for a discount.

If you’re looking for a fiber optic internet provider, Optimum’s a decent option. They provide free equipment and don’t have too many crazy fees.

However, don’t buy from them, yet. Explore other ISPs we’ve reviewed. Compare our findings to choose the best provider.