Optimum TV Review: Packages, Pricing, & Channel Lineups

I want to find a TV provider who’ll deliver the most value. That led me to compile all available information about Optimum TV.

I’ll cover the following points throughout this guide:

• Pros & cons
• Pricing & features
• Channels available
• DVR plans
• Optimum TV app overview
• Additional costs
• TV remote
• Availability
• How to reach their customer service
• Internet & TV bundles
• How Optimum TV fares against the competition

Read on to learn more.

Optimum TV Pros & Cons

Pros:

• No contracts
• Offers more channels than most competitors
• An enormous international channel lineup

Cons:

• A bit pricey per channel
• No discounts when bundling

Optimum TV Packages, Pricing, & Features Compared

Optimum offers the following cable TV and streaming packages [1]:

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+

Details:

• Cable TV
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• No contract

Optimum Stream is a media streaming box that comes with a bunch of apps you could download free on your phone or tablet. I recommend buying a third-party device instead of paying $10 a month.

Best Plans for Different Groups

I’ll cover the best Optimum television plans for different groups in the following sections. Keep reading to find the best value.

Core TV: Best Overall Plan

Optimum Core TV costs $105 a month and gives you over 220 channels. That’s $0.47 per channel.

The plan’s the best since it includes over 200 channels and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. And since this is Optimum, you won’t experience a price hike after a term agreement.

Other than pricing and the channels offered, Core TV doesn’t offer perks or features that make it different from its counterparts.

Optimum Basic TV: Best Optimum TV Plan for Seniors

Optimum’s Basic TV plan offers more than 50 channels for $35 a month. Or $0.70 per channel.

I recommend this plan for seniors since it includes most popular channels (e.g. ABC) and doesn’t cost too much. However, the monthly price doesn’t include TV box rentals, taxes, broadcasting fees, and regional sports surcharges.

Optimum TV Channel Lineup

Let’s compare channels each plan offers:

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	⬤	⬤	⬤

Channel 200, Stingray Naturescape, and the Smithsonian channel support 4K UHD content. Ensure you watch it on a 4K TV, though. Otherwise, you’ll have 1080p or 720p resolutions.

1. Optimum Sports Channel Packages

Sports packages you could buy include:

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 get the latter 3 packages on this list.

The College Sports Package has these channels:

1. ACCN
2. ESPN
3. BIG Network
4. CBS Sports Network
5. ESPNU
6. Stradium College Sports
7. SEC ESPN Network

Optimum Sports Package Channel Lineup

You’ll get these channels with the $15 a month 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

2. Optimum Premium Channel Packages

Here’s the pricing for Optimum’s premium channels:

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

3. Optimum International Channel Packages

Find these international channels:

Channel	Cost *
Español 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/mo.
Shanson TV	$14.99/mo.

You could pay $9.95 for an individual channel instead of the $14.95 a month. That works best for anyone who wants to save a few sucks, yet would only watch a single channel from one of these packages.

Optimum DVR Plans & Features

Optimum offers these DVR plans and services:

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 need to pay for the DVR service ($12.95) then get a cloud storage plan. 

Optimum TV App Overview

Download the Optimum TV app and access these features:

• Stream your channels on up to 3 devices simultaneously
• View & manage DVR recordings
• Turn your phone into a remote for your TV box
• Stream live TV channels when away from home

It’s available on iOS, Amazon, and Android operating systems. Or through optimum.net/app. To use the app, open your device’s app store, download it, open it, log into your Optimum online account, and stream.

You’ll save money on having to buy additional TV boxes by downloading the Optimum TV app on devices in different rooms and using them to watch TV. However, you must have at least 1 set-top box.

There’s a catch to this app, though.

Your device must have an internet connection. Otherwise, it won’t work. However, Optimum doesn’t specify what speeds each device would need to stream content without buffering.

I usually use DirecTV Stream as a benchmark in this case. It requires 8.0 Mbps of download speed per device [2]. Most entry-level internet plans offer 100–300 Mbps download speeds. That’s more than enough for 3 devices to watch TV simultaneously.

Optimum TV Hidden Fees

Optimum’s television plans have these additional costs:

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

The broadcast and regional sports fees are unavoidable. And they’re fees you’ll have to pay with almost all cable TV providers. The only way around them is to switch to live TV streaming services like DirecTV Stream.

It’s a service like Netflix, but it offers access to popular live channels like CBS and Cartoon Network.

And the cable card allows you to connect a third-party TV box or DVR to your home.

Optimum TV Installation & Cancellation Fee

Customers won’t need to pay an installation fee for Optimum TV if they order online. Otherwise, they may incur a $99–$149.99 fee. There’s also no early termination fee if you cancel your service.

Since Optimum has no contracts.

Optimum TV Remote

Optimum’s voice-activated remote is like a typical remote that comes with home television plans. Use voice commands to navigate through apps or to search content.

Here’s what one of the remotes looks like [3]:

Explore a separate piece I wrote to learn how to program it with your TV.

Optimum TV Coverage & Map

Optimum offers their cable television service 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

Ensure you visit their website and enter your ZIP code. Because Optimum doesn’t offer coverage in many cities.

Here’s a map to illustrate the above table:

How to Contact Optimum TV Customer Support

Use any of these mediums to reach Optimum’s TV support:

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

• Sales: 833-970-2474
• Customer support:
  • 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]
• 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

Optimum TV Bundles

Optimum won’t give you discounts when bundling their cable and internet products. But you’ll see these prices if you group these products anyway:

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+

Optimum Internet Plans Compared

If you decide to get Optimum internet, you’ll want to compare their offerings:

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

These plans don’t have contracts, data caps, or installation fees. You will need to pay for professional installation if you don’t order online. Otherwise, Optimum will give customers a free network gateway (modem/router combo).

Optimum’s 300 Mbps plan offers higher upload speeds than competing cable providers like Xfinity and Spectrum.

But the 1 Gig Fiber plan is a bit deceiving. I’d recommend competitors like Verizon Fios and AT&T Fiber instead for this speed tier.

Optimum TV vs. The Competition

Let’s compare Optimum’s television plans to their competitors:

Provider	Starting Price *	Channels Available	Cost Per Channel
Optimum	$35–$155	50–420+	$0.70–$0.29
Verizon Fios TV	$70–$109/mo.	125–425+	$0.56–$0.25
DISH	$79.99–$137.99/mo.	190–330+	$0.44–$0.25
Xfinity TV	$49.99–$134.99/mo.	125–185	$0.32–0.39

I’ll compare these providers in the following sections.

Optimum TV vs. Verizon Fios TV

Choose Optimum if:

• More international channels are available
• It has an app that lets you watch live channels on various devices

Choose Verizon Fios TV if:

• More stability
• Cheaper per channel

Verizon Fios doesn’t offer an app, which could save you money spent on TV boxes. And it doesn’t offer as many international channel packages as Optimum.

However:

It uses fiber optic connectivity, so you’ll likely have less downtime.

Verizon Fios TV and Optimum only compete in Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.

Optimum TV vs. DISH

Optimum’s a better pick because:

• No contract required
• More channels available

Choose DISH if:

• Cheaper per channel
• 3-year price guarantee
• Seniors, healthcare workers, military, & teachers get freebies
• More accessibility in rural areas
• Option available for RV owners

You’ll want Optimum if you don’t want to lock your household to a long contract. Or if you want more channels. Otherwise, DISH protects you from future price hikes and costs less per channel.

DISH and Optimum TV share availability in all areas.

Optimum TV vs. Xfinity

Optimum’s better because:

• No increased price after 12 months
• More channels
• Lower price per channel

Choose Xfinity if:

• You want to bundle TV, Mobile, and Internet

Optimum’s better since it doesn’t have a million fees, contracts, and increased pricing after a term agreement. They also offer international channel packages, though expensive.

Xfinity’s better if you want to bundle TV, Mobile, and Internet services since their bundle prices are pretty good.

Xfinity and Optimum share coverage in all areas except for Nevada and Kansas. You’ll only get Optimum in those areas.

FAQs

Read through these FAQs to see if I missed anything.

Conclusion

Optimum has more channels than most of its competitors, but charges more per channel than many of them. The TV app gives it a substantial upper hand, though. Since you could download the app on 3 devices and watch them in separate rooms.

Instead of having to buy additional TV boxes.

Don’t commit to Optimum, yet. Shop around a bit. Explore reviews we’ve written about other television providers.

Footnotes:

* Does not include taxes and other fees. These will vary by region. Pricing already accounts for discounts when enabling automatic payments. These prices also don’t account for other promotional pricing.

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