Optimum, the broadband and cable television services company formerly known as Altice USA, says it is now providing customers with an aggregate total of more than 700,000 lines of wireless service.
In a press release this week, Optimum called the figure a “significant milestone in the company’s continued growth and momentum in the mobile market.” Like other cable TV and broadband providers, Optimum leases access to one of the nation’s three main carriers — in this case, T-Mobile — to power its virtual mobile network offerings.
Optimum Mobile starts at $15 per line for 1 Gigabyte (GB) of wireless data, with unlimited talk time and texting, on T-Mobile’s 4G LTE and 5G wireless network. The company also offers three lines of unlimited wireless service for $60 per month, with various promotional deals that allow some Optimum customers to get their third line of wireless service for free.
Optimum allows customers to purchase Optimum Mobile without another service plan, but advertises prices are generally presumed upon bundling services. The standalone price of Optimum Mobile increases by $5 to $10 per month without a bundled service, depending on the plan activated.
Optimum and other cable-based broadband providers have been aggressive in pitching wireless plans to customers as a way to retain subscribers at a time when fixed wireless products from T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon and satellite-based offerings from Starlink and others have increased competition in that space.
In May, Optimum reported a net loss of 64,000 broadband customers during the first quarter (Q1) of the year, a trend that was also experienced by Charter and Comcast, according to financial disclosure reports reviewed by The Desk.
But there are signs that wireless offerings are slowing the churn. Optimum and Comcast’s broadband churn was lower during Q1 when compared to the first three months of 2025. (Charter’s broadband losses accelerated on a year-over basis.) Executives at those companies have told investors that wireless plans paired with home Internet and other services are convincing some customers to stick around.
Cable company wireless plans are generally sold at a lower per-line price compared to post-paid plans marketed by T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T. There are some trade-offs: Cable wireless phone plans are generally de-prioritized on networks compared to post-paid plans sold by the Big Three companies, and some features like video streaming on phones and tablets can be lower in quality.
The real benefit to bundling wireless service with other cable-based products is paying for multiple monthly services on a single bill, and receiving a discount for doing so. Charter, Comcast and Optimum all offer discounts to customers who pair broadband Internet with wireless phone service, and the companies generally tout their broadband connections as more-reliable than fixed wireless products.
“Surpassing 700,000 mobile lines is a reflection of the strong progress we are making as we continue to transform our business and strengthen the products and services we deliver for our customers,” Michael Parker, the President of Consumer Services at Optimum, said in a statement. “As connectivity becomes more essential than ever, customers are increasingly looking for value and reliability across their mobile and broadband services.”
Parker said Optimum Mobile was part of the company’s ongoing commitment to deliver “straightforward, cost-effective solutions that deepen customer relationships and support our long-term growth.”
