Optimum Internet Review: Plans, Pricing, Speeds and Availability

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Optimum home internet rating

How we calculated our rating

6.4/10

CNET Score

We score internet providers for speed, value and customer care. Our data sources include the FCC, J.D. Power, The American Customer Satisfaction Index and extensive in-house research.

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6.4

/ 10

SCORE

Speed

7/10

Value

7/10

Customer Care

5.5/10

Pros

• High speeds with competitive pricing
• No data caps, no contracts
• Fiber service available to nearly 3 million homes
• 60-day money back guarantee for fiber customers

Cons

• Low customer satisfaction score
• Slow upload speeds for cable internet customers
• Price increase for all plans after first year

See more pros and cons

Optimum internet review

Optimum is traditionally a cable internet provider, it has arguably the largest fiber-optic internet network of any cable-first ISP. If you can access its fiber service, expect reliable high-speed internet up to 8,000Mbps and solid introductory rates in the first year. Unlike many internet service providers, you can lock your price for up to five years in some areas.

Service is pretty straightforward, with cable and fiber service offering unlimited data, no contracts and no equipment fees. However, your monthly bill jumps by $15 after every year of service, so you may want to consider switching providers after a year or two. Let's peel back the curtain on Optimum and highlight some details you should know before signing up.

Optimum internet plans and pricing

Optimum fiber internet plans

Optimum cable internet plans

The Altice USA company, which combined with Altice's other brand, Suddenlink, in 2022, has a fiber network that extends to nearly 3 million households, according to Optimum's first-quarter report from 2025. It's no surprise that Optimum's fiber network has been growing: Fiber internet trumps all other internet connection types due to its symmetrical speeds, better reliability and more high-speed internet options. However, fiber internet has limited availability, especially compared to a cable connection. Optimum's fiber internet is not as widely available as its cable internet, but if you can get fiber, you may be eligible for multi-gig plans up to 8,000Mbps in select areas. Its cable offerings, on the other hand, while more ubiquitous, max out with 1,000Mbps in downloads and 35Mbps in uploads.

Optimum's multi-gig plans range between $90 to $280 a month. Such prices for home internet can understandably feel a bit steep compared to other internet plans. Frontier Fiber, for example, offers slightly slower in prices for its 1-gig, 2-gig and 5-gig plans. The cost per Mbps is much lower with multi-gig fiber internet plans, but you may not need that much speed.

With whatever plan you choose, once the promo period ends, your monthly bill will increase by $15 year after year. Optimum's multi-gig plans may be priced competitively during the promo period, but that will inevitably change as your bill goes up over time. On the bright side, a price lock of up to five years may be available for New York City residents.

No data caps or contracts

Optimum's terms of service are refreshingly straightforward. All internet plans are free of data caps and contracts, regardless of the service type. That's a nice contrast to rival cable internet providers like Cox and Xfinity, which charge overage fees up to $50 or higher for going over your data allowance.

The no-contract requirement is another nice perk compared to Cox and Xfinity, which both typically require term agreements of at least one year to get the lowest pricing. 

Optimum Wi-Fi equipment and fees

The Optimum device you get depends on the plan you choose and the network type (cable or fiber). Optimum either uses a gateway or a Wi-Fi 6E gateway. For an additional $10 monthly, you can add Whole Home Wi-Fi, which comes with up to three Wi-Fi extenders and 24/7 tech support.

Optimum also offers "Total Care" plans, which come with tech support for "your connected devices, smart home experience and more" according to Optimum's website. The plan features different tiers that include wiring issues, internet troubleshooting, device protection and repair for up to $25 extra a month. While it's nice to have the technical support, I can't really justify spending an additional $10 monthly on a service I may not even use; still, if you're accident-prone or have pets that like to chew cords, it might be worth trying out.

As for installation, a standard install is included at no extra cost when you order online. If you'd prefer professional installation, including Wi-Fi configuration on up to six devices and hardwiring on one device, that cost will come out to $100.

Using your own equipment

Optimum is one of several providers that allow you to use your equipment. If you go that route, you'll need to have a compatible modem and router ready at the time of installation. Using your own equipment will limit service upgrades and technical support. 

Optimum home internet availability

Optimum covers two boroughs in greater New York City -- Brooklyn and the Bronx. Serviceability runs from Dutchess County, New York, to Toms River, New Jersey. Optimum is also available throughout Long Island and in parts of Connecticut, Pennsylvania and along the New Jersey border.

Since parent company Altice united Suddenlink and Optimum coverage areas under the Optimum brand, coverage has expanded to include 21 total states. Outside of the greater New York City area, Optimum is now available in parts of Arizona, Arkansas, California, Idaho, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia, among others. 

It's mostly cable, with some fiber mixed in

As mentioned above, Optimum primarily uses a cable or cable hybrid network to deliver service. Cable is a solid option, as it can offer gigabit download speeds that may outpace the speeds offered by rural providers, but the technology fails to compare to the speed and consistency you get with a fiber connection.

How does Optimum compare?

There is a little overlap between Optimum and cable providers Spectrum and Xfinity in the greater New York City area. For the most part, Optimum has lower introductory pricing than both, and the lower pricing comes with faster speeds. Optimum and Verizon Fios are more closely matched and share a much larger coverage area.

Optimum vs. Verizon Fios

Optimum and Verizon Fios share much of the same service areas in greater New York City, so pricing, speeds and service terms stay relatively competitive between them. Note that Verizon Fios has a much bigger footprint than Optimum's fiber network, so your chances of getting a fiber connection with Verizon are better than Optimum.

Optimum has the advantage of lower plan pricing, at least until the standard pricing kicks in. After the first year, Verizon Fios is likely to be the cheaper option.

Neither Optimum nor Verizon burden customers with equipment fees, data caps or contracts.

All things considered, Optimum and Verizon Fios are closely matched. If introductory pricing drives your decision, Optimum is likely to be your better option, but if standard pricing, fast upload speeds and high customer satisfaction are more of a concern, you may want to consider Verizon Fios.

Optimum versus ISPs in other service areas

A good rule of thumb is that fiber internet is better than cable and cable is better than DSL. If you have a fiber service from AT&T, Quantum Fiber, Frontier, Kinetic or others available at your address, the speed, reliability and overall value it presents is probably higher than what you'll get from Optimum's cable internet.

On the other hand, if the competing provider to Optimum in your area only offers a DSL connection (many of the aforementioned fiber providers also have large DSL networks), Optimum is likely to be the better choice for speed, reliability and value.

The wild card here is 5G home internet, which has recently added some much-needed competition to the broadband space, thanks to providers like T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T Internet Air. Although maximum speeds are currently a bit lower with 5G home internet compared to cable, the pricing and service terms are as good as you'll find.

If you're looking for alternatives to Optimum and fiber isn't available in your area, I'd recommend checking to see if your address is serviceable for 5G home internet.

Perks and promos with Optimum

Besides the speeds, Optimum has some alluring perks. It offers new customers a 60-day window to try out Optimum's service. Optimum will give you your money back within the first 60 days of service if your service isn't up to par. Fiber customers can also bundle their home internet service with Optimum Mobile and save $20. Additionally, those who sign up for the 1-gig plan and bundle with a mobile or TV plan will get a $100 gift card.

Optimum is also offering a free bundle of Disney Plus and Hulu (with Ads) for six months. After six months, you'll be moved to the standard Disney Plus and Hulu (with Ads) price of $11 monthly.

About that Optimum customer satisfaction...

Optimum checks just about every box when it comes to what we at CNET look for in a quality internet provider, but there's one box that consistently remains inconsistent: customer satisfaction. Despite the competitive pricing, fast speeds and other perks, Optimum lingers near the bottom of customer satisfaction reports from sources like the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power.

The good news is that in the 2025 ACSI report, Optimum's fiber score rose by 8% over the previous year's number, notching 71 out of 100 points. It was the only fiber ISP to show growth year-over-year in the study. The not-so-great news is that it still scored below the industry average (75) and tied near the bottom with Frontier Fiber and Quantum Fiber.

As a nonfiber provider, Optimum escaped the bottom third of the list, but its 63 points still fell well below the category average (70) and the scores of competing cable providers, including Cox, Spectrum and Xfinity.

Optimum also did not fare well with J.D. Power's 2024 customer satisfaction survey, which gave the provider a score of 471/1,000 in the East and a score of 496 in the South. Again, both scores fell short of the industry average and Optimum landed last in the East region and second to last in the South region.

Why the low customer satisfaction?

The ACSI and J.D. Power both rate ISPs on a variety of customer experience indicators, such as speed, performance during peak hours and call center satisfaction. The reports do not show how each provider scored in each category, so it's difficult to tell exactly where Optimum showed the biggest needs for improvement.

A brief look at the Reddit page for Optimum discussion hints at issues ranging from high prices and unclear billing to poor customer support and substandard equipment. Many comments on sites like Reddit should be taken with a grain of salt, but they may help shed some light on common pain points Optimum customers experience.

What's the bottom line on Optimum internet?

If Optimum is available in your area, it's likely to be one of your better internet options, at least on paper. Optimum offers a variety of download speeds from 300Mbps to 8,000Mbps in select areas, for introductory pricing lower than or about the same as you'll find from most competitors with similar speed tiers. Optimum's fiber offerings are probably the best all-around when it comes to speed and value. Still, perks like unlimited data and free equipment rental make any Optimum plan worth considering.

Just keep in mind: there's probably a good reason (or two, or three) that the ISP has not fared well in customer satisfaction in recent years. 

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