Optimum
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Our Optimum internet review
Feb 9, 2024 | Share
Optimum is a cable and fiber internet provider operating in 21 states across the US: from California to Texas to North Carolina to New York. We recommend Optimum’s fiber internet if you can get it— it has greater reliability and symmetrical speeds up to 8,000 Mbps. Optimum’s cable internet is a good alternative if fiber isn’t in your area.
Pros
- Affordable promo prices
- No contracts
- No data caps
Cons
- Limited fiber availability
- Expensive post-promo prices
Jump to: Plans and pricing | Speed and data caps | Fees | Installation, equipment, and contracts | Customer ratings | Optimum vs. the competition | Bottom line | FAQ
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Compare Optimum internet plans and pricing
| Package | Price* | Speed | Type | View on Optimum site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 Mbps Internet | $30.00/mo.* | Up to 300Mbps | Cable, fiber | Shop Plans |
| 500 Mbps Internet | $45.00/mo.* | Up to 500Mbps | Cable | Shop Plans |
| 1 Gig Internet | $55.00/mo.*# | Up to 940Mbps | Cable | Shop Plans |
| 500 Mbps Fiber Internet | $30.00/mo.* | Up to 500Mbps | Fiber | Shop Plans |
| 1 Gig Fiber Internet | $45.00/mo.*# | Up to 940Mbps | Fiber | Shop Plans |
| 2 Gig Fiber Internet | $55.00/mo.*# | Up to 2,000Mbps | Fiber | Shop Plans |
| 5 Gig Fiber Internet | $80.00/mo.*# | Up to 5,000Mbps | Fiber | Shop Plans |
| 8 Gig Fiber Internet | $265.00/mo.*# | Up to 8,000Mbps | Fiber | Shop Plans |
* w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
#2 year price guarantee
Find out if Optimum is available in your area.
Optimum’s speeds: What’s best for you?
Optimum’s 300 Mbps Internet plan is ideal for small households checking email, posting to social media, and streaming a few cat videos. And a household of four or five may feel the limits of a 500 Mbps connection if they all try to stream video and download simultaneously. Optimum offers multigig plans, but 5,000Mbps and 8,000 Mbps in download speed is probably overkill for most households and the average internet user. Optimum has both cable and fiber plans, and we always recommend fiber if you can get it because it’s more reliable and has equal upload and download speeds.
Test and track your internet speed on your phone
Download our free, easy-to-use speed test app for quick and reliable results.
How fast are your Optimum speeds?
Click below for a quick speed test and find out.
Download speed
000 Mbps
Upload speed
000 Mbps
Latency (ping)
00 ms
Jitter
00 ms
Be sure to use our How Much Speed Do I Need? tool before investing in a plan that may be too little or too much for your needs.
Optimum’s data caps
Optimum doesn’t enforce data caps, so no worries about overage fees or extra charges for unlimited data (like Xfinity).
Our favorite plan: Optimum’s 500 Mbps Internet plan is a good choice if you have up to four people in your household. The fiber version is highly reliable and offers equal upload and download speeds. The cable version is a good alternative if fiber isn’t in your area, but it doesn’t have the symmetrical speeds of fiber.
Optimum provides some of the cheapest promotional discounts in the US. The 300 Mbps Internet plan seems like a steal for $30.00 per month—especially the fiber version with symmetrical speeds. Spectrum charges $20 more per month for the same download speed.
But all that changes when the promotional prices end. Optimum’s 300 Mbps plan increases in price to $109.99 per month, while Spectrum’s 300 Mbps plan goes up to $74.99 per month. You get more for your money if you choose Spectrum’s Internet Ultra plan with up to 500 Mbps at $94.99 per month after the promotional period.
Optimum offers fiber internet mainly in the New York tri-state area and in small pockets scattered across the US. There are only 1.2 million fiber-to-the-home connections as of December 31, 2022, but parent company Altice USA expects to increase its fiber coverage to 6.5 million connections by the end of 2025.1
Optimum ongoing deals and promotions + bundles
New customers get free installation and are eligible for either a gift card worth $50–$300 or a gift of choice from Snappy.
Free internet opportunities in NYC
Qualifying NYC residents can enroll in Big Apple Connect for a free plan up to 300 Mbps.
Optimum plans with mobile bundle deal
| Package | Price | Speed | Type | View on Optimum site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 Mbps Internet + Mobile (1GB) | $45.00/mo.* | Up to 300Mbps | Cable, fiber | Shop Plans |
| 300 Mbps Internet + Mobile (Unlimited) | $75.00/mo.* | Up to 300Mbps | Cable, fiber | Shop Plans |
| 500 Mbps Internet + Mobile (Unlimited) | $75.00-$90.00/mo.§** | Up to 500Mbps | Cable, fiber | Shop Plans |
| 1 Gig Internet + Mobile (Unlimited) | $90.00-$100.00/mo.*† | Up to 940Mbps | Cable, fiber | Shop Plans |
| 2 Gig Fiber Internet + Mobile (Unlimited) | $100.00/mo.‡ | Up to 2,000Mbps | Fiber | Shop Plans |
| 5 Gig Fiber Internet + Mobile (Unlimited) | $125.00/mo.# | Up to 5,000Mbps | Fiber | Shop Plans |
| 8 Gig Fiber Internet + Mobile (Unlimited) | $265.00/mo.## | Up to 8,000Mbps | Fiber | Shop Plans |
Optimum internet fees
| Cost | |
|---|---|
| Equipment Fee |
|
| Installation Fee | Free installation with online orders |
| Other Fees |
|
Optimum used to charge a Network Enhancement Fee of $3.50 per month but discontinued the fee in early 2022 (although Optimum still shows it on the standard rates and packages list).
Optimum internet installation, equipment, and contracts
With the standard install, a technician comes to your home and connects your home to fiber or cable internet. Premium installation includes placing additional outlets and connecting wired and wireless devices to your local network. You can get a self-install kit for cable internet only.
Optimum equipment
For cable internet, you have two options: a modem and a smart router or a wireless gateway. Optimum Xtend is a Wi-Fi extender compatible with its wireless gateway so that you can extend your wireless network further into your home.
Optimum supplies you with an Altice One unit if you get TV service, combining a modem, router, and TV receiver into one unit. Other options include the Optimum Stream—an Android-based media streamer—and Optimum Amplify, a smart speaker designed by Devialet Technologies.
Optimum internet contracts
Optimum doesn’t require an annual contract, but it does offer new customers a discount for 12 months. After that, standard rates apply.
Optimum internet customer satisfaction ratings
| Overall | Reliability | Customer Service | Speed | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum rating* | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 2.9 |
| Average rating* | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.4 |
* Rating based on a five (5) point system used in our customer satisfaction survey. Higher is better.
Optimum ranks in the bottom half of every category in our latest customer satisfaction survey. Its highest ranking is in speed satisfaction, although that’s not saying much, given it places twelfth out of 15 internet providers. Cable internet rivals Astound Broadband, Spectrum, Cox, and Xfinity did far better in this category in our survey, even though Optimum offers superfast fiber-to-the-home internet.
Optimum ranked at rock bottom for customer service and price in our survey. The company has exceptional introductory prices, but customers are hit with super-inflated rates after the first 12 months, hence the low price ranking. It just can’t compete with the likes of Xfinity, AT&T, and Verizon, who rank at the top of our survey and don’t raise their prices after a year.
How Optimum compares to the competition
| Provider | Speeds (range) | User rating* | Order online | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum | $30.00–$265.00/mo.†# | 300–8,000Mbps | 3.2 | View Plans |
| Verizon | $49.99–$119.99/mo.‡* | 300–2,300Mbps | 3.9 | |
| Spectrum | $49.99–$89.99/mo.§ for 12 mos. | 300–1,000Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) | 3.7 | View Plans |
* Rating based on a five (5) point system used in our customer satisfaction survey. Higher is better.
Optimum’s prices are the cheapest for the first 12 months, thanks to promotional pricing. For example, its 300 Mbps plan costs $10 less than identical plans from Spectrum (cable) and Verizon (fiber). But after that, Optimum becomes the most expensive of the three.
If you compare their gigabit plans, Spectrum’s cable internet increases to $109.99 per month in the second year and $114.99 per month in the third year. Optimum’s cable and fiber internet go up to $139.99 per month in the second year, making it the most expensive of the three.
Read our full reviews of Optimum vs. its main internet competitors
Is Optimum internet right for you?
Optimum provides mainly cable internet in 21 states across the US. It also has some fiber in the New York tri-state area and in small pockets in Texas, West Virginia, and a handful of other states. The type of connection you can get depends on where you live.
We suggest fiber if you can get it—Optimum’s fiber internet is pretty cheap for the first 12 months. But once the promotional pricing ends, another option like Verizon’s fiber is cheaper long-term if you can get it.
Optimum’s cable internet competes with Spectrum in many areas if there’s no fiber where you live. Again, Optimum is the cheaper of the two until the promotional pricing ends. However, you have more options with Optimum in terms of plan selection and equipment. But we suggest sticking with Spectrum if you want to save money in the long run.
Shop Optimum InternetFAQ about Optimum
Where can I get Optimum's cable internet?
Optimum provides cable internet in 21 states across the US—from California to Texas to North Carolina to New York.
- Existing Optimum service areas (4 states)
- Former Suddenlink service areas (18 states)
Where can I get Optimum’s fiber internet?
Optimum provides fiber internet mainly in the New York tri-state area. There are also small pockets of fiber in Arizona, California, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia—all areas previously managed under the Suddenlink brand.
What are the best routers for Optimum internet?
You don’t need a specific router to take advantage of Optimum’s fiber and cable internet services, though we suggest shopping for a model that supports Wi-Fi 6.
However, you will need a router with a Multi-Gig WAN port to support Optimum’s 2 Gbps and 5 Gbps fiber plans. The ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 is a good (albeit expensive) example, with two 10 Gbps ports and one 2.5 Gbps port.
For plans 1 Gbps and slower, stick with a router that supports Gigabit Ethernet. Here are a few guides to get you started:
- Best Wi-Fi 6 routers
- Best Wi-Fi Routers for Online Gaming
- Best Long-Range Routers
- Best Gigabit Routers for Superfast Wi-Fi
* Amazon.com Price (as of 8/01/22 9:35 MST). Read full disclaimer.
Does Optimum offer equipment catered to gamers?
No, but Optimum has an optional Android-based media streamer (Optimum Stream) and a smart speaker designed by Devialet Technologies (Optimum Amplify). Optimum supplies TV service customers with the Altice One, an all-in-one device that combines a modem, router, and TV receiver.
Does Optimum offer any security software?
Optimum provides optional McAfee software for Windows, macOS, and Android. The Windows client includes everything McAfee has to offer, while the macOS and Android versions lack features like anti-spam, home network defense, file shredder, data encryption, and more. The subscription costs $2.99 per month.
Methodology
Our HighSpeedInternet.com editorial team bases our analyses on customer input from our annual customer satisfaction survey, results from our speed test tool, and proprietary internet provider data on speeds and pricing. To strengthen our research, we look closely at provider contracts to get hard-to-find information on price hikes, data caps, and extra fees, and we keep tabs on the latest news reports and online reviews. When applicable, we also rely on our personal experiences testing these services.
Sources
- Altice USA, “Altice USA Announces Acceleration in Fiber Deployment Strategy; Announces Multi-Year Plan to Bring 100% Fiber Broadband to More Than 6.5 Million Passings Across the Optimum and Suddenlink Footprint,” February 16, 2022. Accessed May 3, 2022.
- Altice USA, “Altice USA to Acquire Morris Broadband,” March 01, 2021. Accessed May 4, 2022.
Disclaimer
Optimum
* Data effective 01/09/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
† For 1 yr. w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill w/unlimited mobile plans. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
‡ For 1 yr. w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill plus taxes with unlimited mobile plans. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
Compare Optimum internet plans and pricing
* For 1 yr. w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
Optimum plans with mobile bundle deal
*For 1 yr. w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill plus taxes w/Unlimited Mobile plan. ($40/mo. without Unlimited Mobile plan.) Terms apply. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. Not available in all areas.
§ For 1 yr.w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill w/unlimited mobile plans. Terms apply. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. ($60/mo. without mobile plans.)Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
* * For 1 yr. w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill w/unlimited mobile plans. Terms apply. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. ($50/mo. without mobile plans.)Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
† For 1 yr. w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill w/mobile plans. Terms apply. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. ($70/mo. without mobile plans.) Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
‡ For 1 yr. w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill w/mobile plans. Terms apply. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. ($120/mo. without mobile plans.) Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
# For 1 yr. w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill w/mobile plans. Terms apply. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. ($180/mo. without mobile plans.) Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
##For 1 yr. w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill w/mobile plans. Terms apply. Wired connection. WiFi speeds may vary. ($280/mo. without mobile plans.) Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
How Optimum compares to the competition
† For 1 yr. w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill. Terms apply. Not available in all areas
‡ For 1 yr. w/ Auto Pay. Available in select areas.
*Available in select areas only. Price per month with Auto Pay & without select 5G mobile plans. Fios plan prices include taxes & fees.
§ Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter. Spectrum Internet® Gig promotion price is $89.99/mo; standard rates apply after yr. 1. Taxes, fees and surcharges extra and subject to change during and after the promotional period; installation/network activation, equipment and additional services are extra.
# w/Auto Pay & Paperless Bill plus taxes. Terms apply. Not available in all areas.
Amazon.com Prices as of 8/01/22 9:35 MST. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Highspeedinternet.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
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