Optimum Lawsuit, What's Happening And What You Need To Know

Over 500 consumer complaints sparked multiple legal actions against Optimum (formerly Altice USA), making it one of the most heavily scrutinized cable providers in recent years. If you’re an Optimum customer—or considering becoming one—here’s what’s actually happening with these lawsuits and how they might affect you.

What Is the Optimum Lawsuit About?

Optimum faces several ongoing legal disputes across multiple states. The central issues include:

Hidden fees and deceptive billing practices. Customers claim Optimum charged hidden fees despite promising flat monthly rates, adding unexpected charges like Network Enhancement Fees and Sports Programming Surcharges to their bills.

MSG channel blackouts. Starting January 1, 2025, Optimum blocked access to MSG Networks channels for cable customers, leaving tri-state area sports fans unable to watch Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, and Devils games—while still charging for these channels.

Service quality complaints. West Virginia reached a $119.5 million settlement with Optimum in January 2025 after thousands of complaints about slow internet speeds, frequent outages, and poor customer service.

State enforcement actions. Connecticut Attorney General filed suit in May 2024 alleging unlawful “junk fees” and inadequate speed disclosures, particularly targeting Spanish-language customers.

The company operates under the Optimum brand (formerly Suddenlink in some areas) and is owned by Altice USA.

Who Is Involved in the Optimum Lawsuits?

Plaintiffs include:

Individual cable and internet customers in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Texas
State Attorneys General from multiple states
Law firms representing consumers through arbitration claims

Defendants:

Altice USA, Inc. (parent company)
CSC Holdings, LLC (operates as Optimum)
Cebridge Telecom CA, LLC (operates as Suddenlink Communications)

Additionally, Optimum filed its own lawsuit in November 2025 against eight financial firms including Apollo Capital Management and BlackRock, alleging they colluded to block debt refinancing.

Optimum Lawsuit, What's Happening and What You Need to Know

The $15 Million Hidden Fees Settlement (2023)

Optimum and Suddenlink agreed to pay $15 million to settle claims about hidden fees charged between July 2018 and May 2023. This settlement received final court approval in October 2023.

Who qualified? Customers charged any of these fees during the period:

Network Enhancement Fee or Network Access Surcharge
Broadcast Station Programming Surcharge or TV Broadcast Fee
Sports Programming Surcharge or Regional Sports Network Fee

Payment amounts:

Current customers with both fees: $27.50
Former customers with both fees: $20
Current customers with one fee: $12.50-$15
Former customers with one fee: $10

The claims deadline passed in September 2023. Customers reported receiving payments of up to $20 by April 2024, though many complained about not receiving notifications or lower-than-expected amounts.

Connecticut Junk Fee Lawsuit

Connecticut’s lawsuit alleges Optimum charged millions in unlawful Network Enhancement Fees starting in January 2019. The monthly fee increased from $2.50 to $6.00 over time with minimal disclosure to customers.

Key allegations:

The fee appeared only after customers selected service, buried in shopping carts
Optimum claimed the fee was necessary to “maintain and improve the network”—a basic function already covered by base rates
Spanish marketing materials used English-language disclosures to mislead non-English speakers

Connecticut expanded the lawsuit in November 2024 with additional evidence from aggrieved consumers. The case remains ongoing, and Optimum continues charging the fee despite the litigation.

MSG Blackout Dispute and Refund Demands

The most recent controversy involves Optimum’s January 2025 blackout of MSG Networks channels following a contract dispute. Over one million tri-state area customers lost access to local sports programming.

What happened:

MSG Networks and Optimum failed to reach a distribution agreement by December 31, 2024
Customers continued paying for packages including MSG without receiving the channels
The blackout lasted eight weeks, potentially allowing Optimum to collect close to $20 million for services not provided

Government response: Attorneys General from New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey demanded automatic refunds in February 2025. The blackout ended February 22, 2025, but refund status remains unclear.

Milberg law firm is pursuing arbitration claims on behalf of affected subscribers who were charged for premium services they couldn’t access.

West Virginia $119.5 Million Settlement

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced a $119.5 million settlement with Altice in January 2025 after a four-year investigation. The AG’s office received over 2,300 complaints from 2020 to 2023.

Settlement breakdown:

$75 million already invested in infrastructure since 2021
$40 million for future upgrades (2025-2027)
$4 million in consumer credits ($25 per eligible customer)
$500,000 payment to the state

Key commitments: Optimum must upgrade infrastructure to provide 1 Gig download speeds to all residential customers by December 2027. Failure to complete upgrades triggers additional fines up to $40 million.

This settlement followed a 2022 Public Service Commission fine of $2.2 million for ignoring customer complaints and reducing maintenance staff.

Texas Settlement (2023)

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a $350,000 settlement in December 2023. The case addressed suspect billing practices, slow internet speeds, frequent outages, and misleading promotions affecting customers in over 100 Texas service areas.

Texas customers received one-time credits based on an agreed spreadsheet, and the company implemented improved customer service standards and quality control monitoring.

Recent Antitrust Lawsuit (November 2025)

In a separate matter, Optimum filed an antitrust lawsuit claiming finance firms blocked its debt refinancing efforts. The company alleges eight firms formed a creditor cooperative controlling 99% of its loans and bonds, requiring supermajority approval for any refinancing deals.

This lawsuit represents Optimum as plaintiff rather than defendant, highlighting the company’s broader financial pressures.

How to Know If You’re Affected

You may be eligible for compensation if:

You were an Optimum or Suddenlink customer charged hidden fees between 2018-2023 (settlement closed)
You’re a West Virginia residential customer who experienced service issues
You’re a tri-state area customer affected by MSG blackouts in early 2025
You’re a Connecticut customer charged Network Enhancement Fees since 2019

Check your billing statements for these fees:

Network Enhancement Fee
Network Access Surcharge
Broadcast Station Programming Surcharge
TV Broadcast Fee
Sports Programming Surcharge
Regional Sports Network Fee

What Are Your Legal Options?

Consumer arbitration. Most Optimum customer agreements include arbitration clauses preventing class action participation. Consumer arbitration allows you to argue your case before an independent arbitrator who can force the company to fix problems and provide compensation.

Small claims court. You can sue Optimum in small claims court, though this requires attending hearings and potentially paying legal fees.

State Attorney General complaints. File complaints with your state AG’s office. Multiple states have taken enforcement action based on consumer complaint patterns.

FCC complaints. Report service issues, billing disputes, or contract problems to the Federal Communications Commission.

What Comes Next?

Ongoing litigation: Connecticut’s junk fee lawsuit continues, with the state aggressively pursuing claims about deceptive practices.

MSG refund uncertainty: While the blackout ended, Congressman Pat Ryan and Attorney General Letitia James continue demanding refunds for missed programming. Federal legislation (Stop Sports Blackouts Act) could mandate future refunds for similar disputes.

West Virginia infrastructure upgrades: Current and former West Virginia customers should monitor whether they’re eligible for $25 credits. The company faces significant penalties if infrastructure upgrades aren’t completed by 2027.

Debt refinancing litigation: The antitrust case against financial firms could reshape how cable companies manage debt and access capital markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Optimum class action lawsuit still open?

The $15 million hidden fees settlement closed in September 2023. However, individual arbitration claims and state enforcement actions continue. Connecticut’s lawsuit remains active.

How do I file a complaint against Optimum?

File complaints with your state Attorney General’s consumer protection division, the FCC, or pursue consumer arbitration through services that help customers navigate the process without attending court hearings.

Can I still get money from the Optimum settlement?

The 2023 hidden fees settlement claims deadline passed. West Virginia customers may be eligible for $25 credits if they meet specific criteria. MSG blackout refunds remain uncertain.

What states are affected by Optimum lawsuits?

Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Texas have all taken legal action or reached settlements. Optimum operates in 21 states total.

Will Optimum change its billing practices?

While settlements require some changes, Optimum continues charging disputed fees despite ongoing litigation. Connecticut’s Attorney General characterized this as continuing to “rip people off.”

How long do cable blackout disputes typically last?

The MSG blackout lasted eight weeks. Historical data shows New Yorkers experienced 100 blackouts totaling 3,350 days from 2010-2024 when consumers couldn’t view paid content.

What is a Network Enhancement Fee?

A monthly surcharge Optimum charges supposedly to maintain and improve network infrastructure. Regulators argue this is a basic business function already covered by service rates, making the separate fee deceptive.

Can Optimum terminate my service for filing complaints?

No. Consumer protection laws prohibit retaliation for filing legitimate complaints with government agencies or pursuing legal remedies through arbitration or small claims court.

Key Takeaways

Multiple lawsuits demonstrate a pattern of consumer protection concerns involving Optimum’s billing practices, service quality, and transparency. While some settlements have closed, ongoing litigation in Connecticut and recent MSG blackout issues show these disputes continue affecting customers.

If you’re experiencing problems with Optimum, document everything: save billing statements, record customer service interactions, and note service outages. This documentation becomes critical if you pursue arbitration or file complaints with state regulators.

The combination of state enforcement actions, consumer arbitration claims, and federal legislation proposals suggests increased scrutiny of cable provider practices. Customers have more legal options than they might realize, even when traditional class actions are unavailable.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about ongoing legal matters involving Optimum. It is not legal advice. Consult an attorney for guidance about your specific situation.

About the Author

Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
Her writing blends real legal insight with plain-English explanations, helping readers stay informed and legally aware.
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Optimum Lawsuit, What’s Happening and What You Need to Know