Optimum has responded to claims from local lawmakers who are saying the company will soon put a new plan into place that would cut internet speeds.

Lawmakers held a news conference in Hartford Thursday, speaking out against a plan they say would impact some families and businesses who are still relying on telecommuting and internet access to stay safe and connected.

Attorney General William Tong is calling on the company to stop the decision or delay it until the pandemic is over.

Altice released a statement in response saying, in part, “We have invested millions of dollars into enhancing our network, including the roll out of our 100% fiber network, which currently offers symmetrical speeds up to 1G... existing customers will not be affected unless they upgrade, downgrade, or change HFC services and we continue to offer many different promotions to new and existing customers.”

Optimum is a division of Altice, the parent company of News 12 Connecticut.

Altice USA has a long-standing relationship with the State of Connecticut and we are committed to providing our customers with the speeds and internet experience they need now and into the future. We appreciate the feedback from Attorney General Tong, State Senator Bob Duff, and State Senator Norm Needleman, and will engage with their offices to provide the information needed.

In Connecticut alone, we have invested millions of dollars in technology, network upgrades and building a new 100% fiber network, which offers symmetrical speeds up to 1 Gig. We have a variety of options and plans available for all our customers to meet their needs, and additionally, none of the plans Optimum offers include a data cap.

We also know how important connectivity is, which is why Altice USA has been committed to bridging the digital divide to ensure that more residents within the Optimum and Suddenlink footprints have access to high-quality reliable broadband service. Before and during the pandemic, we have provided affordable internet access through the company's Altice Advantage Internet product and more recently, through the FCC's Emergency Broadband Benefit Program.

Additionally, we have worked with school districts to provide solutions to reach households that lack connectivity to keep all students connected. Specifically in the State of Connecticut, Altice USA has been a proud partner of the Everybody Learns initiative, working together with 13 Connecticut school districts to connect nearly 1,500 households, ensuring students could effectively participate in remote learning over the past year. Altice USA also partnered with the Dalio Foundation and the Norwalk School District to provide connectivity to households with students lacking connectivity.

As it relates to our upload speeds, starting on July 12, we are making some adjustments to our cable internet speed tiers for new customers. Existing customers will not see a change to their internet upload speeds unless they change their cable internet service.

These new cable internet tiers are consistent with those offered by other internet providers and our pricing remains competitive so customers can get the experience they need at a good value.

At the same time, our 100% fiber network offers symmetrical speeds – same upload and download speeds - up to 1 Gig and is available to 1 million homes and we continue to introduce this new network to more and more homes each month.

We understand that customers’ needs vary, which is why the speed tiers we offer, ranging from 100Mbps to 1Gig on both our cable internet network and on our 100% fiber network, provide our customers with options and flexibility to choose the best package to meet their needs.

Our network continues to perform very well despite the significant data usage increases during the pandemic, and we look forward to continuing to provide our loyal customers with the service experience they need now and into the future.