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Altice One brings its cable lineup to Apple TV
Altice One's cable offerings are now available on Apple TV 4K. Optimum and Suddenlink subscribers can access their favorite cable content directly through the Altice One app on Apple TV 4K. This is good news if you want to watch TV beyond your official box, and it offers a few added perks, like the ability to search Altice One programming via voice controls on the Siri Remote.
ESPN's 4K National Championship broadcast airs on Comcast, DirecTV and Altice
Back in October ESPN started broadcasting college football in 4K, and now it's time for the National Championship Game. For tonight's matchup between LSU and Clemson the network will present a Samsung-sponsored feed from the Field Pass view -- with "free flowing commentary of the game" and SkyCam angle in Ultra HD. There's still no HDR in the broadcast yet, but viewers with appropriate setups from Comcast, DirecTV and Altice can tune in. Hopefully the broadcast won't suffer from any glitches, as Awful Announcing pointed out the the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day ran into numerous "technical difficulties" for DirecTV viewers.
Amazon Prime Video is coming to Optimum set-top boxes
Believe it or not, Prime Video still has some devices left to conquer. Altice has unveiled plans to bring Amazon's service to Optimum and Suddenlink subscribers using the Altice One platform. It'll be available both directly on the set-top box (above) and alongside other included services, and accessible through the voice-savvy remote control. If you want to catch up on Mrs. Maisel or The Boys and don't have another Prime Video device on hand, you'll have a ready-made solution.
Altice adds a $20 mobile plan to its cable service
Yet another US cable provider is attempting to shake up the wireless market by launching a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). This time, it's Altice with Altice Mobile and a $20 plan that is unprecedented in the US market. The plan includes unlimited data alongside unlimited nationwide talk and text. It also features unlimited video streaming at 480p and international roaming in 35 countries.
Altice's smart speaker uses Alexa to control your TV set-top box
You probably don't associate cable giant Altice USA with the cutting edge of smart home technology, but it's determined to change your mind. The company has unveiled a smart speaker, the Amplify, that can serve as a complement to your existing cable service. The Alexa-based device looks like a typical smart Sonos One-style speaker, but it promises better-than-usual quality thanks to two long-stroke woofers from Devialet (known for its speakers for TV giants), a 19v, 7.5A peak amp and a design meant to cancel vibrations while pumping out serious bass. It also touts party tricks like auto volume adjustment and room-filling spatialization.
New York sets tougher standards for marketing internet speeds
New York isn't just asking Charter to clean up its act. The state has reached a settlement with Altice (Optimum's owner), Frontier, RCN and Engadget parent company Verizon that will have them adhere to stricter standards for advertising internet speeds. They'll have to back up their claims with regular speed testing, ensure they have enough network capacity to handle advertised third-party services and make clear that speeds on WiFi won't be the same as with a wired connection.
Cable giant Altice will become a wireless carrier with Sprint's help
Just because Sprint was jilted at the altar doesn't mean its weekend was all bad. The carrier has struck a deal that will turn Altice (the French company that bought CableVision) into an American wireless provider. Under the agreement, Altice USA will have "full" use of Sprint's network for nationwide voice and data service. In return, Altice will use its broadband network to help Sprint "densify" its coverage as it adds legions of small cell sites.
America's fourth-largest cable co. will offer 10Gbps fiber
Altice USA may not be the most recognized ISP name out there, but the country's fourth-largest provider is about to get a big upgrade over the next five years or so. According to the company's roadmap, Altice plans to bring high-speed, 10 Gbps fiber lines directly to its 8.3 million customers starting in 2017.
Cablevision and Viacom settle their lawsuits over channel bundling
And just like that, Cablevision's feud with Viacom over channel bundling is over. The two TV giants have settled their antitrust lawsuits with promises that they're making "mutually beneficial business arrangements." Neither side is saying what those arrangements are, however, and it's not clear whether or not Cablevision is getting a better deal than what it had in 2012. This ruckus started because Cablevision didn't like being forced to carry niche Viacom channels to get the big channels it wanted -- this whole exercise would be pointless if the company didn't get either a discount or more control. With that said, it wouldn't be shocking if Cablevision's soon-to-be owner, Altice, pushed for a hasty compromise to prevent the lawsuits (and the resulting government scrutiny) from interfering with its big purchase. [Image credit: Jin Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Cablevision buyout makes Altice the fourth-largest US cable operator
Cablevision, an iconic US cable TV company founded in 1973, has been purchased by France's Altice for $17.7 billion. The sale has been approved by shareholders and is expected to go through in the first half of 2016. "Nearly half a century later, the time is right for new ownership of Cablevision and its considerable assets," said CEO James L. Dolan. Not included in those assets, however, is Cablevision's Madison Square Garden company -- the Dolan family will keep the downtown New York arena, along with Radio City Music Hall and the Rangers and Knicks pro sports franchises. It's also holding onto AMC Networks, the home of Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead.
The French are coming... for Time Warner Cable
Ever since Comcast was scared off buying Time Warner Cable, a slew of other firms have been eyeing up the business for a purchase. The latest to throw a beret into the ring is French telecoms firm Altice (us neither), which Reuters and the Wall Street Journal claim has eyes on America's No. 2. The outfit is already attempting to make it big here after announcing that it's purchasing Suddenlink, a regional cable company operating in a handful of states, including West Virginia, Texas and Louisiana, at a cost of $9.1 billion.
