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Altice Offers On-Demand Free Services Amid Coronavirus Scare

In a bid to keep customers entertained with high-speed broadband connectivity amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Altice USA, Inc. ATUS is providing its customers with a range of free on-demand family-friendly content and Internet services. The latest move underscores the video service provider’s commitment to address the upsurge in data demand, especially at a time when a majority of the population is forced to work from the safety of their homes to reduce exposure to this deadly disease.

Markedly, the offering will be available to both Suddenlink and Optimum video customers. Known as one of the fastest broadband providers, the Suddenlink suite of services provides an end-to-end connected home experience through high-speed digital TV and voice services. Delivering broadband speed of up to 1GB, the services are functional in midwest, south and western parts of the United States. On the other hand, Optimum services, which are available in the New York tri-state region, provides a complete in-home entertainment experience with seamless Internet connectivity and a robust WiFi network.

With these benefits, the Long Island City, NY-based telecommunications company will provide free on-demand and live access to exclusive content from a plethora of informative and feel-good channels like — Discovery Family, DIY Network, Hallmark Drama and Cooking Channel — to its customers through Apr 22. In addition, Altice will offer a 2-month free access of Internet services through its “Altice Advantage” program. This platform is primarily aimed at helping students who are either deprived of basic home Internet services or displaced due to school and college closures in this unprecedented hour of crisis.

Impressively, the list of perks provided by Altice does not end here. Joining the list of premier telecom giants like AT&T Inc. T, Verizon Communications Inc. VZ, T-Mobile US, Inc. TMUS and CenturyLink, the broadband communications provider is committed to provide high-speed data to small businesses and wireless customers as part of the “Keep Americans Connected” pledge. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the pledge, which was announced by FCC Chairman — Ajit Pai — urges U.S. service providers to waive overage and late fees for those affected by the virus and provide connectivity services for low-income residential and business customers with more access to public WiFi hotspots for the next 60 days.

Notably, major Internet service providers are also giving first responders and federal agencies priority access to their streamlined networking facilities so that they can communicate effectively not only within their departments but also with other hospitals, health care and public sector agencies, who are battling this crisis on the front line. Many of these companies have gone even further, offering free service for low-income Americans and students, easing of data caps and increasing broadband speeds at no cost. These actions are helping many people transition to telework, telehealth and remote learning amid this pandemic.

Markedly, Altice has been rolling out enhanced data and services for its business customers. Moreover, the strategic buyout of Cheddar, a live streaming financial news network, has enabled the company to expand its portfolio of high-quality news coverage across digital, mobile and linear TV formats, thereby reaching to a wider pool of customers with real-time news in this hour of crisis.

Riding on such healthy business dynamics, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock is likely to fulfill its corporate objectives in the future. With a forward P/E ratio of 30.1, the stock has gained 1.8% against the industry’s decline of 28.3% in the past year.


Click to get this free report AT&T Inc. (T) : Free Stock Analysis Report Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Altice USA, Inc. (ATUS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research