NJBPU Secures Customer Refunds and Six Months of Free Optimum Broadband for New Jersey Subscribers through Settlement Agreement
| For Immediate Release: | Contact: Alonza Robertson |
| Date: 09/11/2026 | 609-913-6237 |
Stipulation resolves litigation over improper final billing practices
TRENTON, N.J. — September 11, 2026 — The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has secured a settlement, approved at its Wednesday Board Agenda meeting, resolving eight years of litigation surrounding Optimum Communications' (formerly Altice USA) failure to prorate final bills for cable television customers who disconnected service, in violation of the Board's rules.
“This settlement holds Optimum accountable and delivers restitution to customers who were improperly charged,” said NJBPU President Ben Hertz-Shargel. “It also expands access to affordable broadband and ensures clearer oversight going forward. The Board's priority is safeguarding ratepayers, and this settlement will help ensure Optimum's full compliance.”
Under the Board's rules, cable television bills must be prorated when a customer starts or cancels service, so customers are never charged for service they no longer receive. The rule ensures that when a customer cancels their cable service, they only pay for the days they were actually connected.
Through the settlement, NJBPU secured $37 in refunds for each customer affected by Optimum's actions between December 18, 2018 and May 5, 2023.
NJBPU also secured added benefits for New Jersey customers by requiring Optimum to extend its low-income broadband program to its entire customer base in the state, with no income verification required. Additionally, the Board secured six months of free service, delivered over a two-year period, for customers receiving service under the low-income broadband program.
To guard against future violations, NJBPU secured heightened reporting requirements in the stipulation to ensure Optimum's ongoing compliance with the Board's customer service regulations.
The matter began in 2018, when more than 100 customers reported that Optimum continued charging them for cable service even after they cancelled. In response, the Board issued an Order to Show Cause that December and, when the company did not correct the practice, a Cease-and-Desist Order in 2019 requiring Optimum to stop and issue refunds. Optimum challenged the Board's action in court, but in 2023 both the New Jersey Supreme Court and the Appellate Division upheld the Board's authority to require prorated bills and directed Optimum to comply.
Board staff, the New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel, and Optimum negotiated the settlement, which NJBPU approved as a fair and reasonable resolution.
About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU)
The NJBPU is a state agency with regulatory authority over utilities, including natural gas, electricity, water, telecommunications, and cable television. The Board ensures safe, adequate, and proper utility services at reasonable rates for New Jersey customers. Additionally, the Board is responsible for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about NJBPU, visit www.nj.gov/bpu.
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