SuddenLink Internet

SuddenLink, formerly Cebridge, was a cable and internet service provider focused on small and medium-sized communities in 14 states. Both SuddenLink and Cablevision Systems (Optimum) were purchased by Altice in 2015 and operated as subsidiaries of Altice USA until they Suddenlink was abosrbed into the Optimum brand. The combined companies make up the fourth largest cable company in the United States. SuddenLink was headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. The company's largest coverage areas include Texas, West Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Missouri. They also bring high speed internet to rural areas and some smaller cities in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Ohio and Mississippi. The company boasted 6 US-based customer service centers and 24/7 tech support. The company recently started offering unlimited mobile data and smart phone plans to customers in partnership with Sprint (now T-Mobile).

History of SuddenLink

SuddenLink's origin dates back to 2002, when the company Cequel III was formed. The owners of Ceuqel III invested in cable provider Classic Communications and assumed management of the company in 2003. Cequel III continued to acquire customers from cable companies like Shaw Communications and Alliance Communications Partners. In September 2003, Cequel III formed a company consisting of all the cable systems they had acquired. This company was called Cebridge Communications and had 450,000 subscribers when it formed.

Cebridge Communications continued to acquire customers throughout the early to mid 2000s. Two of the largest acquisitions took place in 2006, when Cebridge acquired 869,000 customers from Cox Communications and 250,000 customers from Charter Communications. At this time, Cebridge Communications had a total of 1.4 million customers.

Cebridge Communications changed its name to SuddenLink in 2006 following these acquisitions. After the rebranding, SuddenLink began an effort to improve the existing infrastructure. SuddenLink upgraded their broadband infrastructure to DOCSIS 3.0 technology. This upgrade increased broadband speeds and allowed SuddenLink to provide more HD channels.

SuddenLink completed more acquisitions during the 2010s. In 2010, they gained an additional 8,000 subscribers from Windjammer Communications. The following year, they acquired NPG Cable. In 2014, they acquired two additional companies: Northland Communications and New Wave Communications.

In 2012, Altice Communications announced that they would acquire SuddenLink. When the acquisition was announced, SuddenLink had 1.5 million residential and 90,000 business customers. The acquisition closed in 2015 and one year later, Altice also acquired Cablevision. These acquisitions made Altice the fourth largest cable operator in the United States. SuddenLink is currently operated as a subsidiary of Altice and provides internet service in 14 states.

SuddenLink Coverage Areas

SuddenLink is available in 14 states, mostly across the southern United States. These states include California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia and North Carolina. Texas is the largest coverage area, with SuddenLink service available in more than 40 communities. These are primarily rural areas or small cities, including Tyler, Amarillo, Lubbock and College Station. SuddenLink is a good option for Louisiana, with 14 cities served and Arkansas, where service is available in 13 cities.

SuddenLink service is available in several communities in Louisiana, West Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, California and Arizona. In New Mexico, Ohio, Kentucky, Mississippi and Nevada, SuddenLink is only available in one city. Speed of internet service varies by location.

SuddenLink Features

Features of their tv and internet service include:

• Internet plans ranging from 300 MBps to 1 Gig speeds (940 Mbps) depending on the plan. 1 Gbps fiber Suddenlink packages available in select areas. A data cap may apply for lower tier plans. Customers can buy or lease a modem, or bring their own modem.
• A 20 Mbps download budget internet plan is also available. Lower income users may also qualify for low cost internet access. The 30 Mbps SuddenLink internet with wifi is available at reduced pricing under the Altice "Advantage Plan".
• Exclusive "Altice One" device with built-in streaming services and digital TV. Includes streaming app, integrated cloud DVR and whole-home wifi router.
• Suddenlink TV packages and home phone service are also available wherever SuddenLink cable packages are offered. A combined Internet + TV package will likely provide a significant savings over the purchase of individual services.
• Suddenlink TV packages can include local channels and core TV channels, plus optional premier TV channels such as the NFL Network, FX Movie Channel, and HBO Max.

SuddenLink speeds and plans may vary within their service area. Service pricing may not include installation, account activation or modem fees. You may pay an extra charge for broadcast TV services and other infrastructure upgrade or service fees. Be sure to inquire at sign-up so there are no surprises waiting for you on your first bill. What initially seems like low pricing can quickly inflate once extra charges are included. Incentives like gift cards free installation or a free modem/router may be available. Right now, SuddenLink is offering a $50 prepaid card to people who sign up for their 1 Gbps service. This Visa card is one of the great SuddenLink deals right now. Some services and upgrades may be available with life time pricing to new customers or customers who keep their accounts fully paid and up to date. It never hurts to ask customer service for the best possible deal. The company also offers to pay an early termination fee for new customers stuck in a contract with a competing internet service provider. The contract buyout offer plus the Visa card may not be available in all areas. SuddenLink offers are subject to change, so check to make sure you have the most up to date information.

SuddenLink customer service is available via online chat or by phone. They also have a series of FAQs and tutorials on their website so customers can troubleshoot on their own. A unique service that SuddenLink offers is service and device protection. With Safeguard service protection, customers pay a $6.99 monthly fee to waive service visits to fix any item damaged by the customer. The device protection plan costs $9.99 per month and gives customers virtual support for all eligible devices and equipment. This is a great way to keep your devices working smoothly and have peace of mind.

Since SuddenLink serves residents of smaller and under-served communities, they are primarily competing with satellite services in many of their markets: They compete against DISH and DirectTV for television and against ViaSat and HughesNet for satellite Internet services.

SuddenLink also offers mobile phone service through Altice. Mobile plans include unlimited texting and calling, access to a nationwide network and 5G cellular access. There are three different options for Altice mobile service, including a plan with unlimited data. Discounts and special pricing is available for existing SuddenLink customers, although these prices may change from time to time. Cellular coverage may also vary.

Current SuddenLink Packages

SuddenLink has several high speed plans, although they may not be available in all of their service areas. SuddenLink prices and speeds may vary based on location. Many of the current prices are based on promotions, which may not be combined with other offers and are subject to an early termination fee. These plans offer different upload and download speeds, with several options to meet your internet needs. SuddenLink's three main internet speeds are: 1 gig, 400 mbps and 100 mbps.

• SuddenLink 1 gigabyte internet: This SuddenLink residential package has the fastest internet speeds with internet download speeds of up to 940 Mbps and 50 Mbps upload. SuddenLink gigabyte internet is available in every state SuddenLink serves, although speed availability varies by location. For packages with unlimited data, speed may be reduced when there is local network congestion. SuddenLink offers a price for life program to customers who remain in good standing. This price applies to the base price for internet, TV, phone and equipment. Taxes fees and surcharges are not part of the lifetime price. There is a $5 discount for enrolling in auto pay, which the advertised price reflects. Standard installation is free for people who order online. SuddenLink customers can lease a modem for $10/month. This includes a free router with a $3.50 network enhancement fee.
• SuddenLink 500 Mbps internet: SuddenLink offers 500 mbps downloads with this internet package - a great option for a digitally connected household. Download speed is up to 500 Mbps with 50 Mbps upload speed. With these speeds, you can stream 4K Ultra High Definition on multiple devices. This internet package is a good option if you have several connected home devices. Pricing and availability of speeds may vary by area.
• SuddenLink 300 internet: SuddenLink offers download speeds of up to 300 Mbps and up to 30 Mbps upload speeds with this internet package. The 300 Mbps internet plan is good for high speed streaming and downloading. There is also an option for 50 Mbps downloads and 5 Mbps upload speeds. Unlimited data is available in some communities. However, in some areas, this plan is subject to a data cap. A $15 fee will be added for every 50 GB used that exceeds the data cap. The 300 Mbps plan has special offers similar to the 1 gig plan. Right now, SuddenLink customers who order online can get a 300 Mbps plan with free installation and no annual contract. The plan offers a modem lease for $10/month, with the option to add a free smart router. There is an additional $3.50 network enhancement fee associated with the internet router. The current monthly price plus taxes fees and surcharges is for customers with auto pay and is subject to change.
• Suddenlink TV and Internet Services can be bundled for additional savings. Discounted TV bundles can include basic cable TV packages as well as Premier TV and specialty channel packages from providers such as the NFL Network, HBO Max, the Discovery Channel.

The SuddenLink 1 gig plan, 500 Mbps and the 300 Mbps plan include a Prepaid Visa Card for new customers. If you are looking to upgrade to a higher internet speed, the Visa reward card is a good incentive. According to SuddenLink policy, the card is issued after the first 90 days of account activation. The Visa card is valid in the U.S. and District of Columbia everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. However, conditions apply: the Visa reward cannot be used to pay for SuddenLink monthly bills. The card is subject to cardholder agreement terms and is issued by MetaBank, in agreement with a license from Visa U. S. A. Conditions apply to these offers and SuddenLink service price is subject to change without notice.

SuddenLink Smart Wifi

Another feature of SuddenLink's internet plans is their Smart Wifi. The Smart Wifi option is available with the 300 Mbps plan and includes a prepaid reward card. SuddenLink smart Wifi uses mesh technology to create a blanket network, so your entire house can get high speed service. Wifi extenders are compatible with this technology, so you can take advantage of the fast 100 Mbps speed internet anywhere in the house. With the Smart Wifi connection, there is no need to create multiple networks within the house–it automatically connects your devices to the strongest signal.

SuddenLink Entertainment Options

SuddenLink includes complimentary subscriptions to Cheddar and Curiosity Stream with their packages. On the Cheddar website and app, you can find news about tech, entertainment, business and culture. Curiosity Stream has a wide selection of documentaries and non-fiction TV shows for anyone who wants use their fast internet speeds to learn more about the world. These free services are a great way for customers to make the most of the fast internet speed provided by SuddenLink. Other paid and premium channels are available to Suddenlink TV subscribers and with Internet TV bundles.