Major Music Labels Sue Altice USA for $1 Billion Over Subscriber Copyright Infringement
BMG, Concord, and Universal Music Group (UMG) have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit exceeding $1 billion against internet service provider Altice USA, claiming the company deliberately ignored subscriber copyright violations.
Altice office building exterior daytime
Key Points of the Lawsuit:
- Filed in Texas federal court, where Altice operates approximately two dozen locations
- Plaintiffs claim Altice received over 1 million infringement notices involving their works
- Notices concerned roughly 20,000 Altice subscribers
- Many subscribers continued infringing for extended periods, from 30 days to several years
- Damages sought based on maximum $150,000 per infringed work across 176 pages of violations
The lawsuit alleges Altice prioritized profit over responsibility by:
- Continuing service to known infringers
- Refusing to terminate accounts of repeat offenders
- Maintaining subscriber revenue despite awareness of violations
The case mirrors similar music industry lawsuits against other ISPs, including Charter/Bright House, Frontier, and Cox. The plaintiffs argue Altice's actions were deliberate, maintaining service to chronic infringers to preserve subscription revenue.
Altice logo against dark city skyline
Altice Building against blue sky
Altice USA, which operates in at least 21 states, has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit. The company plans to expand its Texas presence with 15 new locations and a $500 million investment in the state.
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