Altice USA this week launched symmetrical gigabit broadband over its new fiber-to-the-home network in parts of Long Island.

The cable company, which acquired Cablevision a few years ago, is gradually mothballing its part-copper wire network and going all-fiber across its footprint in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The fiber buildout will allow Altice to increase internet speeds and have more flexibility providing television, broadband, and phone service.

Where the fiber network has been switched on, customers are being offered 940/940 Mbps (near-gigabit) internet-only service at a price of $79.99 a month. Stop the Cap! has confirmed with our readers that parts of Central Islip now have gigabit fiber service available.

“Altice USA is focused on offering the best network and connectivity experience, and the activation of our full-fiber network with smart Wi-Fi, the most advanced of its kind in the nation, demonstrates our commitment to creating converged customer experiences,” said Hakim Boubazine, Altice USA co-president and chief operating officer. “Delivering our symmetrical Altice Gigabit fiber service is just the start as we continue to scale our fiber network to bring our customers up to 10 gigabit internet speeds to support the explosive growth of data usage while laying the groundwork for the future of the connected universe.”

The company is keeping its precise fiber rollout schedule a closely guarded secret, as it competes with Verizon FiOS across much of its service area. Because the fiber upgrade project will take five years to complete, existing customers still served by Optimum’s older HFC network will not have to wait to get speed increases thanks to DOCSIS 3.0. The company is introducing 400 Mbps speeds this year with gigabit service anticipated in early 2019. Altice will not deploy DOCSIS 3.1, preferring fiber to the home service as a better choice.