Cablevision Systems, looking to win customers from Verizon Communications' FiOS and satellite competitors, on Monday debuted the Ultimate Triple Play -- a bundle that includes the MSO's new 50 Megabit per second broadband service -- for $99.80 per month for the first year.
The Bethpage, N.Y.-based operator also announced the Optimum Online Boost Plus 50-Mbps tier is available for an additional $14.95 beyond the price of basic Optimum Online service (which is $29.95 per month to new customers for the first year). The 50 Mbps tier -- like Cablevision's 101-Mbps "Ultra" service -- includes access to Optimum Link, Cablevision's PC-to-TV streaming service, at no additional charge (normally $4.95 per month extra).
The Ultimate Triple Play also includes iO TV with 275 channels and unlimited calling in the U.S, Canada and Puerto Rico. Cablevision said it will promote the Ultimate Triple Play "through an aggressive mix of advertising," including TV, print and online ads as well as direct marketing.
The Ultimate Triple Play features Optimum Online Boost Plus, a DOCSIS 3.-based broadband service delivering downstream speeds of up to 50 Mbps and up to 8 Mbps upstream. Customers who take the bundle also will receive an 802.11n wireless router.
"We introduced the Optimum Triple Play in 2004, and it has been an enormously successful offer for Cablevision and one that has been emulated across the industry to establish three-product relationships with customers," Cablevision executive vice president of marketing Jonathan Hargis said in a statement. "The Ultimate Triple Play takes our compelling value proposition, across all three services, and ties it together with faster Internet speeds, Optimum Link and an advanced wireless router that is a perfect complement to our new Optimum App for iPad."
The Ultimate Triple Play offer is available to new residential customers, as well as existing non-video and broadcast basic-only customers. A one-time installation fee of $19.95 applies.
Cablevision is not charging an installation fee for existing high-speed Internet customers to upgrade to Optimum Online Boost Plus (the 50/8 service).
