Connecticut Attorney General William Tong filed an expanded complaint against Altice/Optimum Online for deceptive advertising and hidden 'Network Enhancement' fees that collected at least $39.1 million from consumers. The company allegedly misled customers with 'price for life' deals while burying fees in fine print and targeting Spanish speakers with English-only disclosures. The complaint seeks penalties and disgorgement under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.
In-house legal teams should review vendor and customer contracts for clauses that allow hidden fees or undisclosed charges. Ensure all fees are transparently disclosed upfront in advertisements and agreements, with special attention to multilingual marketing materials to avoid language-based deception. Verify compliance with state consumer protection laws regarding unfair and deceptive practices, and update contract terms to prevent similar bait-and-switch tactics.
Entity
Altice/Optimum Online
Also known as: Altice
Industry
TelecommunicationsOfficial Press Release
https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2025-press-releases/attorney-general-tong-files-expanded-complaint-against-altice
altice substitute complaint re mtsfinalredacted 002.pdf?rev=
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/ag/press_releases/2025/altice-substitute-complaint-re-mtsfinalredacted-002.pdf?rev=e920ca01304d44bbb87a761e1255ac77&hash=1DE865322FE884B674778C1CC596A3FF
Connecticut Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Privacy/Privacy-Resources
"Altice/Optimum Online"
"Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act"
"deceptive advertisements intentionally misled Spanish speakers and unlawfully reaped at least $39.1 million in bait-and-switch “Network Enhancement” junk fees"
$625K
Connecticut reached a $625,000 settlement with Frontier Communications Parent Inc. over an April 2024 breach in which compromised employee and vendor credentials were used to access internal systems and exfiltrate unencrypted personal information of 58,841 Connecticut residents. The settlement requires Frontier to strengthen its security program, implement specific safeguards and training, and obtain an independent third-party assessment.
$2.6M
Connecticut and New York found that Boston Children’s Health Physicians and its security vendor, XTIUM, failed to use reasonable safeguards, resulting in hackers accessing sensitive personal, medical, and employee information. The companies agreed to pay penalties totaling $2.64 million and implement enhanced cybersecurity measures.
Connecticut joined a coalition of state attorneys general filing a notice in Character Technologies, Inc.’s bankruptcy proceedings, raising concerns about the company’s safety and privacy practices and the sensitive information it holds. The states seek protections for children and consumers if the company’s business or assets are sold or transferred; the filing does not impose a fine or other remedy.
Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Counsel Claire Coleman petitioned PURA to review how Connecticut public utilities use artificial intelligence, citing potential data privacy and cybersecurity risks, algorithmic errors, and misleading outputs. The petition asks PURA to examine utility AI systems, safeguards, vendors, and data security practices; it does not report a finding of violation or an imposed penalty.
$2.0M
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a settlement with RZ Smoke, Inc. over allegations that it distributed and sold high-potency cannabis products without a state license. The stipulated judgment is $2 million, with $375,000 payable to the State and $1.6 million suspended to ensure compliance; the company is barred from specified cannabis activities in Connecticut unless licensed.
$13.7M
Connecticut joined a coalition of states and the federal government in settling allegations that Takeda paid healthcare providers speaker honoraria and provided meals to induce prescriptions of Trintellix, leading to allegedly false claims to government healthcare programs. Takeda agreed to pay $13,670,921 plus accrued interest, with portions allocated to federal and state programs.