Major Labels Sue Altice USA for $1 Billion Over Massive Copyright Infringement by Subscribers
BMG, Concord, and Universal Music Group (UMG) have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit exceeding $1 billion against internet service provider Altice USA, alleging systematic negligence in addressing subscriber piracy.
Altice office building exterior daytime
Key Points of the Lawsuit:
- Filed in Texas federal court where Altice operates approximately two dozen locations
- Claims Altice deliberately ignored copyright infringement to maintain subscription revenues
- Alleges over one million infringement notices received involving nearly 20,000 subscribers
- Many subscribers reportedly continued infringing for months or years without consequences
The plaintiffs argue that Altice:
- Knew about widespread unauthorized distribution of copyrighted works
- Continued providing services to repeat infringers
- Prioritized profits over legal responsibilities
- Failed to implement effective anti-piracy measures
Damages Sought:
- Over $1 billion based on statutory damages of $150,000 per infringed work
- Covers extensive catalog of compositions and recordings (176 pages of works)
The case mirrors similar lawsuits against other ISPs including Charter/Bright House, Frontier, and Cox. Altice has not yet publicly responded to these allegations.
Altice logo against dark city skyline
Altice Building against blue sky
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