UMG, BMG, and Concord Launch $1 Billion Copyright Lawsuit Against Altice USA Over Massive Subscriber Piracy
BMG, Concord, and Universal Music Group (UMG) have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit exceeding $1 billion against internet service provider Altice USA. The lawsuit, filed in a Texas federal court, alleges that Altice deliberately ignored its subscribers' copyright infringement activities to maintain subscription revenues.
Altice office building exterior daytime
Key allegations in the lawsuit include:
- Altice received over a million infringement notices involving plaintiffs' works
- Approximately 20,000 Altice subscribers were involved in alleged infringement
- Many subscribers continued infringing for extended periods, from 30 days to several years
- Altice maintained service for repeat infringers to protect subscription revenue
- The company operates in at least 21 states with plans for expansion in Texas
The plaintiffs seek statutory damages of up to $150,000 per infringed work, with the total claim exceeding $1 billion. The lawsuit includes 176 pages of allegedly infringed works.
This case follows similar legal actions against other ISPs, including Charter/Bright House, Frontier, and Cox. Altice has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit.
Altice logo against dark city skyline
Altice Building against blue sky
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