Altice Gets FCC Approval for Suddenlink Buy

Dec. 18 — Altice NV has won Federal Communications Commission approval to acquire approximately 70 percent of Suddenlink Communications, giving it control of the seventh-largest U.S. cable operator. It will be the Netherlands-based company’s first foray into the North American market and a test of its strategy of sharply cutting operating expenses to increase cash flow and profit.

Suddenlink serves approximately 1.5 million residential and 90,000 business customers primarily in systems in Texas, West Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas and Arizona.

In its order approving the transfer of control of licenses and authorizations to Altice, the FCC said, “We find that the ...