12.5.23 - Altice USA goes on the offensive
'Altice USA is heading on the offensive as the company looks to shore up a broadband business that's been saddled with subscriber losses and to invigorate a mobile business that's starting to get out of the slow lane.
Those are just a couple of areas that Altice USA is trying to improve upon amid a broader turnaround strategy unleashed by Dennis Mathew, a former Comcast exec who took over for Dexter Goei as CEO about 14 months ago.
"We're in the early innings of this turnaround," Mathew said Monday at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference. "We've made it clear we want to be the connectivity provider of choice in every community that we serve. But those can't just be words. Those have to be actions."
Part of that process includes an extensive house-cleaning and a shift in company culture.
Mathew estimates that about 60 new vice presidents (and above) have been brought on under his watch. In addition to bulking up Altice USA's local presence, the company recently added new heads of commercial and consumer services as well as a new chief growth and innovation officer.
Mathew estimates that Altice USA is about 70% to 75% of the way through its ongoing leadership transition.
Part of the company's plan is to further stabilize its average revenues per user (ARPU). Mathew lamented that the company didn't have much of a base management strategy in place when he joined, noting that the company was instead focused on promotions and rate events. Altice USA, he said, is implementing a more robust strategy that includes elements such as speed upgrades, more transparency on price and a proactive stance with mobile services.'