Workforce reductions have hit multiple companies across the telecom landscape recently. However, Altice USA has so far avoided such measures and has instead resorted to a job freeze that covers the majority of the company's employment categories.

"After a careful review, the leadership team at Altice USA has decided to pause hiring, except for customer-facing openings and very select other roles," Dennis Mathew, Altice USA's new CEO, explained in a memo sent to the company's "people leaders" that was obtained by Light Reading.

Mathew, a former Comcast exec who succeeded Dexter Goei as Altice USA's CEO effective October 3, noted that the job-freeze decision involving current and near-term open roles comes as the company grapples with "economic headwinds" that have spread across the entire industry.

Figure 1: (Source: Richard Levine/Alamy Stock Photo)

"As we solidify our near-term plans, it should come as no surprise that this work is occurring against a backdrop of economic headwinds that all companies and our industry are contending with," Mathew wrote. "While many of these factors are out of our control, there are many that we can control, notably our expenses and how we maximize our investments."

He stressed that Altice USA will continue to "recruit for a number of frontline positions to ensure our customers are receiving the service and support they deserve." Additionally, certain open positions within Altice USA's news and advertising groups will "remain active due to the unique needs for those businesses," Mathew added.

Altice USA will also consider "very select business-critical hiring needs" on a case-by-case basis, Mathew explained.

Fierce Telecom, which first reported on the hiring freeze, counted 478 job openings across Altice USA, including its a4 advertising unit and LightPath, a fiber-based business services company that is majority owned by Altice USA.

Focus on fiber, investment in retail, customer care

The hiring freeze at Altice USA comes about as it, like other US cable operators, explores ways to rekindle subscriber growth, particularly in broadband.

In the memo, Mathew pointed to the company's fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network upgrade plan, and additional investments in customer care and retail expansions. This week alone, Altice USA announced the launch of an FTTP network in Kaufman, Texas, and retail expansions in Sulphur Springs and College Station, Texas.

"We are starting to see the benefit of those investments and are confident we can continue delivering on our renewed promise and commitment to our customers and communities," Mathew explained. "So, as we formalize our 2023 strategies, implementing a hiring pause at this juncture will ensure our workforce and staffing are fully aligned with our go-forward plans as a company as we thoughtfully allocate resources against our key investment priorities."

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— Jeff Baumgartner, Senior Editor, Light Reading