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Altice Small Business Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: Artem Shalomayev filed a class action lawsuit against Altice USA, Inc.
- Why: Shalomayev claims Altice USA reneged on its promise not to terminate internet or telephone service for small businesses that were forced to close during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in New York federal court.
Altice violated its pandemic pledge to small businesses by reneging on its promise not to terminate internet and phone service during forced closures, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Plaintiff Artem Shalomayev claims that Altice, instead of honoring its pledge, used the pandemic to make a profit and betrayed the trust of the American public.
Shalomayev wants to represent a nationwide Class and New York subclass of small business owners who were forced to shut down between March 15, 2020 and June 15, 2020 and had their services terminated by Altice because of non-payment.
Shalomayev claims Altice terminated the internet and phone service at his barbershop after he stopped making payments while he was not allowed to be open during the pandemic.
Shalomayev argues he was under the impression he did not have to pay because Altice had signed a pledge concocted by the Federal Communications Commission called “Pledge to Keep America Connected.”
Altice Broke Pledge to Help Small Businesses During Pandemic, Class Action Alleges
The pledge required service providers to promise they would not terminate any small businesses internet or phone service before June 15, 2020, when businesses like Shalomayev’s barbershop could legally do business again, according to the class action lawsuit.
“Altice violated this pledge by terminating the services for Plaintiff’s business, and thousands of other similarly situated small businesses throughout the country,” the class action lawsuit states.
Shalomayev claims he discovered Altice terminated his service for non-payment of April, May, and June 2020 bills — which he says the company sent to his business without his knowledge — when he was finally able to return to his barbershop.
In order to keep his phone number — which Shalomayev says he has had for decades and is critical to his business — Altice forced Shalomayev to set up a new account and pay a one-time “start-up” fee of $180, which he ultimately agreed to do, according to the class action lawsuit
Shalomayev alleges that, after paying the start-up fee, his first monthly bill was double what he had been paying before — something Shalomayev claims Altice deliberately concealed as a way to impose a “late fee penalty.”
Shalomayev claims Altice is guilty of fraudulent inducement, fraudulent concealment, and unjust enrichment, and is in violation of Deceptive Acts or Practices under New York General Business Law.
Shalomayev is demanding a jury trial and requesting actual and statutory damages in the amount of $10 million and punitive damages in the amount of $10 million for himself and all Class Members.
Altice was also on the wrong end of a class action lawsuit filed last year by consumers who alleged the company was responsible for a data breach by failing to properly train its employees in data security.
Are you a small business owner who had your internet or phone service terminated by Altice USA while forcibly closed during the pandemic? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by Jon L. Norinsberg, Esq. of Jon L. Norinsberg, PLLC.
The Altice Small Business Pledge Class Action Lawsuit is Shalomayev v. Altice USA, Inc., Case No. 2:21-cv-05540, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
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2 thoughts onAltice Reneged On Pledge by Shutting Down Internet, Phone Service For Small Businesses Forced To Close During Pandemic, Class Action Claims
**10 MILLION*** ?????? COME ON! this will make all the rest of the users’ bills go up EVEN MORE! It already costs almost $40 for BROADCAST BASIC.. Thanks to a 10 MILLION dollar lawsuit it will be $80 to watch 20 channels..
And no I do NOT subscribe to OPTIMINIMUM… THEY SUCK!
You could have sued for a heck of a lot less than that.
Here’s an idea… when my bill for internet only gets raised yet again.. HOW ABOUT MR.ARTEM SHALOMAYEV PAY IT?
I’m wondering when they shut him off? Did they shut him off on june 15th? or did they wait until July or august? Did you PAY the bills AFTER June 15th? did you call them and talk this out with them? Or did you just ignore it and they shut you off because you didn’t pay any bills going forward? I would love to see the details of this case. If anyone knows if there is a place I can see this please let me know.