We’re prepared
for severe weather
In the event of a storm
We understand how important it is for you to stay connected, particularly during severe weather events. We continually monitor the forecast for storms in order to be as prepared as possible. As a first step, we place fully staffed teams on standby to assist our customers. In addition, during a storm, our regional operations center carefully monitors the network to quickly spot outages and help direct our teams to begin diagnosing and resolving any potential issues.
If unpreventable service outages do occur, restoring your Optimum service is always our top priority. Scroll down to learn more on how you can prepare, frequently asked questions and getting help.
How you can prepare
You can stay connected using these helpful tips:
- Have your Optimum username handy, as it's key to staying connected. Don't have a username or forgot yours? No problem, click here.
- Watch some of your favorite shows and channels with TV to GO, including News12, using cellular data on your smartphone or tablet. Simply download our Mobile App to see what channels are available.
- Forward your Optimum Voice phone calls to any other phone by simply enabling the Call Forwarding “Back-Up Phone” feature. Click here and sign in to set up.
- You can check your Optimum email on your smartphone or tablet using cellular data. Learn about all the ways to check your Optimum emailhere.
- Access the Internet at over 2 million Optimum hotspots. To find a hotspot in your area, click here.
- Multi-Room or Cloud DVR customers can still program their Multi-Room or Cloud DVR remotely and record shows even without having power. They'll be waiting for you once your service is restored. Click here and make sure to log in.
Stay Informed
Sign up to receive service alerts via text or voice message by going to My Account. Once you’re set up, we'll notify you when outages affect your service. You'll also get notified when your Optimum service is restored. For up-to-the-minute storm coverage, visit news12.com
Getting help
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if my Optimum service is not working?
Will I lose my Optimum service if my power is out?
If I have power, shouldn't my Optimum service work?
Once the power is restored in my home or business, how can I get my service back up and running?
Can I install a back-up battery for my Optimum modem?
- If your service is down, check Service Status, under Support, at optimum.net to see if there's an outage. If it shows an outage, there is no need to contact us. If no outage is shown, please let contact us so we can alert our technicians.
Will I lose my Optimum service if my power is out?
- Without power your Optimum service won't work. Electrical power is needed to operate your TV and Internet. This includes power to devices in the home like TVs, cable boxes and cable modems. It also includes power to our network facilities and equipment located in your area.
- If the power is out, your local utility provider must first restore power to both your home, and to the network serving your neighborhood, before our technicians can begin their work.
If I have power, shouldn't my Optimum service work?
- It's possible that you may have power in your home or business but the network serving your neighborhood may be damaged or without power, preventing your services from working. Or, restoring your service may require repairs (such as damage caused from downed trees and fiber cuts during a storm), even down to the connection between your home or business and the nearest utility pole.
Once the power is restored in my home or business, how can I get my service back up and running?
- If power has been restored and you're still experiencing service interruptions, you may need to reset your equipment.
- Unplug your equipment from its power source.
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Plug your equipment back into the power source.
Can I install a back-up battery for my Optimum modem?
- It's strongly recommended that you do, so in the event of a power outage you'll continue to have Optimum Voice service. You'll need at least one traditional corded, landline phone in your home that does not require electricity to operate. During a power outage, provided there is a battery backup on your modem, simply plug the phone into a jack, and you'll have phone service.
For business customers, keep your modem plugged into the outlet where it was installed by the technician. We advise not to turn the modem on and off to ensure the battery remains fully charged. Turning the modem on and off will degrade the capacity of the battery, reducing the time that the modem can operate in the event of a utility power outage.