[WASHINGTON] European-based cable operator Altice announced plans on Wednesday to launch ultra-fast broadband service as part of its expansion in the United States.

Altice USA, which became the fourth-largest US cable operator after its purchase this year of Cablevision, said it would deploy fiber-optic connections for internet speeds of up to 10GB per second in the regions it serves.

The move comes after Google announced it was scaling back plans to expand its fiber service with super-fast internet speeds.

"Across the globe Altice has invested heavily in building state-of-the-art fiber-optic networks, and we are pleased to bring our expertise stateside to drive fiber deeper into our infrastructure for the benefit of our US Optimum and Suddenlink customers," said Dexter Goei, Altice USA chairman and chief executive.

Altice said its five-year deployment schedule will begin in 2017.

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Altice, a holding company owned by French-Israeli businessman Patrick Drahi, bought France's second-largest mobile operator SFR for 17 billion euros in 2014, merging it into a cable and internet company it had previously purchased.

It also bought Virgin Mobile, a virtual operator of mobile phone services.

In the US, it provides residential and business service to 4.6 million customers across 20 states.

AFP