Optimum Lightpath Launches Innovative Referral Partner Program; Lump-Sum Commissions Distinguish Optimum Lightpath from Traditional Voice & Data Service Providers.

JERICHO, N.Y. -- Optimum Lightpath(R), the business telecommunications services division of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC), today launched the Optimum Lightpath Referral Partner Program.

Simplicity is already a hallmark of Optimum Lightpath's Metro Ethernet product portfolio and pricing structure. The Optimum Lightpath Referral Partner Program is designed to be equally straightforward. Unlike other telecom industry partner or agent programs, it is designed to enable potential partners to generate significant income without requiring them to make a considerable financial investment in staff training and certification.

The Optimum Lightpath Referral Partner Program is the latest example of the company's commitment to technical, service and business innovation as part of its Metro Ethernet go-to-market strategy. This ideal is something for which Optimum Lightpath was recently recognized by the Metro Ethernet Forum, which named it the recipient of the '2006 Carrier Ethernet Service Provider of the Year - Outstanding Innovation' award.

"We are aggressively reaching out to value-added resellers (VARs), IT and telecom consultants, Web design firms and systems integrators in the New York metropolitan area to create a relationship that will give them the tools to expand their businesses, while enabling their customers to benefit from the combination of bandwidth and affordability delivered by our Metro Ethernet services," said Kevin Curran, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Management, Optimum Lightpath. "The new Optimum Lightpath Referral Partner Program is an easy way for our partners to provide their customers with a tremendous boost in bandwidth, while earning substantial commissions in the process."

Potential Partners can visit www.optimumlightpath.com/partners and answer a few short questions about their current products, services and customers. Once a formal partnership is established, the new Partner can immediately start referring qualified, first-time customers to Optimum Lightpath. When Optimum Lightpath completes the sale, the Partner gets paid a commission. Depending on the Ethernet service sold to the customer, commission amounts are equal to either one or two months of the customer's bill, up to a maximum of $25,000 per sale.

"This is just the beginning of our effort," Curran added. "We look forward to developing long-term, mutually profitable relationships with our Referral Partners and are in the process of developing a new Partner Support Program to maintain a strong association with the channel."

About Optimum Lightpath

Optimum Lightpath, a business telecommunications services division of Cablevision Systems Corporation, uses the power of its reliable and resilient fully fiber optic network to deliver converged data, Internet and voice solutions to businesses throughout the New York metropolitan area. Since its formation 18 years ago, Optimum Lightpath built an advanced Fiber-to-the-business-Premises network extending more than 2,400 route miles throughout the tri-state area. As a result of owning and maintaining this state-of-the-art network, Optimum Lightpath is able to reliably provide scalable, high-capacity IP-based Metro Ethernet services that support high bandwidth data, Internet and voice applications and optimize the enterprise customer's quality of experience - at lower prices than traditional offerings. Optimum Lightpath has been recognized for eight straight years by the New York State Public Service Commission for delivering highly personalized customer service superior to the competition. In April 2006, Optimum Lightpath became one of the first service providers in the world and the only North American MSO to earn Carrier Ethernet certification from the Metro Ethernet Forum. For more information, visit www.optimumlightpath.com.

About Cablevision

Cablevision Systems Corporation is one of the nation's leading entertainment and telecommunications companies. Its cable television operations serve 3 million households in the New York metropolitan area. The company's advanced telecommunications offerings include its iO: Interactive Optimum digital television, Optimum Online high-speed Internet, Optimum Voice digital voice-over-cable, and its Optimum Lightpath integrated business communications services. Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings LLC operates several successful programming businesses, including AMC, IFC, WE and other national and regional networks. In addition to its telecommunications and programming businesses, Cablevision owns Madison Square Garden and its sports teams, the New York Knicks, Rangers and Liberty. The company also operates New York's famed Radio City Music Hall, and owns and operates Clearview Cinemas.