The formation of the fourth largest cable operator in the US has finally reached completion this week, with Altice finalizing its $17.7 billion acquisition of Cablevision. Cablevision will be merged with Suddenlink to form Altice USA, serving more than 4.6 million Optimum and Suddenlink customers across 20 states. Patrick Drahi, founder of Altice, said, “The completion of the Cablevision acquisition marks a critical step in the development of the Altice Group. Altice USA is a key pillar of our business and a powerful and dynamic growth platform. We are very excited about our US business and the opportunities we see in this market. We will accelerate network investments and bring innovative products and services to US customers.” Finnish operator Anvia…