FCC Approves $20 Billion Verizon–Frontier Merger

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2025 – Just hours after Verizon confirmed it would dismantle its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, the Federal Communications Commission approved the company’s $20 billion merger with Frontier Communications — a move Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez condemned as a “backroom deal” that bypassed a full Commission vote.

The merger was approved not by a vote of the five-member Commission, but by Bureau-level action through the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau under delegated authority – a process allowed when a majority vote is not required or possible. The FCC currently remains evenly split, with two Republicans and two Democrats, awaiting Senate confirmation of the fifth commissioner, Republican Olivia Trusty.

“A transaction of this magnitude should be decided by a full Commission vote — not in backroom deals,” Gomez posted on X. “The FCC must be transparent and accountable to the American people, especially as it moves to censor and control companies it disagrees with.” 

Her communications director, Jonathan Uriarte, accused FCC leadership of coercing Verizon to align with the administration’s “radical agenda,” calling the approval “dirty work” conducted “behind closed doors,” in a post to X.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who had previously warned that corporate DEI policies could jeopardize merger approvals, praised Verizon’s compliance and framed the deal as a major infrastructure win.

“The transaction will unleash billions of dollars in new infrastructure builds in communities across the country, including rural America,” Carr said in a statement. 

Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg had signaled confidence in the merger’s approval just days earlier. Speaking at a J.P. Morgan conference Wednesday, he said preparing for the Frontier integration was “one of the areas where I spend the largest percentage of my time.” His remarks came shortly after the FCC’s informal 180-day shot clock expired — suggesting the approval may have already been finalized earlier in the week.

In its 20-page approval order, the FCC concluded the merger was “unlikely to result in competitive harms” and found it “likely to generate public interest benefits,” particularly in expanding high-speed broadband access and completing Frontier’s unfinished fiber buildouts.

The merger will fold Frontier’s 8 million fiber passings and 2.5 million fiber subscribers into Verizon’s national footprint, which already includes 18 million fiber passings and 7.5 million FiOS customers. Verizon committed to completing Frontier’s planned expansion to 10 million homes by 2026, a goal that Frontier had acknowledged it lacked the resources to fund independently.

The FCC also cited commitments by Verizon to offer more affordable broadband options in the merged territory. These include the expansion of Verizon Forward, a low-cost internet plan delivering 300 Mbps for $20 per month to qualifying customers. Frontier customers will also gain access to Verizon’s bundled wireless and broadband offerings, which the FCC said could result in more affordable prices and enhanced services.

Verizon valued the deal at $9.6 billion in equity, but the total transaction reaches about $20 billion when including the assumption of Frontier’s $10 billion in debt.

While the FCC has approved the merger, the deal still requires clearance from the Justice Department, which is conducting its own antitrust review. 

At the state level, oversight proceedings are also underway. In California, the Public Utilities Commission has scheduled eight public forums through mid-July to evaluate the merger’s potential impact on consumers, workers, and network investment. California is one of Frontier’s largest service areas, and the CPUC’s decision will play a critical role.

In Pennsylvania, the Public Utility Commission held a series of public input hearings in February and March, during which residents, emergency officials, and small business advocates voiced concerns over Frontier’s history of service outages, 911 disruptions, and inadequate broadband coverage in rural areas. Some are calling for binding conditions to ensure improvements if Verizon takes control.

Meanwhile, in Connecticut, the state’s utility regulator has issued a tentative approval of the deal, with a final ruling expected by June 11. The draft decision requires Verizon to meet a series of conditions, including cybersecurity and data protection safeguards, and to submit a post-merger integration and risk mitigation plan within six months. 

The Communications Workers of America union and the Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel have expressed cautious support for the deal, citing Verizon’s strong record on labor and infrastructure investment.

Verizon and Frontier have said they expect to close the transaction in the first quarter of 2026, pending final approval from DOJ and state regulators.