Verizon to Buy Frontier Communications for $20 Billion

Verizon Communications Inc. announced today that it plans to buy Frontier Communications Parent, Inc., for $20 billion. The deal could be finalized in as early as 18 months, pending regulatory approvals and a thumbs up by Frontier shareholders.

If combined, Verizon would add Frontier subscribers across 25 states to its existing customer base of 7.4 million fiber customers in the Northeast and Midatlantic, according to a press release from Verizon.

“Connectivity is essential in nearly every part of our lives and work, and no one delivers better than Verizon,” said Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg, in the release. “Verizon offers more choice, flexibility and value, and we continuously look for ways to provide the best product and network experience to our customers as we bolster our position as the provider of choice.”

Will Frontier customers be more satisfied with Verizon?

Customer data collected by HighSpeedInternet.com shows that former Frontier customers may indeed be more satisfied with Verizon than they were with Frontier.

In our most recent customer survey, Verizon earned 3.9 out of five overall, and tied for first place in the nation with a speed satisfaction score of 4 out of 5. Frontier’s overall satisfaction score, in contrast, was 3.5 out of 5, and its speed score was below average at 3.6 out of 5.

For Frontier, we combined results from both fiber and DSL internet customers. For Verizon, we looked at results from both fiber and fixed wireless (4G LTE and 5G) customers.

What else will change for new Verizon customers?

If the sale is finalized, Verizon expects to take over Frontier stores and all marketing activities throughout the company’s footprint. It also plans to combine the two networks and take over service for all residential and small business customers.

Service offerings will include the following:

• Mobile phone service
• Fiber and fixed wireless home internet
• Verizon Fios TV
• Verizon Business products, including mobile, internet, networking, and network security

For many folks, the biggest change will be the opportunity to combine mobile phone service and home internet with one company. Verizon estimates that about one million customers will make the leap.

We don’t know yet if prices would change for new Verizon customers, but here’s a look at a few internet plans from each company today:

Frontier’s bankruptcy and stranded DSL customers

Frontier filed for bankruptcy in January of 2020, and emerged from that bankruptcy in May of 2021. At the time, it still had 8 million customers on aging DSL lines. By the second quarter of 2024, Frontier has built out fiber internet infrastructure to a total 7.2 million customers, but has been mum about how many customers are still served by DSL.