The Verizon-Frontier merger is officially complete, closing Tuesday on a $20 billion acquisition that redraws California’s digital map with promises of cheaper internet, new fiber lines and tighter oversight — even as federal support for digital equity pulls back.
The deal, approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, snaps into place like a massive circuit switch, triggering binding requirements that tie Verizon’s expansion plans to affordability, infrastructure growth and diversity commitments across the state.
CPUC approval unlocks sweeping digital equity pledges
State regulators signed off on the merger with conditions aimed at narrowing California’s digital divide. Among them: expanded access to affordable internet plans, major fiber-optic buildouts and new wireless infrastructure targeting underserved and rural communities.
The timing is striking. The merger lands as the federal government withdraws $2.75 billion in funding by cutting the Digital Equity Act, leaving states to shoulder more responsibility for keeping broadband within reach.
CPUC Commissioner John Reynolds said the agreement goes beyond a routine corporate green light.
“California isn’t just approving a merger, we’re securing real commitments that will connect communities, lower costs for families who need it most, and strengthen workforce and supplier diversity protections,” Reynolds said in a statement.
