Connecticut Regulators Give Final Approval of Verizon's Acquisition of Frontier

State utility regulators on Wednesday (6/11/25) unanimously approved telecommunication giant Verizon's acquisition of Frontier Communications' Connecticut operations.

The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority had given its tentative approval to the deal on May 14. Verizon announced its proposed $20 billion acquisition of all Frontier's operations in September.

Even with PURA's approval of the acquisition of the Connecticut telecommunication franchise, the full $20 billion transaction in which Verizon acquires all of Frontier's local telephone networks around the rest of the country won't be completed until later this year.

Prior to the vote, PURA Commissioner David Arconti Jr. praised Verizon for working with Communications Workers of America Local 1298 to resolve concerns the Hamden-based union had regarding the company's acquisition of Frontier's Connecticut franchise.

"I hope that Verizon demonstrates continued commitment to front line workers," Arconti said.

Officials with Verizon and Frontier were not immediately available for comment Wednesday on PURA's approval of the deal.

Because Verizon's full acquisition of all of Frontier's local telephone networks won't close until later this year, Local 1298 is in the midst of negotiating a new labor agreement with Frontier. The current contract is set to expire on June 28, according to union officials.

Once Verizon's acquisition of Frontier is complete, the New York City-based company will inherit the terms of the agreement Frontier and Local 1298 negotiate.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said the deal approved by PURA “gives Verizon the telecom assets to serve every customer across the state."

"This is a huge business and a significant acquisition that warrants strong consumer protection measures and ongoing oversight, reflected in PURA’s final approval today," Tong said. "We will continue to scrutinize Verizon’s practices in Connecticut and expect that they will faithfully honor all commitments and obligations to customer service, low-income consumers, cybersecurity, and local control.”

Claire Coleman, Connecticut's Consumer Counsel said the actions of her office and PURA in the case were important because "the federal government is dismantling protections for telecommunications consumers."

"It is up to states to step in and protect the public," Coleman said. "Due to my team’s efforts in this case, PURA’s decision eliminates junk fees, expands low-income broadband discounts, safeguards vulnerable populations, and holds Verizon accountable for network reliability and public safety. I am pleased that our regulator saw the merits of our proposal that secures real savings, real protections and real accountability for Connecticut residents."

Frontier has operated Connecticut's landline telecommunications network since it acquired the franchise from AT&T in October 2014. At the time, Frontier was headquartered in Norwalk, before the company announced on Sept. 13, 2023 that it was relocating its base of operations to Dallas, Texas.

Verizon and its predecessor companies have had a small presence in Connecticut's landline market for more than a century.

A predecessor of Verizon began serving a portion of Greenwich after winning a franchise which had boundaries within a 50-mile radius of New York City's Times Square. Subsequent successor companies continued to serve Greenwich until Verizon began the brand's formal presence there in 2000 after the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE.