Verizon, one of the top US wireless carriers, is facing stiff competition in the broadband market despite record growth.
In Verizon’s most recent earnings report, the company revealed that it added 61,000 new Verizon Fios Internet customers during the third quarter of 2025, its best quarterly result in two years.
“Our broadband base grew by 1.3 million customers from a year ago and now stands at more than 13.2 million customers,” Verizon Chief Financial Officer Anthony Skiadas said on an earnings call in October.
According to a recent JD Power survey, Verizon Fios has the highest consumer satisfaction rate among its wired Internet competitors.
However, Verizon’s competitors have a leg up due to the unavailability of Verizon Fios outside of the East Coast.
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Six months before October 2025, wired Internet providers will a 6% Increase in new customers.
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Average Satisfaction score for wired internet 554 (on a 1,000-point scale).
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On the East Coast, Verizon beats all of its wired Internet competitors with satisfaction scores. 578.
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However, in the North Central and West Coasts, AT&T is the highest Wired Internet satisfaction rate, with scores 554 and 561respectively.
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In the south, GFiber takes over top spot with a satisfaction score of 703.
Source: JD Power
As Verizon’s limited Fios availability sets it back, the company has recently taken significant steps to expand its reach to more consumers nationwide.
Verizon has completed its $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications. The acquisition was first announced in September 2024.
At the time, Verizon said in a press release that it aimed to accelerate the delivery of “mobility and broadband services to existing and new customers” by buying Frontier.
Now that the deal has been finalized, Verizon said its network footprint now reaches 31 states and Washington, D.C., offering millions of customers “better value and more options,” according to a new memo from Verizon CEO Dan Schulman.
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“Frontier has implemented impressive changes, consistently delivering strong results, and the momentum is clear,” Shulman said in the memo. “Our combined strengths will instantly create an unparalleled fiber network.”
After emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021, Frontier has grown its Internet customer base rapidly in recent months. In the third quarter of 2025, Frontier added 133,000 new fiber Internet customers, reflecting 20.2% year-over-year growth, according to its latest earnings report.
The company’s fiber broadband revenue growth has also increased by 25% over the same period in 2024.
Verizon hopes the deal will not only help its Fios Internet service reach more consumers, but also retain existing wireless customers.
In the third quarter of last year, after implementing price increases and ending several discounts, Verizon lost 7,000 postpaid phone customers, pushing its churn rate to 0.91%.
The losses come as more consumers nationwide are considering switching phone carriers as they face higher monthly bills, according to a Market Force Information survey last year.
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approx 65% Consumers use phone service from the “Big 3” carriers: Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T, spending Over $100 per month on their wireless services.
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On average, Verizon customers pay Over $150 for service.
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about 23% Verizon has customers Considering switching to another career Over the next year or two, citing better pricing, promotions and coverage as the primary reasons.
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Verizon scored 40% On overall brand performance on customer experience metrics.
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Smaller wireless carriers like Consumer Cellular and Mint Mobile scored 73% and 65.8%respectively.
Source: Market Force Information
“There is a clear shift in the market toward smaller, more agile wireless carriers that are delivering superior customer experiences,” said David Murray, senior director of customer strategy at Market Force Information, in a press release.
“While cost and coverage will always be key factors, today’s consumers are placing more importance on ease of service and overall satisfaction with their provider,” he continued.
Verizon hopes that combining its mobile offerings with Frontier’s Internet service will increase customer loyalty and improve its postpaid phone churn rate by about 50%.
Verizon had to overcome obstacles to complete its acquisition of Frontier. In May of last year, the wireless carrier slashed its diversity, equity and inclusion policies to get approval from the Federal Communications Commission for the acquisition.
Also, last week, in order to get approval from California state regulators for the acquisition (the final step in finalizing the deal), Verizon pledged to invest in 75,000 new fiber locations and build 25 new wireless towers to expand service in the state’s rural areas, according to a recent report by Reuters.
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Verizon has also agreed to provide free Internet service to many low-income California households for at least 10 years.
In response to the finalized Verizon and Frontier deal, analysts at S&P Global said the acquisition would give cable companies stiffer competition.
Cable giants like Spectrum and Xfinity have recently been ramping up deals to attract more customers to bundle phone, Internet and TV services, posing a major threat to wireless carriers nationwide.
“The transaction, which we see as an integral part of Verizon’s current identity and future strategy, will enable Verizon to bundle home broadband and mobile services to better compete with incumbent cable providers,” S&P Global analysts William Savage and Allyn Arden said in a recent report.
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This story was originally published by TheStreet on January 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the Retail section. Add TheStreet as a preferred source by clicking here.
