NEW YORK, Jan 16, 2026, 15:00 EST — Regular session
- Verizon shares slip as investors weigh the Frontier acquisition, set to close next week
- California regulators approved the deal, imposing conditions related to broadband expansion and affordability
- A new network outage and pledged customer credits put service reliability under the spotlight as earnings approach later this month
Shares of Verizon Communications slipped roughly 0.7% to $39.08 in Friday afternoon trading. The drop came after California regulators gave the green light to Verizon’s $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications, removing the final big obstacle before the deal wraps up next week. 1
Verizon secured the green light as it aims to expand its fiber network and boost sales of bundled wireless and home internet packages. This move could redefine its growth trajectory, addressing investor calls for more reliable cash flow from heavily indebted telecom firms. 2
The broader market edged up amid volatile trading before the long weekend, with attention fixed on deal news and upcoming earnings instead of a strong risk-on rally. 3
New Street Policy analyst Blair Levin described the California decision as “imminent” and noted that Verizon “got nearly everything that we thought material” on key terms, despite not winning every issue. 4
The company just wrapped up a 10-hour wireless outage this week, which knocked out calls, texts, and data for hundreds of thousands of users. The disruption caught regulators’ eyes and pushed Verizon to offer account credits. 5
Verizon’s $20 credit requires customers to claim it via their accounts. The company hasn’t revealed the cause of the disruption or the number of customers impacted, Investopedia reports. 6
Telecom shares showed mixed moves, with AT&T slipping roughly 0.9%, while T-Mobile dropped over 2%. Investors grappled with concerns about rising competitive pressure and hefty network investment costs.
Frontier shares saw little movement as the deal is set to halt trading in the target’s stock before its scheduled delisting post-close.
The downside is clear: California’s deal terms come with compliance and buildout demands. Plus, any extra scrutiny from the outage could drive up costs, tighten oversight, or distract management as Verizon works to fold in a major fiber operation. 7
Key upcoming events include the anticipated deal closure on Jan. 20 and Verizon’s Q4 earnings release on Jan. 30. Investors will be keen to hear updates on financing, integration strategies, and forecasts for cash flow and capital expenditures. 8
Traders face a narrow window: nail the closing, then focus shifts to guidance — and if Verizon can stop outages from dominating the news again.
