The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau today cleared Verizon’s $20 billion acquisition of Frontier, transferring all necessary licenses and authorizations—and making contractor stability a cornerstone of its approval.
Chairman Brendan Carr framed the decision as a win for consumers, crews, and communities: “By approving this deal, the FCC ensures that Americans will benefit from billions of dollars in new infrastructure builds—especially in rural America—as we retire aging copper lines in favor of modern, high-speed networks. Crucially, it delivers for America’s tower and telecom crews who do the hard, often gritty work needed to build those networks.”
Approval appears to have been hinged on contractor commitments
In the weeks leading up to today’s vote, Verizon worked closely (VIEW ARTICLE HERE) with NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association—and under the spotlight of FCC scrutiny—crafted a binding contracting framework. Key elements include:
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Phasing out “turf vendor” models entirely, ending the practice of forcing contractors into local carve-outs that undermined competition.
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Overhauling matrix pricing to add site-specific line items through an “Exceptions and Allowances” process, plus an annual, transparent review with NATE to keep rates aligned with inflation.
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Guaranteeing 30-day payment terms in all new Master Service Agreements, along with fair indemnity provisions developed in joint working sessions.
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Expanding the Minor Materials Program to cover essential consumables—lugs, weatherproofing, straps, heat-shrink—and allow cost-matched substitutions.
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Limiting 1099 crews to specialized, pre-approved work and establishing a hotline for NATE members to report any undocumented-labor concerns.
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Committing to fair, timely audits—no routine financial reviews later than six months after project completion.
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Donating to NATE’s safety training fund to ensure contractors and technicians can work to the highest standards.
New fiber builds and nondiscrimination
With these contractor protections in place, Verizon now moves forward with upgrading Frontier’s network across 25 states—deploying fiber to over one million homes annually and retiring copper where it still remains. The company has also pledged to end discriminatory DEI practices flagged in the FCC record and to uphold equal-opportunity, nondiscrimination policies across the combined business.
By tying merger approval to these concrete, industry-backed commitments, the FCC has not only unlocked massive investment in America’s broadband future, but also forged a more sustainable, fair, and safety-focused contracting environment—ensuring that both network operators and the crews who build them can thrive together.
