Attorney General Mayes Announces Frontier-Verizon Merger Settlement Unanimously Approved by Corporation Commission

Agreement Will Improve Telecommunications Quality for Rural Arizonans, Address Long-Running 911 Issues 

PHOENIX –  Today, Attorney General Kris Mayes announced that the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) has unanimously approved the settlement her office  secured with Frontier Communications Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. to address years of unreliable phone service in northern Arizona generally and in Navajo and Apache counties specifically. The ACC voted 5-0 to approve the settlement agreement. 

“This is a major step forward for rural Arizonans in Navajo and Apache county who have suffered an unacceptable lack of phone service and dangerous 911 outages for too long. I’m glad that the Corporation Commission approved our settlement and now these companies can get to work improving reliability,” said Attorney General Kris Mayes. 

Verizon, which is in the process of acquiring Frontier, will be required to identify and fix the root causes of public safety and 911 outages in the region, conduct a full network audit, make investments necessary to ensure adequate and reliable service for customers, and implement enhanced maintenance practices. Frontier customers will also see no rate increases until 2027, and low-income service plans will be offered. The AGO will have party status to enforce Verizon’s obligations through the ACC. 

In a related agreement, Frontier and Verizon will invest $8 million to expand and enhance rural broadband in Navajo and Apache counties. This includes over $2 million to improve fiber network reliability between Holbrook, Snowflake, and Show Low, and over $2 million to bolster connections between St. Johns, Concho, Springerville, Vernon, and Show Low. Approximately $4 million will go toward connecting homes, businesses, and public institutions directly to high-speed fiber. These commitments are enforceable through a consent judgment with the Attorney General.  

These agreements, secured through the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) at ACC as well as a civil consent judgment, include enforceable commitments to invest in rural broadband infrastructure, fix public safety-related service outages, and protect ratepayers from unfair costs. 

 “My office will hold Frontier and Verizon accountable to their end of the bargain—including major investments in broadband infrastructure, serious fixes to 911 and emergency services, and no rate increases for Frontier customers for the next two years,” said Attorney General Mayes. 

The settlement that the Corporation Commission approved can be viewed here. The consent judgment may be viewed here.