Verizon settles 'significant' concerns with California on Frontier deal, still 'work to do' on DEI

Verizon and the state of California seem to be a step closer to resolving issues preventing the California Public Utilities Commission from approving Verizon's bid for Frontier, thanks to a settlement agreement forged with the CPUC's Public Advocates Office. But Verizon still has "more work to do" to be in compliance with the state's diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, says CPUC Program Manager Ernesto Falcon. Verizon's bid for Frontier was approved by the Federal Communications Commission in May, after Verizon sent a letter to the Commission agreeing to abandon most of its DEI programs—a move that appeased FCC Chairman Brendan Carr but put Verizon at odds with California's state laws. Following that, the CPUC released a scoping memo and ruling on May 29, outlining how the proposed merger could be subject to several state regulations and interrogating Verizon's reasoning for dropping its DEI commitments and the company's ability to adhere to state regulations. While concerns around its DEI commitments remain unresolved, Verizon and the CPUC Public Advocates Office reached a settlement agreement, resolving "significant issues" around matters such as "infrastructure deployment; service quality and staffing; and affordability and low-income offerings."