Verizon, one of the largest wireless carriers in the US, is facing tougher competition in the broadband market despite record growth.
In Verizon’s latest earnings report, the company revealed that it added 61,000 new Verizon Fios internet customers in the third quarter of 2025, its best quarterly result in two years.
“Our broadband base grew by 1.3 million subscribers from a year ago and is now over 13.2 million subscribers,” Verizon Chief Financial Officer Anthony Skiadas said during an October earnings call.
Verizon Fios even has the highest consumer satisfaction rate among its cable Internet competitors, according to a recent JD Power survey.
However, Verizon’s rivals have a head start due to the unavailability of Verizon Fios outside of the East Coast.
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Six months before October 2025, cable internet providers saw a 6% increase in new customers.
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Mediate cable internet satisfaction score is 554 (on a 1,000-point scale).
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On the East Coast, Verizon beats all of its cable internet competitors with a satisfaction score of 578.
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However, in the North Central and West Coasts, AT&T has the tallest cable internet satisfaction rates, with tens of 554 and 561respectively.
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In the south, GFiber takes over the top spot with a satisfaction score of 703.
Source: JD Power
As Verizon’s limited Fios availability holds it back, the company just made a significant move to expand its coverage 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 aims to accelerate the delivery of “mobility and broadband services to existing and new customers” by acquiring Frontier.
Now that the deal is complete, Verizon says its network footprint now reaches 31 states and Washington, DC, offering “better value and more choice” to millions more customers, according to a new notice from Verizon CEO Dan Schulman.
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“Frontier has delivered an impressive turnaround, consistently delivering strong results, and the momentum is clear,” Schulman said in the memo. “Our combined power immediately creates an unmatched fiber network.”
Indeed, Frontier has been rapidly growing its internet customer base in recent months as it exits Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021. During the third quarter of 2025, Frontier added 133,000 new fiber internet customers, reflecting a 20.2% year-over-year increase, according to its latest earnings report.
The company’s fiber broadband revenue growth also increased by 25% compared to the same period in 2024.
Verizon hopes the deal will not only help its Fios internet service reach more consumers, but also make up for recent losses of its wireless customers.
In the third quarter of last year, after implementing price increases and ending several discounts, Verizon lost 7,000 postpaid customers, pushing the churn rate to 0.91 percent.
The loss comes at a time when more consumers nationwide are considering switching carriers as they struggle with higher monthly bills, according to a Market Force Information survey last year.
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Approximate 65% of 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% of Verizon customers are considering switching to another carrier over the next year or two, citing better prices, promotions and coverage as the main reasons.
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Verizon scored 40% in overall brand performance within customer experience values.
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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 nimble wireless carriers that deliver superior customer experiences,” said David Murray, senior director of customer strategy at Market Force Information, in a press release.
“While cost and coverage are always key factors, today’s consumers place more importance on ease of service and overall satisfaction with their provider,” he continued.
Verizon hopes that combining its mobile phone offerings with Frontier Internet service will increase customer loyalty and improve its postpaid phone churn rate by about 50 percent.
Verizon had to overcome hurdles to complete the Frontier acquisition. Last May, the wireless carrier scaled back its diversity, equity and inclusion policies to win approval from the Federal Communications Commission for the acquisition.
Also last week, in order to get California regulatory approval 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 to rural areas of the state, according to a recent Reuters report.
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Verizon also agreed to provide free Internet service to many low-income households in California for at least 10 years.
In response to the completed deal with Verizon and Frontier, analysts at S&P Global said the acquisition would give cable companies tougher competition.
Cable giants such as Spectrum and Xfinity have recently stepped up their phone, Internet and TV service offerings to attract more customers, posing a major threat to mobile carriers nationwide.
“The transaction, which we view as an integral part of Verizon’s current identity and future strategy, will allow Verizon to bundle broadband and mobile services across a broader footprint to better compete with incumbent cable providers,” S&P Global analysts William Savage and Allyn Arden said in a recent report.
Related: T-Mobile Quietly Makes Cool Move as Loyal Customers Depart
This story was originally published by TheStreet on January 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the Retail section. Add TheStreet as a favorite source by clicking here.