Verizon to offer $20 broadband in California to obtain merger approval
Verizon agreed to offer $20-per-month broadband service to people with low incomes in California in exchange for a merger approval.
In a bid to complete its $9.6 billion purchase of Frontier Communications, Verizon committed to offering $20 fiber-to-the-home service with symmetrical speeds of 300Mbps. Verizon also committed to offering a $20 fixed wireless service with download speeds of 100Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps.
Verizon would be required to offer the plans for at least 10 years, according to a joint motion to approve the settlement agreement. After three years, Verizon would need to "make commercially reasonable efforts" to increase the speeds "while retaining the $20 price point." The joint motion filed by Verizon and the California Public Advocates Office seeks approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).