Receipt of California regulatory approval on January 15, 2026 clears path to close transaction on January 20, 2026Approved transaction is expected to expand fiber access to almost 30 million homes and businesses and accelerate Verizon’s national mobility and broadband convergence strategy Best mobile and home offers are expected to be available for customers after closing BASKING RIDGE, N.J. and DALLAS, Jan. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) ("Verizon") and Frontie ...

Core Point - Verizon is offering a $20 credit to customers as compensation for a service outage [1] Group 1 - The credit is a response to customer dissatisfaction due to the outage [1] - Customers can claim the credit through specific instructions provided by Verizon [1]

Core Viewpoint - The California Public Utilities Commission is poised to approve Verizon Communications's $20 billion acquisition of fiber-optic internet provider Frontier Communications after a series of considerations [1] Group 1: Acquisition Details - Verizon Communications is set to acquire Frontier Communications for a total of $20 billion [1] - The deal involves the acquisition of fiber-optic internet providers, indicating a strategic move towards enhancing Verizon's broadband capabilities [1] Group 2: Regulatory Approval - The California Public Utilities Commission's approval is a significant step in the regulatory process for the acquisition [1] - The approval follows a series of considerations, highlighting the regulatory scrutiny involved in large telecommunications deals [1]

Core Points - Verizon is providing a $20 billing credit to customers affected by a recent network disruption that impacted voice and data services nationwide [1][2] - The company acknowledged that the outage did not meet their standards and expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to customers [1][5] - The outage peaked with over 100,000 reports on Downdetector, although the actual number of affected users may vary [5] - The outage was resolved by Wednesday night, with reports of issues declining significantly overnight [6] - Verizon has previously faced scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) due to past outages, including a settlement involving over $1 million related to 911 service disruptions [10] Customer Communication - Customers will be notified via text message when the $20 credit is available, which is intended to cover multiple days of service [2] - Verizon advised customers experiencing ongoing issues to restart their devices as a quick solution to reconnect to the network [9] - Business customers will receive direct communication regarding their credits [2]

Group 1 - The core issue identified by Verizon is a "software issue" that led to an outage affecting cities in the Northeast U.S. [1] - The outage caused significant frustration among customers in the affected areas [1] - Verizon is working to resolve the software issue to restore services promptly [1] Group 2 - The incident highlights the vulnerability of telecommunications infrastructure to software-related problems [1] - Customer service and satisfaction may be impacted due to the outage, potentially affecting Verizon's reputation [1] - The company may need to invest in improving its software systems to prevent future outages [1]

Core Viewpoint - Verizon Communications experienced a nationwide outage affecting text, voice, and data services, leading to customer dissatisfaction and potential financial implications for the company [1][2][5]. Group 1: Outage Impact - The outage lasted for several hours, causing significant inconvenience for customers who rely on their phones for work, emergencies, and digital transactions [2]. - Verizon has committed to providing account credits of $20 to affected customers, which could total over $2.8 billion if all 140 million customers qualify [3][6]. - The company acknowledged the disruption and apologized, stating that the credits are not meant to fully compensate for the outage but to recognize the inconvenience caused [4]. Group 2: Financial Implications - The financial impact of the outage is expected to be reflected in Verizon's first-quarter results, with analysts closely monitoring how the company addresses this in its upcoming earnings report [7][10]. - Analysts predict Verizon will report fourth-quarter revenue of $36.06 billion, an increase from $35.70 billion, and earnings per share of $1.06, down from $1.10 in the previous year [8]. - Despite the outage, Verizon shares initially closed higher, but later saw a decline of 1.3% to $39.30, indicating investor concerns about the potential long-term effects on earnings and customer retention [9][11].

Core Viewpoint - Verizon experienced a nearly 10-hour outage affecting hundreds of thousands of customers, leading to a $20 credit offer for those impacted [1][4]. Group 1: Outage Details - The outage lasted nearly 10 hours, impacting hundreds of thousands of users who were unable to access wireless internet and phone services [1]. - User outage reports peaked at nearly 173,000 on downdetector, decreasing to around 120,000 shortly after [2]. - The cause of the disruption remains unknown, but Verizon stated there was "no indication of a cyberattack" [2]. Group 2: Customer Compensation - Verizon announced a $20 account credit for affected customers, which can be redeemed through the myVerizon app [2][4]. - Customers will receive a text message when the credit is available, and this amount is said to cover multiple days of service [4]. Group 3: Impact on Emergency Services - The outage affected emergency notifications in New York City and Washington D.C., with reports of users unable to connect to 911 services [4]. - AlertDC advised users to connect using devices from other carriers or landlines in case of emergencies [4]. Group 4: Other Network Issues - Reports indicated that AT&T and T-Mobile experienced problems around the same time, but the spike in outage reports was significantly lower, peaking at around 1,800 [5]. Group 5: Historical Context - Verizon last faced multi-state disruptions in August 2025, with over 10,000 outages reported during that incident [7].

Core Insights - Verizon Communications is providing a $20 credit to hundreds of thousands of customers affected by a 10-hour outage [1] Group 1 - The outage occurred on Wednesday and was attributed to unspecified causes [1]

Group 1 - The company announced it would provide a $20 credit to customers impacted by the service interruption that occurred on Wednesday [1]

Group 1 - Verizon (VZ) experienced a 1.2% decline in early trading on Thursday following the announcement that it has resolved a nationwide wireless network outage in the U.S. [1][2] - The company will provide account credits to affected users as compensation for the service disruption [1][2] - During the outage, Krispy Kreme (DNUT) offered free donuts to customers [1][2]