History of Verizon in Timeline

Verizon Communications is a leading American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. As of June 30, 2025, it stands as the world's second-largest telecommunications company based on revenue. It also holds the position of the largest wireless carrier in the United States, boasting a substantial subscriber base of 146.1 million. Its core business revolves around providing wireless and wireline communications services and products.

2000: Customer Turnover Rate in 2000

In 2000, before the launch of the "Can you hear me now?" campaign, Verizon's customer turnover rate was 2.5%.

2001: "Can you hear me now?" Campaign Launch

In 2001, the "Can you hear me now?" campaign for Verizon Wireless began, featuring Paul Marcarelli as "Test Man". Customer turnover dropped to 1.8% from 2.5% in 2000.

2002: Verizon Wireless Customer Growth in 2002

In 2002, Verizon Wireless saw a 10% increase in net customers, reaching 32.5 million, during the "Can you hear me now?" campaign.

2003: Verizon Wireless Customer Growth in 2003

In 2003, Verizon Wireless experienced a 15% increase in net customers, totaling 37.5 million, during the "Can you hear me now?" campaign.

January 2007: Verizon Secures Exclusive Marketing Rights with NHL

In January 2007, Verizon secured exclusive marketing and promotional rights with the National Hockey League (NHL).

November 2009: Lawsuit Dropped in Coverage Map Dispute

In November 2009, AT&T dropped its lawsuit against Verizon over misleading coverage maps in the "There's a map for that" campaign, and Verizon dropped a similar suit against AT&T.

2009: Verizon Sponsored Justin Allgaier in NASCAR

In 2009, Verizon sponsored Justin Allgaier in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

September 2010: "Can you hear me now?" Campaign Ended

In September 2010, the "Can you hear me now?" campaign, which started in 2001, ended. The campaign featured actor Paul Marcarelli as "Test Man."

2010: Verizon Sponsored Justin Allgaier in NASCAR

In 2010, Verizon sponsored Justin Allgaier in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, before opting out of a NASCAR team sponsorship to pursue an expanded presence with the IndyCar Series.

2010: Verizon Partners with Vodafone to Become Official Wireless Partner of NFL

In late 2010, Verizon Communications joined with Vodafone Group to replace Sprint as the official wireless telecommunications partner of the National Football League (NFL) in a four-year deal estimated at $720 million.

2011: Paul Marcarelli Becomes Spokesperson for Sprint in 2011

In 2011, Paul Marcarelli, known as the "Test Man" from the "Can you hear me now?" campaign, parted ways with Verizon and became a spokesperson for Sprint.

2012: Verizon and NHL Extend Marketing Deal

In 2012, Verizon extended its marketing and promotional rights deal with the National Hockey League (NHL) for another three years. The extended deal included new provisions for the league to provide exclusive content through Verizon's GameCenter app.

June 2013: Verizon Extends NFL Partnership

In June 2013, Verizon announced a four-year extension with the NFL in a deal reportedly valued at $1 billion, giving Verizon the right to stream every NFL regular-season and playoff game.

March 2014: Verizon Becomes Title Sponsor of IndyCar Series

In March 2014, Verizon became the title sponsor of the IndyCar Series through 2018.

2014: Verizon Sues FCC Unsuccessfully

In 2014, Verizon unsuccessfully sued the FCC for powers related to internet content and speed regulations.

September 2016: Naming Rights Change for SNHU Arena

In September 2016, the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, formerly known as the Verizon Wireless Arena, had its naming rights acquired by Southern New Hampshire University.

2018: End of Verizon's Title Sponsorship of IndyCar Series

In 2018, Verizon's title sponsorship of the IndyCar Series concluded, after beginning in March 2014.

2019: Verizon Issues First Green Bond in 2019

In 2019 Verizon began to issue a series of green bonds.

January 2020: Verizon Becomes Founding Partner of USA Team Handball

In January 2020, Verizon became a founding partner of USA Team Handball through the year 2020, with an option to extend the deal until 2024. They are the jersey sponsor for the men's and women's national handball team and the men's and women's national beach handball teams and presenter of the USA Team Handball College Nationals.

2020: Plans for American Professional Team Handball League Announced

In 2020 USA Team Handball CEO Barry Siff announced plans to create an American professional team handball league sponsored by Verizon and projected to launch in 2023.

2020: Verizon Launches "Citizen Verizon" Plan

In 2020, Verizon launched its "Citizen Verizon" plan, outlining social and environmental goals, including digital-skills training for young people and a pledge to be carbon neutral by 2035.

2021: Verizon Sponsored NASCAR Cup Series Race

In 2021, Verizon sponsored the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, a race in the NASCAR Cup Series season, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

2023: Verizon's Fortune 500 Ranking for 2023

In 2023, Verizon is ranked #31 in the Fortune 500 and #68 in the Fortune Global 500.

2023: Verizon Issues Green Bonds in 2023

In 2023, Verizon issued green bonds, using the proceeds to transition to environmentally friendly electrical grids.

2023: Projected Launch Year for American Professional Team Handball League

In 2023, the American professional team handball league sponsored by Verizon was initially projected to launch, but this did not occur.

April 2024: FCC Fines Verizon for Illegally Sharing Customer Location Data

In April 2024, the FCC fined Verizon nearly $47 million for illegally sharing access to customers' real-time location data.

September 2024: Verizon announced as a sponsor for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

In September 2024, Verizon announced they would be a sponsor for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. They will provide access to their cellular network for visiting fans at stadiums, fan fests, and metropolitan areas of the host cities.

2024: Verizon Fiscal Year 2024 Earnings

For the fiscal year 2024, Verizon reported earnings of US$17.95 billion, with an annual revenue of US$134.788 billion, an increase of 0.6% over the previous fiscal cycle.