History of Verizon in Timeline

Verizon Communications Inc., based in New York City, is a global telecommunications giant, ranking as the world's second-largest by revenue. As of March 31, 2025, it leads the United States wireless market, boasting the largest mobile network with 146 million subscribers. Verizon provides a wide array of communication services, including wireless, internet, and cable, solidifying its position as a key player in the telecommunications industry.

1983: Bell Atlantic Formed

In 1983, Bell Atlantic was formed as a result of the breakup of the Bell System into seven Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs), also known as "Baby Bells."

1983: Settlement to Breakup the Bell System

In 1983, the US Department of Justice reached a settlement with the original AT&T to breakup the Bell System.

1984: Bell Atlantic Corporation Created

In 1984, Bell Atlantic Corporation was created as one of the original "Baby Bell" Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs).

1996: Bell Atlantic Merger with NYNEX Orchestrated

In 1996, CEO and Chairman Raymond W. Smith orchestrated Bell Atlantic's merger with fellow Baby Bell NYNEX, which had received New York Telephone and New England Telephone in the breakup. When it merged, it moved its corporate headquarters from Philadelphia to New York City.

1997: NYNEX Consolidated into Bell Atlantic

By 1997, NYNEX was fully consolidated into the Bell Atlantic name.

1997: Bell Atlantic Merges with NYNEX

In 1997, Bell Atlantic expanded into New York and the New England states by merging with fellow Baby Bell NYNEX. The merged company moved its headquarters from Philadelphia to NYNEX's old headquarters in New York City.

1997: Patents Filed by Bell Atlantic

In 1997, the three patents named in the lawsuit against Vonage, relating to the conversion of IP addresses into phone numbers, were filed by Bell Atlantic.

July 1998: Deal with GTE proposed

In July 1998, nearly two years before the merger was approved, the US$64.7 billion merger with telephone company GTE was proposed.

April 2000: Bell Atlantic and Vodafone form Verizon Wireless

In April 2000, Bell Atlantic formed Verizon Wireless in a joint venture with Vodafone, which owned AirTouch. Bell Atlantic owned 55% of the venture, while Vodafone retained 45%. The deal was valued at approximately $70 billion and created a mobile carrier with 23 million customers.

June 2000: Bell Atlantic Changes Name to Verizon Communications

In June 2000, Bell Atlantic officially changed its name to Verizon Communications, following FCC approval of the merger with GTE.

August 2000: Verizon Workers' Strike

In August 2000, approximately 85,000 Verizon workers went on an 18-day labor strike after their union contracts expired, affecting quarterly revenues and creating a backlog of repairs.

2000: Bell Atlantic Acquires GTE and Changes Name to Verizon

In 2000, Bell Atlantic acquired GTE, expanding its reach across the country. Following this acquisition, Bell Atlantic changed its name to Verizon, a combination of 'veritas' and 'horizon'.

2000: Customer Turnover Rate in 2000

In 2000, customer turnover rate at Verizon was 2.5%.

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

In 2001, the "Can you hear me now?" campaign, featuring actor Paul Marcarelli, was launched for Verizon Wireless, with customer turnover dropping to 1.8% from 2.5% in 2000.

August 2002: Verizon Began Offering Bundles

In August 2002, Verizon began offering local, long-distance, and mobile calling, as well as Internet service, in a bundle, initially available to customers in New York and Massachusetts.

2002: Customer Growth in 2002

In 2002, Verizon's net customers grew by 10% to 32.5 million, according to data from The Yankee Group.

2003: Verizon Wireless IPO Cancelled

In 2003, Verizon Wireless' initial public offering (IPO) was ultimately cancelled because the company no longer needed to raise revenue due to increased profits.

2003: Customer Growth in 2003

In 2003, Verizon's net customers grew by another 15% to 37.5 million, according to data from The Yankee Group.

April 2004: Verizon Added to Dow Jones Industrial Average

In April 2004, Verizon Communications was added to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, replacing telecom competitor AT&T.

December 2004: Verizon.net Blocks Connections From Europe

In December 2004, mail servers at Verizon.net were configured to block connections from Europe by default to reduce spam, leading to criticism and a class-action lawsuit.

2004: Verizon Launches Fios Internet

In 2004, Verizon launched its Fios Internet service, which transmits data over fiber optic cables, in Keller, Texas.

March 29, 2005: MCI Accepts Verizon's Bid

On March 29, 2005, MCI accepted Verizon's increased bid of $7.6 billion.

September 2005: Fios TV Launched

In September 2005, Verizon launched Fios TV, also in Keller, Texas.

October 31, 2005: FCC Approves Verizon's Acquisition of MCI

On October 31, 2005, the FCC approved Verizon's acquisition of MCI, valuing the deal at $8.5 billion.

2005: Verizon Focuses on Mobile, Internet, and TV Businesses

Beginning in 2005, Verizon reinforced its focus on its mobile phone, Internet, and TV businesses by selling a number of its U.S.-based wireline-focused businesses and international assets.

2005: Verizon shares customer information with Government agencies

Between 2005 and 2007, Verizon acknowledged surrendering customer information to government agencies without court orders or warrants 720 times.

January 2006: Fios Expands its Offering

By January 2006, Verizon's Fios offered over 350 channels in seven states, including 20 high-definition television channels and video on demand.

April 2006: Verizon Proposes Settlement

In April 2006, Verizon proposed a settlement in response to the class-action lawsuit over blocking European connections.

May 2006: Reports of Verizon Providing Phone Records to NSA

In May 2006, USA Today reported that Verizon, along with AT&T and BellSouth, had provided the National Security Agency with landline phone records following the September 11 attacks, leading to privacy concerns and a lawsuit.

2006: Verizon Sheds Telephone Directory Business

In 2006, Verizon divested its telephone directory business as part of its strategic shift.

2006: Verizon's Revenues Rise Following MCI Purchase

In 2006, Verizon's revenues rose by as much as 20% following the acquisition of MCI.

January 2007: Marketing Deal with NHL

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

January 2007: Verizon spins off lines in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont

In January 2007, Verizon spun off its wirelines in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont which were then purchased by FairPoint Communications for $2.72 billion.

March 2007: Verizon Wins Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Vonage

In March 2007, Verizon won a lawsuit against Vonage for patent infringement, awarding Verizon US$58 million in damages and future royalties. Vonage later lost an appeal and was ordered to pay Verizon $120 million.

May 2007: Verizon Acquires CyberTrust

In May 2007, Verizon acquired CyberTrust, a privately held provider of global information security services.

September 2007: Verizon Wireless Reverses Decision on NARAL Pro-Choice America

In September 2007, Verizon Wireless reversed a controversial decision to deny NARAL Pro-Choice America a short code for texting consumers.

2007: Verizon Opens Networks to Third Party Apps and Devices

In 2007, Verizon opened its networks to third party apps and devices for the first time.

2007: Verizon Acknowledges Sharing Customer Information

In 2007, Verizon stated that it fulfilled only "lawful demands" for information, but also acknowledged surrendering customer information to government agencies without court orders or warrants 720 times between 2005 and 2007.

2008: Verizon Acquires Rural Cellular Corp. and Alltel

In 2008, Verizon acquired Rural Cellular Corp. for $2.7 billion in cash and assumed debt, and announced it would purchase wireless carrier Alltel for $28.1 billion, allowing Verizon Wireless to surpass AT&T in number of customers.

2008: Verizon Participates in FCC's 700 MHz Auction

In 2008, Verizon participated in the FCC's 700 MHz auction of "open access" spectrum, bidding $9.4 billion and winning the bulk of national and local licenses.

May 2009: Verizon Spins Off Wirelines into Frontier Communications

In May 2009, Verizon spun off wirelines in multiple states into a company that then merged with Frontier Communications in a deal valued at $8.6 billion.

November 2009: AT&T Lawsuit and Resolution

In early November 2009, AT&T filed a lawsuit against Verizon over its "There's a map for that" campaign, which was a parody of AT&T's ads; the suit was dropped later that month, along with a similar suit by Verizon against AT&T.

2009: NASCAR Nationwide Series Sponsorship

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

February 4, 2010: Verizon Wireless Customers Report Difficulty Accessing 4chan

On February 4, 2010, Verizon Wireless customers began reporting difficulties accessing 4chan's image boards.

February 7, 2010: Verizon Wireless Confirms Blocking 4chan.org

On February 7, 2010, Verizon Wireless confirmed that 4chan.org was "explicitly blocked" after security experts detected sweep attacks from an IP address associated with the 4chan network.

August 2010: Verizon and Google Agree on Network Neutrality Definition

In August 2010, the chairmen of Verizon and Google agreed that network neutrality should be defined and limited.

September 2010: End of "Can you hear me now?" Campaign

In September 2010, the "Can you hear me now?" campaign, which began in 2001, concluded its run.

October 2010: Verizon Wireless Pays Refunds and Penalties for Overcharging

In October 2010, Verizon Wireless paid $77.8 million in refunds and FCC penalties for overcharging 15 million customers for data services.

December 2010: Verizon Introduces 4G LTE Network

In December 2010, Verizon introduced its 4G LTE network in 38 markets and airports in seven additional cities, planning a three-year continuous expansion of the service.

2010: NASCAR Nationwide Series Sponsorship

In 2010 Verizon sponsored Justin Allgaier in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

2010: NFL Wireless Partnership

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.

August 1, 2011: Ivan Seidenberg Retires as Verizon CEO

On August 1, 2011, Ivan Seidenberg retired as Verizon's CEO and was succeeded by Lowell McAdam.

December 2011: Verizon Tax Avoidance Criticisms

In December 2011, Verizon was criticized by Public Campaign for its tax avoidance procedures. The report cited Verizon spending $52.34 million on lobbying while collecting $951 million in tax rebates between 2008 and 2010, making a $32.5 billion profit. The report also criticized Verizon for increasing executive pay while laying off workers.

2011: CenturyLink Acquires Qwest

In 2011, CenturyLink acquired Qwest (formerly US West), later becoming Lumen Technologies in 2020.

2011: Marcarelli Joins Sprint

In 2011, Paul Marcarelli, formerly the spokesperson for Verizon, became a spokesperson for Sprint.

2011: Verizon Acquires Terremark

In early 2011, Verizon acquired Terremark, an information technology services company, for $1.4 billion.

February 24, 2012: Verizon reports taxes paid in SEC filing

On February 24, 2012, Verizon reported in its Form 10-K filed with the SEC that it had paid more than $11.1 billion in taxes from 2009 to 2011 and that most of the drop in employment since 2008 was due to a voluntary retirement offer.

June 2012: Verizon Purchases Hughes Telematics and E-911 Service Failure

In June 2012, Verizon purchased Hughes Telematics for $612 million to expand its wireless business. Also in June 2012, Verizon's E-911 service failed in northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. after the derecho storm.

August 2012: Department of Justice Approves Verizon's AWS Spectrum Purchase

In August 2012, the Department of Justice approved Verizon's purchase of Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum from a consortium of cable companies for $3.9 billion.

2012: NHL Deal Extension

In 2012, Verizon extended its marketing and promotional rights deal with the National Hockey League for another three years, including exclusive content through Verizon's GameCenter app.

2012: FCC Rules Against Verizon's Tethering Fees

In 2012, the FCC ruled that Verizon must stop charging users an added fee for using 4G smartphones and tablets as Wi-Fi hotspots (known as "tethering"), even those with "unlimited" plans. Verizon made a voluntary payment of $1.25 million to the U.S. Treasury.

January 2013: FCC Releases Report on Verizon E-911 Failure

In January 2013, the FCC released a report detailing the problems that led to the June 2012 E-911 service failure, during which Verizon reported it had already addressed or was addressing a number of the issues related to the FCC report.

June 2013: NFL Partnership Extension

In June 2013, Verizon announced a four-year extension with the NFL, granting the right to stream every NFL regular-season and playoff game.

September 2013: Verizon to Purchase Vodafone's Stake in Verizon Wireless

In September 2013, Verizon purchased Vodafone's 45% stake in Verizon for $130 billion.

October 2013: Verizon Expands LTE Network

In October 2013, Verizon began expanding its LTE network utilizing the extra airwaves from the AWS spectrum purchase.

January 14, 2014: DC Circuit Court Strikes Down FCC's Net Neutrality Rules

On January 14, 2014, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the FCC's net neutrality rules after Verizon filed suit against them in January 2010.

February 21, 2014: Verizon Completes Vodafone Stake Acquisition

On February 21, 2014, the deal to purchase Vodafone's stake closed, becoming the third largest corporate deal ever signed and giving Verizon Communications sole ownership of Verizon Wireless.

March 2014: Title Sponsor of IndyCar Series

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

June 30, 2014: Deadline for Verizon to Pass Fiberoptic Network to All NYC Households

June 30, 2014, marked the deadline stipulated in Verizon's cable franchise agreement, requiring the provider to pass a fiberoptic network to all households in New York City.

October 2014: Verizon Wireless Launches SugarString

In October 2014, Verizon Wireless launched the technology news website SugarString, which attracted controversy due to alleged restrictions on publishing articles related to net neutrality or domestic surveillance.

2014: Lawsuit Against FCC

In 2014, Verizon unsuccessfully sued the FCC for the power to offer all content at one internet speed regardless of the type of content.

May 2015: Verizon to Pay $90 Million in Premium Text Message Billing Settlement

In May 2015, Verizon agreed to pay $90 million to settle federal and state investigations into allegations mobile customers were improperly billed for premium text messages.

August 2015: Verizon Launches Hum

In August 2015, Verizon launched Hum, a service and device offering vehicle diagnostic and monitoring tools for vehicles.

2015: American Tower Corp. acquires rights to Verizon's wireless towers

In 2015, American Tower Corp. acquired the exclusive right to lease, acquire or otherwise operate and manage many of Verizon's wireless towers for an upfront payment of $5.1 billion, which also included payment for the sale of approximately 165 towers.

2015: Verizon Acquires AOL

In 2015, Verizon expanded into content ownership by acquiring AOL.

August 1, 2016: Verizon Acquires Fleetmatics

On August 1, 2016, Verizon announced its acquisition of Fleetmatics, a fleet telematics system company, for $2.4 billion, to build products that it offers to enterprises for logistics and mobile workforces.

September 12, 2016: Verizon Acquires Sensity

On September 12, 2016, Verizon announced its acquisition of Sensity, a startup for LED sensors, in an effort to bolster its IoT portfolio.

September 2016: Naming Rights Acquisition by Southern New Hampshire University

In September 2016, Southern New Hampshire University acquired the naming rights for the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, which was originally known as the Verizon Wireless Arena.

2016: Verizon is One of Three Remaining "Baby Bells"

As of 2016, Verizon is one of the three remaining companies with roots in the former Baby Bells, existing as a result of mergers among fellow former Baby Bell members.

2016: Verizon Sells Wireline Operations

In 2016, Verizon sold its wireline operations in Texas, Florida, and California to Frontier.

2016: Verizon Accused of Refusing to Maintain Copper Telephone Service

In 2016, Verizon was accused by Communications Workers of America of deliberately refusing to maintain its copper telephone service, allegedly instructing workers to migrate voice-only customers to VoiceLink instead of repairing copper lines.

January 2017: Reported Talks Between Verizon and Charter Communications

In January 2017, Verizon was reported to be in talks with Charter Communications to discuss a possible buyout.

February 2017: Verizon Acquires XO Communications' Fiber-Optic Network Business

In February 2017, Verizon closed its $1.8 billion acquisition of XO Communications' fiber-optic network business.

April 2017: Verizon Announces Deal with Corning Inc.

In April 2017, Verizon and Corning Inc. announced a deal whereby Verizon would purchase 12.4 million miles of optical fiber per year from Corning from 2018 through 2020.

May 2017: Charter Rejects Verizon Buyout Offer

Around the end of May 2017, Charter Communications reportedly rejected the buyout deal with Verizon, citing that the offer was too low for them to accept.

June 13, 2017: Acquisition of Yahoo Completed

On June 13, 2017, Verizon completed its acquisition of Yahoo for $4.48 billion.

July 2017: Network Speed Limiting

In July 2017, it was reported that Verizon's mobile network had been limiting streaming services such as Netflix and YouTube to a speed of 10 Mbit/s. Verizon stated that it had been testing a system to "optimize the performance of video applications on our network".

2017: Streaming TV Service Launch

In 2017, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam confirmed plans to launch a streaming TV service, integrating AOL-Yahoo under the Oath division, organized around content-based pillars.

2017: NYC Sues Verizon for Violating Cable Franchise Agreement

In 2017, Verizon was sued by New York City for violating its cable franchise agreement, citing the provider failed to pass a fiberoptic network to all households in the city by June 30, 2014.

August 1, 2018: Hans Vestberg Succeeds Lowell McAdam as CEO

On August 1, 2018, Hans Vestberg succeeded Lowell McAdam as CEO of Verizon. Vestberg's strategy focused on Verizon's 5G technology.

December 10, 2018: Verizon Announces Voluntary Separation Program and Media Division Write-Off

On December 10, 2018, Verizon announced that 10,400 managers had agreed to leave the company as part of a "voluntary separation program". At the same time, the company announced a $4.6 billion write-off on its media division.

2018: Creation of Verizon Connect

In 2018, Verizon Connect was created, combining the individual Telematics, Fleetmatics, and Telogis units.

2018: End of IndyCar Series Sponsorship

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

January 2019: Oath Inc. Rebranded as Verizon Media

In January 2019, Oath Inc., which included AOL and Yahoo, was rebranded as Verizon Media.

March 2019: Verizon Offers Anti-Spam and Robocalling Features Free of Charge

In March 2019, Verizon began offering anti-spam and robocalling features free of charge to all customers.

March 2019: Citation by Better Business Bureau

In March 2019, Verizon was cited by the Better Business Bureau for ads that "convey the message that Verizon has achieved the important milestone of deploying the first mobile wireless 5G network" prior to 5G availability, falsely conveying that the technology was currently available.

April 2019: Verizon Begins Rolling Out 5G Mobile Network

In April 2019, Verizon began rolling out its 5G mobile network.

2019: First Green Bonds Issued

Between 2019 and 2023, Verizon issued five green bonds for a total of $5 billion.

2019: Verizon Reorganizes into Three New Divisions

In early 2019, Verizon reorganized itself into three new divisions: Consumer, Business and Media.

January 14, 2020: Verizon Launches OneSearch

On January 14, 2020, Verizon announced the launch of its privacy-focused search engine OneSearch.

January 2020: Sponsorship 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, including jersey sponsorship for national teams.

May 2020: Verizon Acquires BlueJeans

In May 2020, Verizon acquired videoconferencing service BlueJeans in order to expand its business portfolio offerings.

May 2020: Criticism by Better Business Bureau

In May 2020, the Better Business Bureau criticized Verizon for claiming it was "building the most powerful 5G experience for America" and recommended that the company make clear and conspicuous disclosures to consumers about the limited actual availability of its 5G network.

September 2020: Verizon Announces Plans to Acquire TracFone Wireless

In September 2020, Verizon announced its plans to acquire TracFone Wireless for $6.25 billion.

2020: CenturyLink Becomes Lumen Technologies

In 2020, CenturyLink, which had acquired Qwest in 2011, rebranded to Lumen Technologies.

2020: Plans for American Professional Team Handball League

In 2020, USA Team Handball CEO Barry Siff announced plans to create an American professional team handball league sponsored by Verizon.

2020: "Citizen Verizon" Plan Launch

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

November 22, 2021: FCC Approves Verizon's Acquisition of TracFone Wireless

On November 22, 2021, the FCC approved Verizon's acquisition of TracFone Wireless, which closed the following day.

2021: Sale of Media Group to Apollo Global Management

In 2021, Verizon sold its media group, including AOL and Yahoo, to Apollo Global Management for $5 billion, retaining a 10% stake.

2021: NASCAR Cup Series Race Sponsorship

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

2021: Verizon More Than Doubles Its Mid-Band Spectrum Holdings

In early 2021, Verizon more than doubled its existing mid-band spectrum holdings by adding an average of 161 MHz of C-Band nationwide, purchased for $52.9 billion at an FCC C-Band auction.

January 2022: Verizon and AT&T Announce 5G Deployment with Temporary Restrictions

In early January 2022, Verizon and AT&T announced 5G deployment but agreed to a two-week delay. In mid-January, Verizon said the high-speed wireless service would still launch, but with a temporary restriction around airports.

December 2023: Verizon Announces New Global Center of Excellence in Limerick, Ireland

In December 2023, Verizon announced plans to open a new global center of excellence in Limerick, Ireland, in early 2024, aiming to create over 400 jobs in the next two years.

2023: Green Bond Issue

In 2023, Verizon issued a green bond to transition to more environmentally friendly electrical grids.

2023: Fortune Rankings

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

2023: Launch of American Professional Team Handball League (Planned)

The American professional team handball league sponsored by Verizon is planned to launch in 2023 with 10 teams.

April 2024: FCC Fine for Illegal Data Sharing

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

May 2024: Verizon Partners with AST SpaceMobile for Direct-to-Cell Capabilities

In May 2024 Verizon announced a partnership to access direct-to-cell capabilities with satellite manufacturer AST SpaceMobile, which will improve cellular and broadband access in remote areas of the United States.

September 5, 2024: Verizon Announces Intent to Acquire Frontier

On September 5, 2024, Verizon announced its intent to acquire Frontier in an all-stock deal for $38.50 per-share, valuing the company at $20 billion. Vestberg stated that the proposed acquisition was a "strategic fit" to expand its fiber network.

September 2024: Sponsorship for 2026 FIFA World Cup Announced

In September 2024, Verizon announced they would be a sponsor for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

2024: As of 2024

As of 2024, Verizon continued its operations.

2024: Fiscal Year 2024 Earnings Report

For the fiscal year 2024, Verizon reported earnings of US$17.95 billion and an annual revenue of US$134.788 billion.

2024: Sponsorship of USA Team Handball - Option to Extend

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.

January 2025: Stock and Market Capitalization Update

In January 2025, Verizon's shares traded at over $45 per share, and its market capitalization was valued at over US$163.96 billion.

March 31, 2025: Verizon has 146 million subscribers

As of March 31, 2025, Verizon's mobile network has 146 million subscribers, making it the largest wireless carrier in the United States.

2026: Verizon Sponsorship of 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, where they will provide access to their cellular network for visiting fans at stadiums, fan fests, and the metropolitan areas of the host cities.