Arizona's push for better rural telecom services took a significant leap forward this week. Attorney General Kris Mayes revealed that the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) gave the green light to a settlement agreement with Frontier Communications Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. In a unanimous vote of 5-0, the ACC endorsed the agreement crafted to tackle the unreliable phone service that has long troubled residents in Navajo and Apache counties.
Residents in these regions have been enduring inadequate phone services and perilous 911 outages. "This is a major step forward for rural Arizonans in Navajo and Apache county who have suffered an unacceptable lack of phone service and dangerous 911 outages for too long," Attorney General Kris Mayes said, as reported by the Arizona Attorney General's Office. The settlement obligates Verizon, amid its acquisition of Frontier, to get to the core of the service disruptions, perform sweeping network audits, and bolster the reliability of communications for the region's customers.
Together with ensuring service upgrades and maintenance enhancements, no rate hikes for Frontier customers will happen until 2027. Additionally, the settlement positions the Attorney General's Office (AGO) to keep tabs on Verizon through the ACC, enabling the enforcement of the telecom giant's obligations. In a deal related to the merger, the two companies are also set to invest $8 million in amplifying rural broadband connectivity across Navajo and Apache counties.
This financial injection includes an outlay of more than $2 million each for fiber network upgrades and stronger connections in strategic areas. Around $4 million will feed into initiatives aimed at bringing high-speed fiber directly to homes, businesses, and public entities. These pledges are solidified in a consent judgment with the Attorney General, making them enforceable commitments to remedy public safety-related service outages and to advance broadband infrastructure investments.
Looking ahead, Attorney General Mayes stands firm on ensuring these promises are delivered. "My office will hold Frontier and Verizon accountable to their end of the bargain—including major investments in broadband infrastructure, serious fixes to 911 and emergency services, and no rate increases for Frontier customers for the next two years," Mayes affirmed, as detailed in the Arizona Attorney General's Office. The documentation for the approved settlement and the binding consent judgment can be reviewed through the links provided by the Arizona Attorney General's Office.
