FCC approves Verizon's $20 billion merger after it commits to 'ending' DEI

After Verizon agreed to end its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, the FCC - led by Trump-appointed chairman Brendan Carr - approved the telco's $20 billion deal to acquire Frontier Communications.

Verizon's pledge to end DEI was outlined in a May 15 letter to the commission, which Carr shared on X Friday. "A good step forward for equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and the public interest," the FCC chairman wrote. Shortly after he posted that, the FCC announced the approval of the Verizon-Frontier merger.

The green light for Verizon-Frontier comes as the $8 billion deal to merge Paramount Global and Skydance Media remains pending FCC approval - possibly over DEI issues.

On Friday, the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau approved Verizon’s deal to buy Frontier, which was announced in September 2024, by granting a series of applications that transfer FCC licenses and authorizations. As part of the announcement, the agency said, Verizon has "committed to ending DEI-related practices as specified in the FCC's record and has reaffirmed the merged entity’s commitment to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination."

Read more -here-

• FCC approves Verizon's $20 billion merger after it commits to 'ending' DEI
• Charter and Cox to merge in $34.5 billion deal
• YouTube will use Gemini to place ads in videos
• Microsoft cuts 3% of its workforce, affecting thousands of staff
• Fox's new streaming service to be called Fox One
• FBI warns of router attacks