Report: Verizon Tells Investors 2024 Is All about FWA Wireless, Harming the Entire East Coast Footprint, from MA to VA.

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Introduction

America is giving over $150 billion in state and federal subsidies over the next few years to ‘solve the Digital Divide’, and bring in “Digital Equity’; And, as we detailed elsewhere, the phone companies, which includes Verizon, AT&T and CenturyLink (Lumen), in large part, helped to create this Digital Desert by failing to properly upgrade and maintain, and being able to control America’s agenda via regulatory capture.

In this case, as we examine parts of Verizon’s financial reports, state and federal, including the holding company, as well as the state 5-year broadband plans, required for the “Bead” money from the NTIA, we have created this series of reports (and stories) to detail why we need investigations and audits, not federal subsidies. And why wireless internet is a poor substitute for the fiber optic wire to the home network — that these companies promised and America already paid for multiple times with local service rate increases.

And so we’re on the same page: This is Verizon’s main footprint — -i.e., a collection of state telecommunications public utilities, though never identified as such.

We will refer to this chart in the upcoming sections.

The 2024 Investor Call, detailed Verizon’s wireless business, not the upgrading of these state utilities.

On the Verizon Investor Earnings Call for 2023 Year End Results, Jan 23rd, 2024 Verizon has proclaimed that it would not focus on fiber to the home service, but on wireless; Verizon’s “laser focus” is growing wireless revenue and getting rid of debt and pleasing the investors, there is no mention of helping the public.

Verizon now puts “FWA Wireless” as a broadband service, not wireless.

The first chart is an excerpt of Verizon Communications, Inc., the holding company, for the 4th quarter 2023, which shows that FWA (Fixed Wireless) is put in the ‘broadband’ category, not the ‘wireless’ category, and it is the only broadband growth. The Wireline broadband gained only 170K for the year, while the FWA doubled. However, overall, Verizon lost FiOS video customers, and there is only a bit over a million new broadband lines, and the majority are FWA wireless.

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The Report supplies links to the other work. We include this summary, written by our AI-IRREGULATORS program.

Top 10 Points from IRREGULATORS’ Report on Verizon’s 2024 Plans

1. Verizon’s shift towards focusing on Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) in 2024 is highlighted, potentially harming the entire East Coast footprint from Massachusetts to Virginia.
2. The report emphasizes America’s substantial investment of over $150 billion in state and federal subsidies to bridge the Digital Divide, pointing out the role of major phone companies like Verizon in creating this gap through regulatory capture.
3. Lack of proper network upgrades and maintenance by Verizon, AT&T, and CenturyLink (Lumen) has contributed to the Digital Desert, necessitating investigations and audits rather than additional federal subsidies.
4. Verizon’s 2024 Investor Call prioritizes wireless business over fiber-to-the-home services, raising concerns about the company’s commitment to upgrading state utilities.
5. The report exposes the diversion of billion-dollar construction budgets by Verizon NY’s cable TV FiOS service, potentially leading to inflated prices and lack of transparency in financial reporting.
6. Ongoing redaction of financial reports for 14 years in New York State, including Verizon NY’s FIOS cable TV annual reports, raises questions about accountability and public oversight.
7. The report highlights the impact of hidden financial data on state 5-year broadband plans, Net Neutrality, Digital Divide, and Digital Equity issues, as well as the proliferation of junk fees and inflated pricing in the US.
8. Lack of accountability and audits in states like New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, controlled by Verizon, underscores the need for transparency in telecommunications infrastructure investments.
9. Verizon’s deceptive practices, including the bait-and-switch tactics with Wireless FiOS Home Internet, are brought to light, exposing discrepancies in advertised speeds and reliability.
10. The report calls for a reevaluation of Verizon’s commitments to fiber optic network upgrades, the misuse of funds, and the need for increased public scrutiny to ensure equitable access to broadband services.

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And this is a summary written by AI, of our findings: FWA is not a substitute for a fiber optic wire to the home.

• Verizon’s claim that FiOS is a broadband product and 100% fiber optic is misleading because of the following reasons:
• Wireless Component: Verizon is now marketing its Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) service as “FiOS Home Internet,” which can confuse consumers into thinking they are receiving a fiber optic service when it is actually a wireless connection. This misrepresentation blurs the distinction between traditional fiber optic broadband and the newer wireless technology.
• Lack of Physical Fiber Connection: Despite claiming to be 100% fiber optic, Verizon’s FWA service does not involve a direct fiber optic connection between the customer’s premises and the network. Instead, it relies on wireless transmission from a cell site to the home, which can span significant distances without any physical fiber optic cables.
• Reliability Concerns: Wireless connections, such as FWA, may not offer the same level of reliability and consistency as a true fiber optic connection. Factors like signal interference, distance from the cell site, and environmental obstacles can impact the performance of the wireless service, leading to potential service disruptions and slower speeds.
• Misleading Pricing: Verizon’s advertising of the FWA service under the FiOS brand without explicitly stating that it is a wireless service can mislead customers regarding the technology they are subscribing to. This lack of transparency in marketing can create false expectations about the quality and capabilities of the internet service being provided.
• In summary, Verizon’s rebranding of its FWA service as “FiOS Home Internet” and claiming it to be 100% fiber optic can be seen as a deceptive practice that obscures the true nature of the wireless service being offered to consumers.