As Verizon and AT&T look to offload DSL markets they don't want to upgrade to focus on wireless, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam made another comment this week suggesting that more of the company's DSL and POTS markets could be sold. Speaking at the Citi 2015 Global Internet, Media & Telecommunications Conference McAdam stated that the company still has some fixed-line assets that would geographically make more since if sold to another telco.
"There are certain assets on the wireline side that would be better off in somebody else's hands so we can focus our energy on a narrower geography," McAdam said.
The company has struggled to find buyers for certain assets after the offloading of millions of DSL and phone customers using a Reverse Morris Trust resulted in debt struggles for Frontier Communications and Fairpoint. From the sound of it, Verizon's going to start selling off parts of states piecemeal instead of focusing on offloading entire states.
"In the past we have sold off entire states, but I think there's an opportunity to trim out some markets in a state and hold onto other markets in a state," McAdam said. "That is a possibility for us as we move forward."
For a few months now a rumor has been circulating among some Verizon employees that Verizon is interested in offloading its Texas, Florida and California assets to CenturyLink. I've been completely unable to substantiate this however, and after an inquiry to Verizon PR was told they had no comment on the rumor.
There's certainly plenty of markets Verizon wants to walk away from, something that's obviously easier in states where Verizon lobbyists can get POTS upkeep and maintenance regulations loosened.
