Verizon Wireless is one of the most popular networks in the United States, but do you know who owns Verizon? Perhaps you’re curious if it’s owned by AT&T.
If that’s a question you’ve been wondering, keep reading because I’m going to tell you all you need to know about AT&T and Verizon, and other important facts I’ve discovered!
Does AT&T Own Verizon In 2024?
AT&T does not own Verizon, as they are two separate and independent companies, but AT&T does own some Alltel and Unicel properties in 2024. Both AT&T and Verizon are the largest cell phone providers in the world, and both offer customers similar products in the mobile market.
Do you want to know other details about AT&T and whether Verizon and AT&T are owned by the same company? Well, continue reading, because we’ll answer all of your questions below!
Are Verizon & AT&T Owned by the Same Company?
Verizon and AT&T are not owned by the same company and are independent of one another. However, they are two of the largest wireless carriers in the United States.
It should be noted, though, that AT&T did acquire some Verizon Wireless properties, including select Unicel and Alltel assets, and added 1.6 million subscribers in 18 states with this acquisition.
Additionally,AT&T is now the leading mobile carrier in the United States, taking a 44.8% share of wireless subscriptions. Verizon has slipped into second place with T-Mobile not far behind.
Who Is Verizon Owned By?
Verizon Communications owns Verizon Wireless, and the CEO and chairman of Verizon Communications is Hans Vestberg.
Conversely, AT&T Communications Incorporated is owned by AT&T Incorporated, and the current CEO is John Stankey.
Is Verizon as Big as AT&T?
Verizon and AT&T are two of the top wireless carriers in the world, but AT&T bests Verizonas the largest wireless provider in terms of subscription numbers.
For example, Verizon earned $128.29 billion in revenue for 2020, whereas AT&T had $171.76 billion in revenue.
Therefore, Verizon is not as big as AT&T, although it’s very close!
What Similar Products Do AT&T and Verizon Sell?
Verizon Wireless and AT&T both sell electronic devices to consumers, including cell phones and tablets, and offer customers a variety of cell phone plans to meet their needs.
Specifically, both AT&T and Verizon sell cell phone plans that are similar in price, features, perks, and both are known for less-than-stellar customer service.
AT&T and Verizon also sell similar products, including the following:
- Mobile hotspot devices
- Chargers
- Cell phone accessories
- Internet & TV subscriptions
- Smartwatches
- Android smartphones
- iOS smartphones
- Smartwatches
- Fiber Internet
What Companies Does AT&T Own?
AT&T is a heavyweight well beyond the mobile market, and AT&T owns several other companies, including the following:
- Home Box Office Inc. which includes HBO, HBO Comedy, HBO Latino, HBO Now, HBO on Demand, and all other HBO-affiliated channels and services
- Turner Broadcasting System, which includes Millennium Media Group, TruTV, TBS, TNT, TCM Productions, CNN, HLN, Adult Swim, Turner Studios, and Bleacher Report
- 10% of Hulu in a partnership with Walt Disney Company and Comcast
- Warner Brothers Entertainment which includes DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Digital Networks, DC Films, Castle Rock Entertainment, and New Line Cinema
- Blue Ribbon Content such as Wall to Wall, Twenty Twenty, Eyeworks, Alloy Entertainment, Telepictures, and Hanna-Barbera Cartoons
- WB Games including Rocksteady Studios, Avalanche Software, TT Games Publishing, NetherRealm Studios, Traveller’s Tales, and Playdemic
- AppNexus
- FiberTower
- AlienVault
Has AT&T Tried to Buy Verizon?
AT&T has not tried to purchase Verizon, except for the acquisition back in 2009, which gave AT&T some of the Verizon Wireless properties, including some rural areas in 18 states.
Furthermore, there haven’t been any confirmed reports of either AT&T trying to buy Verizon or any other companies trying to buy Verizon Wireless.
We will have to wait and see what the future holds for both AT&T and Verizon, as both companies continue to compete with each other for the top spot in wireless service.
Will AT&T Buy Verizon?
Currently, AT&T has not confirmed it has any plans to buy Verizon, although there is always a chance in the future that AT&T will try to buy Verizon and take over the mobile market for good.
That said, the new CEO of AT&T, John Stankey, is not happy with the AT&T brand and will be focusing the future on building out the 5G broadband services AT&T offers to customers.
It’s unclear what this means, as he never explained what his plans for the future are or how Verizon or any other company will fit into those plans for AT&T to rebrand.
Therefore, it’s always possible AT&T will try to purchase Verizon, or even merge with Verizon in the future, although it’s anyone’s guess at this point what companies AT&T will try to acquire.
To know more, you can also see our posts on whether or not Verizon offers prepaid plans, if Verizon works in Jamaica, and if Verizon works in Alaska.
Conclusion
AT&T does not own Verizon, but AT&T did acquire some Verizon Wireless properties such as Unicel and Alltel back in 2009, which gave AT&T 1.6 million customers in 18 states.
