Verizon has signed a multi-year agreement with Corning to secure more than 80 million miles of high-density optical fibre and connectivity products between 2027 and 2032.
The deal supports Verizon’s broadband expansion and its push into AI infrastructure, where demand for high-capacity fibre connections between data centres is expected to increase. Locking in supply several years ahead gives Verizon greater certainty over a key network input as it plans future deployments.
The fibre will support Verizon’s converged network, which serves broadband customers, businesses, mobile infrastructure and data centres. Using the same network across several services can improve asset utilisation and reduce the need for separate infrastructure investment.
Verizon is targeting between 40 million and 50 million broadband passings. Fibre remains central to that plan because it supports fixed broadband while also strengthening the company’s wider wireless and enterprise network.
The Corning agreement also supports Verizon’s AI Connect strategy. AI workloads require large amounts of bandwidth, particularly between major data centres. Verizon plans to use high-density fibre across long-distance routes to address this demand and expand its role in data-centre connectivity.
The company is also looking to make greater use of infrastructure it already owns. Verizon has existing fibre capacity that can connect data centres, while some former telephone buildings may be suitable for computing infrastructure because they already have access to power, cooling and network connections.
This could allow Verizon to expand its AI infrastructure offering without relying entirely on new construction. The company has said AI Connect could become a multi-billion-dollar opportunity, with a more meaningful contribution expected from 2027.
Global Opportunities Trust holds a 2.9% portfolio holding in Verizon, providing exposure to the company’s evolving broadband, fibre and AI connectivity strategy.
Global Opportunities Trust plc (LON:GOT) invests globally in undervalued asset classes without reference to the composition of any stock market index.
