DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE EDGE COMPUTING

Verizon Signs US$1bn Google Deal to Power AI Dark Fibre Hubs

TM
Techmediaglobal
| 4 min read
US$1bn+
DEAL VALUE
Q2 2026
DEAL DISCLOSED
184,000
NEW POSTPAID SUBS
2027
GROWTH CONTRIBUTION TARGET

Verizon has agreed a deal worth more than US$1bn with Google to connect data centres over Verizon's dark fibre network, a signal that telecom fibre assets are increasingly being leased to carry AI data centre traffic.

Dark Fibre Meets AI Demand

The agreement was disclosed by Verizon CEO Dan Schulman during the company's Q2 2026 earnings call. Rather than presenting it as a single, isolated contract, Schulman positioned the deal as an early signpost for where Verizon's revenue growth is headed in the years ahead.

He told analysts Verizon expects to announce comparable agreements by the end of 2026, and that collectively these deals could generate several billion dollars in revenue over the coming years. Schulman characterised the contracts as long-term, high-quality revenue streams tied to some of the most demanding infrastructure customers globally — language that points toward hyperscale computing firms as the counterparties behind these arrangements.

A Fibre Network Built for Compute

Schulman pointed to the sheer scale of Verizon's physical network as the basis for this opportunity, noting the company holds one of the most extensive long-haul and metro fibre footprints in North America. He explained that decades of investment in carrier-grade, low-latency, resilient transport infrastructure — originally built to connect voice and broadband traffic — has turned out to be exactly what hyperscalers now need to link compute clusters, AI models, and regions together.

"Verizon is uniquely positioned to participate in it"

— Dan Schulman, Chief Executive Officer, Verizon

Central Offices Turn Into Data Centres

Schulman revealed that Verizon has begun converting a number of its central offices — the local exchange buildings traditionally used to route telephone and broadband traffic — into data centres built for inference edge computing. He said the company is already in discussions with multiple partners keen to use these power-ready, already-permitted sites.

He described the agreements signed so far as the early stage of a strategy set to become a meaningful, incremental growth driver for Verizon, expected to noticeably contribute to revenue starting next year and expand substantially beyond that. Schulman framed it as the foundation of a multi-year growth story, layered on top of an already-accelerating core business.

Key Takeaways

  • Verizon has signed a deal worth more than US$1bn with Google to connect data centres using its dark fibre network.
  • CEO Dan Schulman expects similar agreements with hyperscale computing firms by the end of 2026, potentially worth several billion dollars over time.
  • Verizon's long-haul and metro fibre network, originally built for voice and broadband, is now proving well-suited to AI compute traffic.
  • Verizon is converting select central offices into edge data centres for inference computing, leveraging existing power capacity and permits.
  • The initiative is expected to noticeably contribute to revenue growth starting next year, expanding substantially thereafter.
  • Verizon added 184,000 postpaid phone subscriptions in Q2 2026, alongside an accelerating core business.
Tags: Verizon Google Data Centres Dark Fibre Edge Computing AI Infrastructure Financial Results