Verizon CEO Blocks Starlink MVNO Path, Posts Strong Q2 2026 Results
Dan Schulman dismisses satellite carrier speculation while reporting best postpaid phone additions in five years and major AI infrastructure deals.
Verizon CEO Dan Schulman made two things clear this week: SpaceX's Starlink will not access Verizon's wireless network through MVNO partners, and the carrier's turnaround is gaining traction.
Speaking on Verizon's Q2 2026 earnings call, Schulman shut down industry speculation that the satellite provider could partner with Verizon's mobile virtual network operators—such as Charter or Comcast—to gain terrestrial infrastructure access without building its own. "There is no backdoor to our MVNOs in any structure," Schulman said.
The stance comes as the wireless industry watches Starlink's ambitions to offer direct-to-cell connectivity. By ruling out an MVNO workaround, Verizon signals it intends to control who accesses its ground-based networks.
Turnaround Takes Hold
While fending off competitive threats, Schulman pointed to concrete signs that his restructuring plan is working. Verizon added 184,000 postpaid phone customers in the quarter, the strongest Q2 performance in five years. Total mobility and broadband net additions exceeded 550,000, including 193,000 fixed wireless access subscribers and 155,000 fiber broadband customers.
Total revenue for the quarter came in at $34.3 billion, down 0.7% year-over-year—a modest decline executives framed as acceptable given shifting consumer upgrade cycles and the company's pivot toward higher-margin business services.
AI Infrastructure Bets
Verizon is positioning its physical infrastructure as a key asset in the artificial intelligence boom. The company announced a deal with Google valued at more than $1 billion to lease Verizon dark fiber for data center connectivity. Separately, Verizon entered a $4 billion, 50/50 joint venture with BT to combine their international enterprise assets, creating a larger platform for multinational corporate customers.
Schulman, who became CEO in October 2025, has emphasized convergence and simplification as core themes. "This is what convergence is supposed to feel like for a customer: one price, one bill, one call if you need help, nationwide coverage, all backed by one company," he said.
What's Unresolved
Not all of Schulman's claims landed with independent verification. He characterized satellite broadband as 100 to 1,000 times less efficient than ground-based systems "due to physics," an assertion external studies have not uniformly supported. He also estimated the U.S. satellite broadband market at 6 million to 8 million rural homes—a figure without corroboration from third-party analysts.
For now, Verizon's strategy rests on two pillars: keeping potential disruptors at arm's length while monetizing its fiber and enterprise footprint for AI-era demand. The Q2 numbers suggest investors are willing to give the approach a hearing.