Telecommunications giant Verizon has agreed to buy Boston-based Starry, a pioneer in delivering wireless broadband service to homes.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The idea of wireless home broadband was considered radical and risky when Starry launched its service in 2016. Still, the company signed up about 100,000 subscribers in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Denver, and Washington, D.C., mostly residents of large apartment buildings.
But Starry stumbled after going public in 2022 through a special-purpose acquisition merger or SPAC. Like many other SPAC companies, Starry raised far less money than expected. By 2023, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to restructure its finances.
Meanwhile, Verizon and rival broadband giants T-Mobile and AT&T now offer high-speed Fixed Wireless Access service nationwide, with about 13 million US households signing on. Verizon executive vice president Joe Russo said the Starry acquisition will boost his company’s ability to roll out wireless broadband to large multi-unit dwellings.
“By integrating their technology and expertise, we will accelerate our fixed wireless access capabilities, giving millions of new customers a powerful and affordable broadband option,” said Russo.
Hiawatha Bray can be reached at hiawatha.bray@globe.com. Follow him @GlobeTechLab.