Commitments And Contingencies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
Commitments And Contingencies [Abstract]
Commitments And Contingencies	(16) Commitments and Contingencies: Although from time to time we make short-term purchasing commitments to vendors with respect to capital expenditures, we generally do not enter into firm, written contracts for such activities. In connection with the accelerated fiber build, we have prioritized diversifying our vendor base and finalizing agreements with vendors for relevant labor and materials. Some of these agreements will have initial two-year terms with an option to extend for two years through 2025. Frontier accepted the FCC’s CAF Phase II offer in 25 states, which provided $313 million in annual support through 2021, to make available 10 Mbps downstream/1 Mbps upstream broadband service to households across some of the 25 states where we operate. The deployment deadline was December 31, 2021, and final review and audit of households is not complete. To the extent it is determined we did not enable the required number of households with 10 Mbps downstream/1 Mbps upstream broadband service or we were unable to satisfy other FCC CAF Phase II requirements, Frontier will be required to return a portion of the funds previously received and may be subject to certain other requirements and obligations. We have accrued an amount for any potential shortfall in the household build commitment that we deem to be probable and reasonably estimated, and we do not expect that any potential penalties, if ultimately incurred, will be material in comparison to the established accrual. On January 30, 2020, the FCC adopted an order establishing RDOF, a competitive reverse auction to provide support to serve high cost areas. The FCC announced the results of its RDOF Phase I auction on December 7, 2020. Frontier was awarded approximately $371 million over ten years to build gigabit-capable broadband over a fiber-to-the-premises network to approximately 127,000 locations in eight states (California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia). The FCC approved Frontier’s Long Form application in March 2022 and Frontier began receiving funding in the second quarter of 2022. Frontier will be required to complete the buildout to these locations by December 31, 2028, with interim target milestones over this period. On April 30, 2018, an amended consolidated class action complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut on behalf of certain purported stockholders against Frontier, certain of its current and former directors and officers and the underwriters of certain Frontier securities offerings and in connection with certain disclosures relating to the CTF transaction. The complaint was brought on behalf of all persons who (1) acquired Frontier common stock between February 6, 2015 and February 28, 2018, inclusive, and/or (2) acquired Frontier common stock or Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock. On March 8, 2019, the District Court granted in its entirety Frontier’s motion to dismiss the complaint and on March 24, 2020, the court denied plaintiffs’ motion for leave to amend. Plaintiffs appealed and prior to oral argument, the parties reached an agreement in principle to resolve the matter. The settlement, which has obtained final court approval, will be covered by insurance and will have no material financial impact on the Company. On May 19, 2021, the FTC, joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, and two California District Attorneys, filed a complaint against Frontier in the Federal District Court for the Central District of California alleging that Frontier violated federal and state laws by knowingly misrepresenting in its advertisements the Internet speeds it was capable of delivering to DSL customers. On October 4, 2021, the court granted in part and denied in part Frontier’s motion dismiss by dismissing the non-California state claims, but permitting the FTC’s and California’s claims to proceed in the litigation. Frontier expressly denies any wrongdoing but, in the interest of resolving the matter, entered into a settlement with the FTC and California, which required Frontier to make a financial payment of approximately $9 million in costs and civil penalties, along with certain modifications to its DSL advertising and other practices. An accrual was established as of March 31, 2022 for the financial impact of this settlement, which is not material to these financial statements. The settlement was approved by the court and the financial payment was made in the second quarter of 2022. On July 27, 2022, the Connecticut Public Utility Regulatory Authority (“PURA”) issued a Notice of Violation and Assessment of Civil Penalty Order to Cease and Desist (“NOV”) related to the underground excavation and placement of fiber facilities by Frontier and its contractors in Connecticut. The NOV alleges that Frontier and its contractors failed to comply with certain state excavation regulations which created public safety and compliance issues. The NOV prescribes a $5 million fine, which the Company will challenge in a contested proceeding. The NOV also orders Frontier to discontinue certain underground fiber deployment work until the Company submits a compliance plan to ensure compliance with the applicable regulations. Frontier is complying with the NOV and will seek relief from the underground fiber deployment restrictions. On August 1, 2022, the PURA responded to a Frontier motion, clarifying the restrictions and allowing certain underground construction activity to continue. While the Company does not believe that this matter will have a material impact on its fiber build or financial position, results of operations or cash flows, a prolonged ban on underground installations in Connecticut could adversely impact the Company’s ability to meet its build targets in a timely manner. In addition, we are party to various legal proceedings (including individual actions, class and putative class actions, and governmental investigations) arising in the normal course of our business covering a wide range of matters and types of claims including, but not limited to, general contract disputes, billing disputes, rights of access, taxes and surcharges, consumer protection, advertising, sales and the provision of services, intellectual property, including, trademark, copyright, and patent infringement, employment, regulatory, tort, claims of competitors and disputes with other carriers. Litigation is subject to uncertainty and the outcome of individual matters is not predictable. However, we believe that the ultimate resolution of all such matters, after considering insurance coverage or other indemnities to which we are entitled, will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. In October 2013, the California Attorney General’s Office notified certain Verizon companies, including one of the subsidiaries that we acquired in the CTF Acquisition, of potential violations of California state hazardous waste statutes primarily arising from the disposal of electronic components, batteries and aerosol cans at certain California facilities. We are cooperating with this investigation. We have accrued an amount for potential penalties that we deem to be probable and reasonably estimated, and we do not expect that any potential penalties, if ultimately incurred, will be material in comparison to the established accrual. We accrue an expense for pending litigation when we determine that an unfavorable outcome is probable, and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Legal defense costs are expensed as incurred. None of our existing accruals for pending matters, after considering insurance coverage, is material. We monitor our pending litigation for the purpose of adjusting our accruals and revising our disclosures accordingly, when required. Litigation is, however, subject to uncertainty, and the outcome of any particular matter is not predictable. We will vigorously defend our interests in pending litigation, and as of this date, we believe that the ultimate resolution of all such matters, after considering insurance coverage or other indemnities to which we are entitled, will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or our cash flows. We conduct certain of our operations in leased premises and also lease certain equipment and other assets pursuant to operating leases. The lease arrangements have terms ranging from 1 to 99 years and several contain rent escalation clauses providing for increases in monthly rent at specific intervals. When rent escalation clauses exist, we record annual rental expense based on the total expected rent payments on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Certain leases also have renewal options. Renewal options that are reasonably assured are included in determining the lease term. We are party to contracts with several unrelated long-distance carriers. The contracts provide fees based on traffic they carry for us subject to minimum monthly fees. ‎

Although from time to time we make short-term purchasing commitments to vendors with respect to capital expenditures, we generally do not enter into firm, written contracts for such activities. In connection with the accelerated fiber build, we have prioritized diversifying our vendor base and finalizing agreements with vendors for relevant labor and materials. Some of these agreements will have initial two-year terms with an option to extend for two years through 2025.

Frontier accepted the FCC’s CAF Phase II offer in 25 states, which provided $313 million in annual support through 2021, to make available 10 Mbps downstream/1 Mbps upstream broadband service to households across some of the 25 states where we operate.

The deployment deadline was December 31, 2021, and final review and audit of households is not complete. To the extent it is determined we did not enable the required number of households with 10 Mbps downstream/1 Mbps upstream broadband service or we were unable to satisfy other FCC CAF Phase II requirements, Frontier will be required to return a portion of the funds previously received and may be subject to certain other requirements and obligations. We have accrued an amount for any potential shortfall in the household build commitment that we deem to be probable and reasonably estimated, and we do not expect that any potential penalties, if ultimately incurred, will be material in comparison to the established accrual.

On January 30, 2020, the FCC adopted an order establishing RDOF, a competitive reverse auction to provide support to serve high cost areas. The FCC announced the results of its RDOF Phase I auction on December 7, 2020. Frontier was awarded approximately $371 million over ten years to build gigabit-capable broadband over a fiber-to-the-premises network to approximately 127,000 locations in eight states (California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia). The FCC approved Frontier’s Long Form application in March 2022 and Frontier began receiving funding in the second quarter of 2022. Frontier will be required to complete the buildout to these locations by December 31, 2028, with interim target milestones over this period.

On April 30, 2018, an amended consolidated class action complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut on behalf of certain purported stockholders against Frontier, certain of its current and former directors and officers and the underwriters of certain Frontier securities offerings and in connection with certain disclosures relating to the CTF transaction. The complaint was brought on behalf of all persons who (1) acquired Frontier common stock between February 6, 2015 and February 28, 2018, inclusive, and/or (2) acquired Frontier common stock or Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock. On March 8, 2019, the District Court granted in its entirety Frontier’s motion to dismiss the complaint and on March 24, 2020, the court denied plaintiffs’ motion for leave to amend. Plaintiffs appealed and prior to oral argument, the parties reached an agreement in principle to resolve the matter. The settlement, which has obtained final court approval, will be covered by insurance and will have no material financial impact on the Company.

On May 19, 2021, the FTC, joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, and two California District Attorneys, filed a complaint against Frontier in the Federal District Court for the Central District of California alleging that Frontier violated federal and state laws by knowingly misrepresenting in its advertisements the Internet speeds it was capable of delivering to DSL customers. On October 4, 2021, the court granted in part and denied in part Frontier’s motion dismiss by dismissing the non-California state claims, but permitting the FTC’s and California’s claims to proceed in the litigation. Frontier expressly denies any wrongdoing but, in the interest of resolving the matter, entered into a settlement with the FTC and California, which required Frontier to make a financial payment of approximately $9 million in costs and civil penalties, along with certain modifications to its DSL advertising and other practices. An accrual was established as of March 31, 2022 for the financial impact of this settlement, which is not material to these

financial statements. The settlement was approved by the court and the financial payment was made in the second quarter of 2022.

On July 27, 2022, the Connecticut Public Utility Regulatory Authority (“PURA”) issued a Notice of Violation and Assessment of Civil Penalty Order to Cease and Desist (“NOV”) related to the underground excavation and placement of fiber facilities by Frontier and its contractors in Connecticut. The NOV alleges that Frontier and its contractors failed to comply with certain state excavation regulations which created public safety and compliance issues. The NOV prescribes a $5 million fine, which the Company will challenge in a contested proceeding. The NOV also orders Frontier to discontinue certain underground fiber deployment work until the Company submits a compliance plan to ensure compliance with the applicable regulations. Frontier is complying with the NOV and will seek relief from the underground fiber deployment restrictions. On August 1, 2022, the PURA responded to a Frontier motion, clarifying the restrictions and allowing certain underground construction activity to continue. While the Company does not believe that this matter will have a material impact on its fiber build or financial position, results of operations or cash flows, a prolonged ban on underground installations in Connecticut could adversely impact the Company’s ability to meet its build targets in a timely manner.

In addition, we are party to various legal proceedings (including individual actions, class and putative class actions, and governmental investigations) arising in the normal course of our business covering a wide range of matters and types of claims including, but not limited to, general contract disputes, billing disputes, rights of access, taxes and surcharges, consumer protection, advertising, sales and the provision of services, intellectual property, including, trademark, copyright, and patent infringement, employment, regulatory, tort, claims of competitors and disputes with other carriers. Litigation is subject to uncertainty and the outcome of individual matters is not predictable. However, we believe that the ultimate resolution of all such matters, after considering insurance coverage or other indemnities to which we are entitled, will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

In October 2013, the California Attorney General’s Office notified certain Verizon companies, including one of the subsidiaries that we acquired in the CTF Acquisition, of potential violations of California state hazardous waste statutes primarily arising from the disposal of electronic components, batteries and aerosol cans at certain California facilities. We are cooperating with this investigation. We have accrued an amount for potential penalties that we deem to be probable and reasonably estimated, and we do not expect that any potential penalties, if ultimately incurred, will be material in comparison to the established accrual.

We accrue an expense for pending litigation when we determine that an unfavorable outcome is probable, and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Legal defense costs are expensed as incurred. None of our existing accruals for pending matters, after considering insurance coverage, is material. We monitor our pending litigation for the purpose of adjusting our accruals and revising our disclosures accordingly, when required. Litigation is, however, subject to uncertainty, and the outcome of any particular matter is not predictable. We will vigorously defend our interests in pending litigation, and as of this date, we believe that the ultimate resolution of all such matters, after considering insurance coverage or other indemnities to which we are entitled, will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or our cash flows.

We conduct certain of our operations in leased premises and also lease certain equipment and other assets pursuant to operating leases. The lease arrangements have terms ranging from 1 to 99 years and several contain rent escalation clauses providing for increases in monthly rent at specific intervals. When rent escalation clauses exist, we record annual rental expense based on the total expected rent payments on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Certain leases also have renewal options. Renewal options that are reasonably assured are included in determining the lease term.

We are party to contracts with several unrelated long-distance carriers. The contracts provide fees based on traffic they carry for us subject to minimum monthly fees.