Take a look at aerial images of Cities like New York, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia. Verizon has every inch of those Cities covered with it's wired network. You can believe this or not, but it's the wireline that will keep Verizon earning. Every phone that rings in an office and data transmission in NYC, Manhattan, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC and all Cities in between, Pay Verizon in some way either customer or not. They ride on Verizon's infrastructure. Not just wires, but Poles, underground, Manholes, other conduits. They pay Verizon fees to use those paths.
All the wireless carries, T-Moble, Sprint, and so on Pay Verizon because they do not have a wired network to operate on independently, they need Verizon.s infrastructure.
There’s no such thing as a wireless network! its 99.8% wired. The telecommunications network in the United States is made up of millions of miles of copper, and fiber, These links are tied together at central offices, mobile telephone switching offices, head ends, cell towers, Your cell phone is only wireless to the nearest cell tower, and down it goes into the wires. Verizon owned wires.
That wired network has virtually zero competition, you could say it's a monopoly. Those cities are massive with Millions of people using phones, and internet everyday. Just imagine the phones ringing and people on their devices in those cities. Verizon is getting paid one way or the other, either customer or not. and Verizon has a lot of customers. It's called a Win Win.
How do you think Verizon got so rich, and stay's so rich. Wires.