Which company did Bell Atlantic and GTE create through their 2000 merger?

Bell Atlantic and GTE created Verizon Communications through their 2000 merger.

Bell Atlantic announced its agreement to acquire GTE in 1998, and the transaction received regulatory approval before closing on June 30, 2000. The combined company adopted the name Verizon Communications, a new brand intended to signal a nationwide telecommunications business.

Bell Atlantic was a major regional Bell operating company serving the northeastern United States. GTE operated telephone networks in many other American regions and had international telecommunications interests. Their combination created one of the largest local telephone companies in the United States.

Verizon Communications and Vodafone later formed Verizon Wireless as a joint venture in 2000. Verizon Communications acquired Vodafone’s stake in Verizon Wireless in 2014. The parent company continued to use the Verizon name, while Verizon Wireless became its wholly owned wireless business.