NEW YORK — Verizon Communications is about to double the size of its toe-hold in digital advertising with the purchase of Yahoo!, even so, the wireless company will still be a distant number three behind Google and Facebook in the $187bn market.Verizon could announce an agreement to buy Yahoo’s internet business for about $5bn in the next few days, according to people familiar with the situation. A deal would advance CEO Lowell McAdam’s plan to make Verizon a powerhouse in mobile media.Telecom giants and internet service providers are trying to move beyond just selling access to other potentially more valuable services. AT&T acquired satellite TV company DirecTV and Comcast Corporation bought broadcast and movie company NBCUniversal.Verizon has chosen to focus more on mobile content and advertising. While the company sits atop the mobile industry as the largest US wireless carrier, sales and subscriber growth have started to plateau.To find new sources of growth, Verizon has expande...
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