#telecommunications

The post below the line of === recently appeared on a Telstra executive's LinkedIn account. It was also covered by the Australian Financial Review in an article by Media, marketing and telecommunications reporter Sam Buckingham Jones.

As a former Telstra Principal Technical Officer with 4 decades of experience in the network maintenance and implementation field, I find this 'restart' approach extremely disturbing. It fixes nothing and may have the potential to interrupt traffic to triple-zero 'emergency' calls. (That is - calls to police, fire & ambulance).

Such interruptions have previously been linked to the death of people.

How many times will Telstra merely restart equipment before actually fixing the real fault ?

If equipment requires repeated restart to clear faults, then the network owner should really be placing more scrutiny on their vendors and demanding a real fix.

Network operators should focus on quality of service, rather than just 'clearing' equipment alarms to improve KPIs. Network alarms are raised for a reason. - To notify of problems.

Fix the faults. - Don't just clear alarms to improve your statistics.

“Have you tried turning it off and on again?”
Turns out, our network already has🤖🔁🔧

Telstra's SmartFix 🤖 is one of those AI capabilities that’s quietly been working in the background for years to make things better for our customers.

SmartFix uses smart telemetry from across the network 📡 to spot common issues early and, where it can, fix them automatically - sometimes by restarting equipment before a customer even realises there’s a problem.
✅ Fewer faults
⚡ Faster fixes
🙂 Less friction

This is AI doing real work, not demos or hype. And it’s a great example of our Network as a Product strategy in action - using data, software and automation to make the network itself smarter, more adaptive and more valuable 🔧📈.

We’ve been applying AI like this for a long time, embedded deep in how the network operates, with a simple goal:
👉 more reliable connectivity
👉 better experiences
👉 every day

New Jersey has seen over 7,600 layoffs announced in 2026 by early June. Verizon announced 121 new layoffs based in Basking Ridge. Novartis reported a third round of cuts, totaling 250 layoffs in East Hanover. Merck announced 88 layoffs effective by September, following earlier cuts in Rahway. Acme Markets is also closing its Edgewater store, impacting 115 workers.

Basking Ridge, New Jersey

https://wpgtalkradio.com/ixp/385/p/new-jersey-layoffs-2026/

To make the most effective use of AI, you pretty much have to be an expert in the domain you are working so you can write effective prompts AND AI must have enough relevant information in order to provide quality output. There is a lot of info in telecom that cannot reasonably be put into AI (confidential info, or spread across many emails, and across many documents (each containing PPI), etc.). For example, take a cell site design: To use AI you would need to upload many plots from Atoll, upload traffic usage and drive data (if available), upload maps, upload ongoing surrounding project info and their status', etc.. You would also need to tell AI what you want as far as standard equipment (and that is always changing and has dependencies), and on and on it goes. The list of things AI needs in order to provide quality output goes on and on, depending on the domain and the intricacies of the required output. The end user also must be knowledgeable enough to recognize garbage.

If you are a non-tech type (not intending an insult here), and you took some of the AI courses available from Google (and probably other AI vendors), you have seen some pretty powerful stuff. AI can do some amazing things. Yes, AI can summarize data. AI can create graphics, videos and audio output. AI can tie together data and create powerful dashboards. AI can write code. AI does all of this much faster than humans. Those AI courses leave the user thinking AI can do most anything. Those AI courses also inspire users to want to buy the creator's product (AI subscriptions). That is intentional! Google, and other AI vendors want to make money on their products. They are not going to talk much about the pitfalls of their products.

Taking those courses is like watching a very long, well produced commercial. If you are a tech type, you may be familiar with at least some of the inner workings of AI and understand it really is a probability machine (really A LOT of little probability machines). It takes in data, creates relationships amongst that data based on probabilities it "learned" from training data. Some of the magic is taken way, but it is a good thing to understand in order to make better use of the tool.

Dan Schulman's educational background is in economics and he has an MBA. Guessing other C-suiters' educational backgrounds are similar. AI works well for economics. You can upload many disparate spreadsheets and as long as there is some semblance that the data in each sheet can be correlated with data in the other sheets, AI will handle it like the Harlem Globetrotters handle a basketball. I am sure Dan was drooling at the mouth when AI vendors showed him what they could do for VZ. But, give AI a bunch of data without concrete direction, and design requests that could have many tradeoffs that are not seen until design time, it will provide output that is not concrete. There will be a lot of garbage output.

To best use AI, yes, you can use conversational prompts, but, you must be very precise. Think of training your dog or you child:). Dogs and children do not understand the concept of "sometimes." You must think like a programmer and tell AI exactly what you want. The issue with more complex problems is that exactly what we want is not known until we get deeper into the design. We have not seen all of the dependencies and tradeoffs until we get deeper into the analysis. By the time we get that far into it, it is faster to just do the task ourselves rather than try to put all of that info into AI.

So looking at the current employee counts based on Annual Form 10-K filings it looks like T is about to shed $13K+ employees this rounds, and it will still be 40K employees more than VZ , Is the goal to be in line with the other Telcos or will they always have more?

Much of management has proven they are clueless, sociopathic and pretty much stupid when it comes to real analysis of what will and will not work when it comes to the network. And for those few that know better, they are spineless and will not speak up to stop the insanity. It would not surprise me for there to be mass layoffs if/when a handful of Elon's satellites get deployed and VZ jumps the g-n firing people with the thinking they will move customers to the satellite system. The facts are that the satellite systems will help the rural areas, and probably have some [more] governmental applications (more spying on our citizens), but high traffic areas will still need ground based cell sites. See the question asked on Google, and the response (bottom line - the pipe is not big enough to serve lots of people at the same time, and too many satellites would be needed to make it work).

Here is the question posted on Google (if you want to ask variations yourself):
How many simultaneous users can be served with 5 mbps download speeds on a single satellite (all beams) using the latest satellite and mobile technology and 100Mhz of bandwidth?

And here is the answer (NOTE the last section):

AI Overview
With 100 MHz} of bandwidth of bandwidth, a single satellite system with the latest 5G and mobile technology can serve between 4,000 and 12,000 active, simultaneous users (depending on the use of spatial beam multiplexing) at a guaranteed 5 Mbps download speed.
The Breakdown
To calculate how many simultaneous connections can be maintained, we must look at the mathematical throughput and spatial reuse of modern Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN).
Spectral Efficiency: The latest 5G New Radio (NR) standards have a high spectral efficiency, delivering roughly (3) to (6\text{ bits}) per second per Hertz.
Total Per-Beam Throughput: For a (100\text{ MHz}) channel (the maximum standard carrier component), a single spot beam yields a peak capacity between (300\text{ Mbps}) and (600\text{ Mbps}).
Active User Allocation: If every user is actively streaming or downloading at exactly (5\text{ Mbps}) without sharing, a single beam can support (60) to (120) continuous, simultaneous users ((300\text{ Mbps} \div 5\text{ Mbps} = 60) users).

Scaling to the Whole Satellite:
Satellites multiply their capacity by reusing the same (100\text{ MHz}) bandwidth across tens or hundreds of spot beams directed at different geographic areas simultaneously (frequency reuse). If a high-throughput Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite utilizes 100 simultaneous beams, it can support between (6,000) and (12,000) simultaneous active users across the globe.

https://share.google/u7rF8Z5SbF3w1BSgJ

https://apple.news/Ay_ISb-khQx221ZuzQORlIQ

AT&T continues downward run, marks seven-session losing streak
May 11, 2026, 4:01 PM ET -- AT&T Inc. : Jay Mehta, SA News Editor. [ Seeking Alpha ].

Shares of AT&T closed down 1.21% at $24.86 on Monday, marking the telecom giant’s seventh consecutive losing session.

The stock has fallen about 3.7% over the past six sessions, underperforming the broader S&P 500 Index, which gained 2.6% during the same period. Despite the recent weakness, AT&T shares remain up about 0.8% so far in 2026, though they have lagged the benchmark index’s 8.1% advance this year.

Some analysts are pointing to the telecom sector’s capital-intensive business model as a key concern. Bearish commentary has focused on a 19% year-over-year decline in free cash flow to $2.5 billion, as capital expenditures rose to $5.1 billion amid continued fiber network expansion. Critics have also highlighted a 25% drop in legacy copper-based revenue and net debt of $126.4 billion, which pushed leverage to 2.71x, above the company’s long-term target of 2.5x.

Meanwhile, Seeking Alpha’s Quant Ratings maintained a Hold rating on the stock with a score of 3.44 out of 5. The company received an A+ grade for profitability, while its growth and momentum metrics were rated D and C−, respectively.

On the bullish side, Seeking Alpha analyst Sensor Unlimited reiterated a Buy rating on AT&T, citing its first-quarter 2026 results and fiber-first strategy. The analyst pointed to growth catalysts, increasing share repurchases, and capital allocation flexibility, noting that buybacks exceeded dividends for the first time and lifted total shareholder yield above 8%.

Similarly, Seeking Alpha analyst The Investment Doctor maintained a constructive view on AT&T’s senior securities, highlighting the company’s stable financial performance and strong coverage ratios. The analyst noted that preferred shares yield between 6% and 6.5% with a payout ratio below 1%, while baby bonds, including AT&T 5.35% Global Notes due 2066 (TBB), may offer a more favorable risk-reward profile for certain investors.

Overall, both Wall Street analysts and Seeking Alpha analysts remain broadly bullish on AT&T, maintaining Buy ratings despite near-term pressure on the stock.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/4590653-at-and-t-continues-downward-run-marks-seven-session-losing-streak

Celly, really? Maybe Celly and Newsy can start a cartoon adventure series together lol.

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/newspaper-set-mascot-70s-groovy-260nw-2406493173.jpg

Stream of thought... Did I miss anything?

The Telecom Paradox
More Traffic. Same Revenue.

Telecom is working harder than ever.

Traffic is exploding.
AI, video, cloud, 5G, FWA, everything runs on our networks.

But revenue?

Flat.

We operate one of the most capital-intensive industries in the world on a model that rewards volume… but not value.

This isn’t temporary pressure. It’s structural imbalance.

The digital economy is expanding exponentially. Yet the infrastructure enabling it
captures a shrinking share of the value.

The Reality & Problem for Verizon:

It’s like claiming that LCD manufacturers should benefit from more pixels being displayed when users watch more video

Chatanooga and Denver....

https://www.local3news.com/local-news/t-mobile-laying-off-200-employees-at-chattanooga-call-center/article_6e4434d6-af84-49f5-8cbd-d77e92f1e95d.html

https://whatnow.com/denver/local-news/major-telecommunications-firm-t-mobile-usa-to-cut-51-jobs-at-denver-office/

For years, Verizon Communications built its brand on one idea. The best network.

That worked when the gap was real. It is not anymore.

Today, every major carrier is good enough. Most customers do not see a meaningful difference in daily use. But they do see the bill. And they do feel the experience.

That is where the problem is.

You cannot charge a premium if people do not feel it. Not in speed. Not in service. Not in how easy it is to deal with you.

This is not really about the network. It is about everything around it.

Simple plans
Clear pricing
Fixing issues the first time
Respecting the customer’s time

These are not big ideas. These are basics. And when the basics are off, no network claim can save you.

The real shift is this. Telecom is no longer about who has the best signal. It is about who delivers the best overall experience for the price.

Verizon is now being forced to face that reality.

The next move will matter. If it is just more promotions, nothing changes. If it is a real reset in how the company serves customers, then there is a path forward.

Right now, the message is simple.

Having the best network is expected.
Making it worth paying for is what matters.

Buckle up! Now tell us Frontier’s clan didn’t come over for any other reason but to help secure the sale. The writing has been on the wall.

“One source told the publication that T-Mobile (TMUS) and TPG could be partnering for an offer for the entire company, according to the report.”

www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/uniti-group-jumps-amid-report-tpg-t-mobile-looking-at-assets/ar-AA1ZQk1g

https://www.fierce-network.com/wireless/fcc-wants-crack-down-offshore-call-centers

Verizon Fios smells blood in the water. Customers will be jumping as this rolls out in Brookhaven.

https://greaterlongisland.com/brookhaven-verizon-fios-cable-franchise-agreement/

This Micro Business is poorly run/ executed
Especially on the West Coast. Not sure how anyone sees this dumpster fire lasting another quarter.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/malady_im-proud-to-share-that-verizon-was-again-activity-7437148008309411840-z8da?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAACV8i2YBVYHcvhwuBHASFvRcqvSymR2yU9M

Do you really think the AD/D/SD having only 2 to 3 direct reports should be gone? There are tons of them.

There will ALWAYS be layoffs. It is the Verizon way. It's also the Verizon way to pretend they don't happen, and do them under the table. The big one on 11/20 was too big to ignore, and got national media coverage. But going forward, I suspect the layoffs will be more "traditional", where specific groups or programs are targeted to be shutdown, as opposed to another "20% across the board" type of action. The Frontier integration will no doubt result in "redundancies" being identified. Other areas that have been mentioned are parts of Enterprise, specifically overseas, so I'd expect some cuts there as well.

Bumping this up for visibility, from @ad+1kk9jn5e2

I got an additional bonus today for RTO. My boss said I had the best 'how and where report' score in the group and were rewarding me as such. $$$$

Verizon layoffs to hit 15,000 roles in 2026 as automation takes over https://share.google/AJuhG51e9EFToXk0E

With the amount of business fraud these agents do and the travel required for the role I don’t see how this position can survive much longer is it really profitable

Technicians in the North East that handle Network Assurance/Transport are now being moved to the VZB Union position. Not all details have been fleshed out but your VZW Switch techs will now be VZB

https://share.google/QdlsQyRxGNlU4lXMx

Make a career-defining move

We’ve hit the ground running in 2026 and are laser-focused on building a new Verizon! We’re re-writing playbooks, upskilling our teams, embracing AI tools, and renewing our commitment to delight customers in unexpected ways. Yes, we're transforming but we're also making time to recharge for peak performance. Read on for the latest from Verizon and learn about where we're hiring.
Explore open roles
Verizon 4th Quarter results.
This is a new Verizon

We closed out the year strong, with our fourth-quarter performance proving that we can grow by delighting our customers. 2026 is the year we plan to win, building deep trust and loyalty with our customers. Go team.
View results
Frontier & Verizon employees
Introducing Frontier, a Verizon company.

“Closing the Frontier acquisition marks a significant milestone in Verizon’s evolution and is a bold step forward in the Company’s transformation to regain market leadership.” - Dan Schulman, CEO
Learn more

Verizon BOLD employees
A bold future for all.

Did you know this February marks the 50th anniversary of Black History Month, a time to celebrate the contributions of the Black community? At Verizon, BOLD (our Employee Resource Group focused on issues of interest to the Black community) is leading the way with programming all month long that creates space for reflection, celebration and learning.
Learn more about our ERGs
Verizon red chair.
Yes, we're hiring!

We’re at a pivotal moment in Verizon’s transformation — and we’re looking for new V Teamers to join us! We’re looking for a diverse set of skills and individuals to fill open positions across frontline, tech, sales and corporate. If you’re ready to grow and make a serious impact in your role, apply now.

Anyone in Blanchard or Jensvold's org getting notices today? Do we hear this week?

All rural fiber needs to stop being placed . Satellite is the most cost effective and starlink is about to take on a lot of new country fans after seeing starlink advertisements during the NASCAR race ! I need my T stock to go up and I just don’t think we need to place fiber too far past city limits for a couple connections. It is not cost effective… I know because I am in C&E in the South y’all. Does anyone have starlink tha could compare the service to fiber ?

Dear Dan Schulman,
I am writing to respectfully urge decisive leadership in reaching a timely and forward-looking agreement with the union representing Verizon’s workforce. A prolonged contract dispute is more than a labor issue — it is a strategic business risk that affects competitiveness, brand trust, operational stability, and long-term shareholder value.
In today’s telecommunications environment, reliability and service quality are inseparable from workforce stability. Highly skilled technicians, customer service professionals, and infrastructure specialists form the backbone of network performance and customer satisfaction. When negotiations extend unnecessarily, uncertainty erodes morale, productivity declines, and institutional knowledge becomes vulnerable to attrition. The financial impact of workforce disruption — even without a strike — often exceeds the cost of reaching a fair agreement earlier.
More importantly, resolving an extended contract now positions Verizon Communications for strategic advantage in several measurable ways:

1. Operational Continuity and Service Excellence
   A secure and engaged workforce delivers more consistent network performance, faster deployment of infrastructure upgrades, and stronger customer experience metrics — all critical differentiators in a highly competitive market.
2. Cost Predictability and Risk Reduction
   Prolonged labor uncertainty introduces hidden costs: contingency planning, delayed projects, reputational exposure, and potential customer churn. A stable contract converts uncertainty into predictable budgeting and planning horizons.
3. Competitive Positioning in 5G and Next-Generation Infrastructure
   Network expansion and technological innovation require cooperation and trust between leadership and labor. Alignment accelerates deployment timelines, improves implementation quality, and strengthens execution discipline — all essential in maintaining industry leadership.
4. Talent Retention and Recruitment
   The telecommunications sector competes aggressively for technical expertise. A demonstrated commitment to fair, timely agreements signals stability and respect, strengthening recruitment and reducing costly turnover.
5. Brand Reputation and Investor Confidence
   Markets reward stability. Customers and investors view constructive labor relations as a sign of strong governance and long-term strategic clarity. Early resolution communicates disciplined leadership and operational foresight.
6. Long-Term Financial Performance
   Sustained productivity, reduced disruption risk, and improved execution capability directly support revenue growth, margin stability, and capital efficiency. In practical terms, a timely agreement is not simply a labor expense — it is an investment in operational resilience.
   History across multiple industries shows that companies that treat labor negotiations as strategic partnerships — rather than prolonged contests — consistently outperform peers in reliability, innovation adoption, and customer loyalty. The telecommunications sector, where infrastructure and human expertise are deeply intertwined, magnifies this effect.
   Resolving the contract sooner rather than later is not a concession. It is a leadership decision that aligns economic prudence with strategic vision. Stability now enables focus on growth, innovation, and market leadership rather than internal uncertainty.
   Strong companies build durable advantages not only through technology and capital, but through trust, alignment, and shared purpose. A timely agreement reinforces all three.
   Thank you for your leadership and consideration of the long-term interests of the company, its workforce, and the customers who depend on both.
   Respectfully,

Both, Senators J Kennedy and Hawley - calling out VZ for NOT protecting the privacy of customers and handing over data to specific GOP officials with NO question whatsoever. HAtchet man being called out by obe of the senators:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUnxKc_EQTw/?igsh=M2xha3I2MDl0Nnlw

They should has told the senator that Dan was too busy drinking coffee and takkng selfies for his said: “baby”

Verizon is now offering a better deal than Xfinity mobile or Spectrum mobile.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/verizon_frontier-is-joining-verizon-activity-7422324405147598849-GOkc

We now go back to our regularly scheduled programming of hating on Verizon and its leadership

Verizon’s prepaid services add a 365-day wait to unlock phones

The Verge by Emma Roth, January 21, 2026

Verizon is extending the phone unlocking period for its sub-brands – including Visible, TracFone, Straight Talk and Total Wireless – to 365 days of paid service. Phones purchased before January 20 will still unlock after 60 days.

Verizon is about to find that out the hard way, when outages become the norm.

https://share.google/8ma5vFOtYmvuBkTt5

Since I had to get a new phone for my old concession line anyways I went ahead and switched to TMobile. I see why they are eating Verizon for breakfast. Everything is better! The customer service online and in store as well as the network. I had been overwhelmed with spam calls and missed calls before now no more! They even called me to make sure I understood all the processes. Dan was right they have surpassed Verizon in all areas. Do yourself a favor go ahead and switch those lines.

Hi team, are we allowed to make money again yet? Maybe a chance at multiplying? Or, are we just going to be low balled all year by an extremely high target? Asking for a friend.

I'm technically assigned to an office but never go in. About half of my team is assigned to an office and the other half are officially remote, but we all work from home every day. I'm thinking of asking my manager to switch me to a telecommuter in order to protect me from a potential upcoming RTO mandate, but I'm wondering if becoming a telecommuter would actually increase the chances that I get laid off.

Frontier Communications and their minions in Rochester New York! Consider yourself warned!

39.82 USD

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