Category Archives: Verzion

Verizon Wireless, Verzion

Verizon Introduces the New $80 Unlimited Plan for Prepaid Customers

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verizon prepaid

The war of unlimited plans among the wireless telecommunication giants isn’t really coming to a halt. Things are getting more competitive by the day. To take a leap ahead in the competition, Verizon announced yet another unlimited plan for its prepaid customers.

Recently, the prepaid home phone service provider Verizon faced a setback after losing a considerable number of its postpaid wireless customers. Thus, with this plan, the telecom behemoth is possibly trying to gain back the ground it lost.

The Unlimited Plan

The plan, announced on the 25th of April allows the prepaid customers of Verizon to get unlimited talk, data, and text services at the price of $80 for a month, across the United States.

The highlight that the cheap local phone service provider gave to this unlimited plan is that customers can get unlimited text messaging to over 200 countries. Also, the customers can have unlimited voice service to talk to their contacts in Canada and Mexico as well.

The unlimited plan, however, comes with a number of drawbacks. For instance – no high-quality video streaming (limited to 480p), and no mobile hotspot or tethering. Besides, the customers are given assurance of data prioritization over the other customers during times of data congestion.

The Idea behind It

Amidst the fierce competition being faced by Verizon with the prevailing unlimited plan wars, it is struggling hard to retain its wireless customers. For years, Verizon didn’t have much luck with its prepaid home phone service as it didn’t have many prepaid customers.

To come out strong in its prepaid game as well, Verizon introduced this plan, just 2 months after introducing its postpaid unlimited plan.

Within a few months, Verizon has actually transformed its mobile and prepaid home phone service with a no long-term contract and no credit check policy for its prepaid customer.

Tami Erwin, the executive vice president of Verizon operations said, “In just months, Verizon has transformed its prepaid offerings to make it easier and more affordable for customers to get access to the best network at a great value, no matter how much data they need,”

“This plan is all about giving our prepaid customers more choice. With data plans from as little as 2 GB to unlimited data, we’ve got a plan that fits your needs”, she added.

According to the huge cheap local phone service and mobile service provider, its customers deserved more choices. With this plan, Verizon’s prepaid customers can now choose among a number of choices of data plans.

The Bottom Line

There is cut-throat competition prevailing in the telecommunications world. With smaller services providers like Sprint and T-Mobile doing great in the market, the threat to bigger companies like Verizon and AT&T has increased significantly.

Just after the news that Verizon lost close to 307,000 customers broke in the market, the mobile and prepaid home phone service provider snapped into action with the said unlimited plan. Though the plan has its limitations, it can possibly be Verizon’s opportunity to win its customers back!

Verizon Wireless, Verzion

Verizon: Losing Wireless Subscribers for the Very First Time

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Verizon Wireless

The telecommunication giant that was once the US’s number one mobile and cheap residential phone service provider, is facing trouble in its paradise. For the very first time, the top US wireless carrier has faced a terrible fall in its profits and has lost a significant amount of its wireless customers.

Let’s have a closer look at the matter.

Verizon Loses Wireless Customers in the First Quarter of 2017

The loss of the subscribers being faced by Verizon in the first quarter of 2017 has been posted by the wireless carrier, showing how its rivals have impacted its growth.

The mobile and wireless landline telephone service provider had been facing this swell of competition from the telecommunication rivals like T-Mobile and Sprint. And amidst the competition and price wars, Verizon reintroduced its Unlimited Data Plan in the month of February.

Previously, the unlimited data plan by Verizon was stopped in the 2011 but, seeing a rapid fall in their mobile and wireless subscribers, the company chose to bring it back.

Apparently, that wasn’t enough, leading Verizon to lose a total of around 307,000 postpaid subscribers for its retail wireless services. All of this, just in the first three months of the year.

The turn of events for the biggest mobile and cheap residential phone service provider is proving to be a setback. And the statement is backed by the fact that the Verizon stock was 1.5% lower on Thursday.

For Verizon, losing subscribers on a quarterly basis is not a new scenario as the telecom industry leader has always been known to report finacial growth, regardless of the loss of subscribers. But the number of lost wireless subscribers this time is quite big!

The Impact of Competitors

Such a huge loss of customers is being faced by the leading wireless landline telephone service provider because of the shift of its subscribers to its rivals.

As per the latest earnings report, the Verizon subscribers have been fleeing to its competing companies – T-Mobile and Sprint.

The demand for new wireless service is already quite low in the market as most people have mobile phones now. Thus, there is less opportunity for the cheap residential phone service providers to make profit on bringing new subscribers into the market.

Also, with the previously raging ‘Unlimited Data Plan’ war among the competing telecommunication companies, the service providers had to give unlimited wireless services, including data.

With the unlimited plans, the wireless landline telephone service providers cannot generate any fees for overages of data as was the case with the non-unlimited plans. Thus, there is less revenue generated through these plans.

To top it, the small competitors of the telecom behemoths like Verizon often offer cheaper plans to subscribers which usually lures them to switch.

All these events took a great toll on Verizon’s profits and subscribers.

Final Thoughts

Verizon, a leqading mobile and landline telephone service provider is going through a rough patch! But the company is surely not going to sit back and will come up with new plans, offers, and pricing to bring their subscribers back!

Stating to the matter, Matt Ellis, the Chief Financial Officer of Verizon said, “We’re confident in executing our strategy organically, but if there’s the right opportunity out there to accelerate the strategy inorganically in a way that adds shareholder value, we’re always looking at those opportunities”

So, let’s hope for the best from Verizon!

Telecom, Verzion

Verizon Acquires Yahoo for $4.83 Billion

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Setting the stage for a bigger internet leap, Verizon Communications Inc. has acquired Yahoo Inc’s core internet business for a sum of $4.83 billion.

The country’s largest telecom giant has revealed its plans to combine Yahoo with another faded online star AOL, which was also acquired by Verizon last year for an amount of $4.4 billion. The costs of high stock compensation deals that were given to employees by Marissa Mayer, Yahoo CEO, will also be covered by Verizon.

The current CEO, Marissa Mayer, seems to remain with the company for the time being. Although speculations are there that she is not going to remain for long at the position.

The acquisition is expected to complete by the first quarter of next year. Tim Armstrong, AOL CEO passed a statement stating “We have enormous respect for what Yahoo has accomplished: This transaction is about unleashing Yahoo’s full potential, building upon our collective synergies, and strengthening and accelerating that growth,” “Combining Verizon, AOL and Yahoo will create a new powerful competitive rival in mobile media, and an open, scaled alternative offering for advertisers and publishers.”

Lowell McAdam, Verizon chief executive said “Just over a year ago we acquired AOL to enhance our strategy of providing a cross-screen connection for consumers, creators and advertisers. The acquisition of Yahoo will put Verizon in a highly competitive position as a top global mobile media company.” Verizon will take over the ailing company’s online assets including mail, search and instant messaging, as well as its real estate holdings and ad technology. Yahoo’s cash, stakes in Alibaba Group Holdings and Yahoo Japan are excluded from the sale.

By combining AOL and Yahoo, Verizon is looking forward to providing a serious challenge to its two main competitors, Google and Facebook. However, a UBS analyst commented “Consumer interest in Go90, Verizon’s mobile video portal, has been tepid,” “Meanwhile, trends at Yahoo have been difficult, with the company losing share of mobile ad dollars to the heavy weights (Google, Facebook, etc.)…. While this deal will barely move the growth or margin profile of Verizon, synergies over time could provide upside to earnings.”

AT&T, At&t and T-mobile, Sprint, T-Mobile, Telecom, Verzion

Major US Carriers Extend Condolences in the Form of Free Calls and Texts to Turkey After Istanbul Airport Attack

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AT&T/Verizon/T-Mobile

The Istanbul Airport Attack has shaken the very basis of humanity, leaving dozens dead and many severely wounded. The major US carriers have come forward and extended a helping hand in the tough times for the relatives and family members of the unfortunate victims. AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile are providing free calls and text messages from the US to Turkey.

As per an announcement made by AT&T, any charges for calls made by landline or wireless customers from the US to Turkey in between June 28 to June 30, were waived or credited. This covered texting, landline, and mobility (GoPhone and Postpaid) calls. “Our thoughts are with the people of Istanbul and our customers who have friends and family there,” as per a statement passed by AT&T following the attacks.

Another major carrier, Verizon also wanted to support its customers affected by the airport attack in Istanbul. As per an announcement, the company did not charge its customers for international texts and calls made in between June 28 and June 29 from the US to Turkey. The announcement covers both landline as well as wireless calls. “More than 170,000 Verizon employees worldwide extend condolences to all our friends and family in Turkey,” the company mentioned in a statement posted on its website.

T-Mobile also joined other carriers in helping its customers connect with family and friends by offering free services from the US to the affected country. John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile said “Today’s attack in Istanbul is both tragic and horrifying,” “Our hearts are with everyone affected by this senseless act.” The offer is in effect from June 28 to July 5, 2016 and valid for all T-Mobile Simple Choice prepaid and postpaid customers, as well as customers of GoSmart Mobile, MetroPCS and WalMart Family Mobile.

Marcelo Claure, Sprint CEO, also passed a message “Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those personally affected during this difficult time,” “We want to do everything we can to show our support and heartfelt sympathy to all Sprint, Boost Mobile, and Virgin Mobile customers with family and friends in the region.” The company is waiving international call fees as well as message fees from June 28 to July 5.

AT&T, Net neutrality, Verzion

Net Neutrality Ruling Could Affect Verizon and AT&T’s Pursuit of Yahoo

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Net Neutrality

 

The U.S. appeals court decision about keeping government rules would levy new constraints on the way internet providers get user data. It could thus be a detriment to Verizon and AT&T’s pursuit of Yahoo Inc’s digital assets and new ad revenue, as per MoffettNathanson.

“If things continue on the current trajectory, we’re looking at a world where Verizon or AT&T’s hands could be tied with respect to how they use data that is the heart of the Yahoo strategy,” analyst Craig Moffett of MoffettNathanson commented to Reuters.

The U.S. court upheld the Obama’s administration rules restraining internet service providers from stalling or slowing down consumer access to web content. It affirmed the FCC’s effort to reclassify both wired and wireless broadband services as Title II “telecommunications” offerings, making them subject to open internet rules, making it necessary that all internet traffic be treated equally. The court’s decision for wired services was expected, but the stand for reclassifying wireless services was unexpected.

“Our informal view of consensus was that here, at least, the expectation was that the FCC would be overturned,” penned Moffett. “In short, the FCC won in a clean sweep…. No one could have expected an FCC victory as thorough as this one.”

The mobile and fixed-line internet service providers (ISPs) have opposed the FCC’s reclassification, stating that it provides non-ISPs an advantage in the expanding world of internet marketing, which is not fair. Facebook and Google are exempted from FCC’s rules regarding net neutrality.

Verizon and AT&T are the two largest mobile carriers that are preparing for a third and final round of bidding for Yahoo’s online business. Verizon topped by multiple bids in the range of $5 billion, with a second-round bid of nearly $3.5 billion. But the bidders may reconsider investing after the U.S. court’s decision.

“(O)ne wonders whether this ruling might give Verizon and AT&T pause in their pursuit of Yahoo,” as per Moffett. “Either’s ability to monetize Yahoo’s content through targeted advertising may now be impaired relative to non-ISP buyers. To the extent that the parties involved may have expected a DC Circuit reversal of at least the wireless portion of the FCC’s reclassification, today’s ruling could be viewed as a material change in circumstances.”

landline, Landlines, Telecom, Verzion, Verzion

Verizon Reaches an Agreement with Unions to End Strike

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As per the U.S. Labor Department, Verizon and its two unions extended an agreement on a new labor contract, flagging about 39,000 landline employees to resume work after a long strike of 44 days.
As per a statement passed by Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, the four-year deal is going to be put into writing and the union members will start working next week. It will be the first time that the agreement will be expanded to 165 Verizon wireless employees.
Union leaders are thankful to Perez who brought Verizon Chief Executive Officer Lowell McAdam and two union executives to Washington for discussion of alternatives to resolve the issue.
“This proves that when we stand together we can raise up working families, improve our communities and protect the American middle class,” said CWA President Chris Shelton.
IBEW President Lonnie Stephenson shared that the provisional contract is a significant advancement in bringing the six-week strike to an end and keep “good Verizon jobs in America.”
Chief Administrative Officer Marc Reed said in a statement “Verizon is very pleased with this ‘agreement in principle.” “We look forward to having all of our employees soon back at work in their regular positions and doing what they do best — serving our customers.”
The shares of Verizon grew less than 1 percent to $50.62 at the close Friday in New York.
Roger Entner, an analyst with Recon Analytics LLC said “In the end, it looks like everyone wins.”
“The employees will get an increase over four years, which is a year longer than originally proposed. And Verizon can get all its employees back to work, including those that had been filling in on the landline side.”
To fulfil business requirements during the strike, Verizon had dispatched non-union workers and managers to call centers and field-service assignments. As per Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo, the strike has affected the company’s landline business. After-effects of the strike might result in non-inclusion of FiOS TV or broadband customers in the quarter.
In addition to FiOS business, the company has been casting off union-heavy operations in three states since last month.
“This might be the last big strike for Verizon because wireline will have less and less leverage in an increasingly wireless business,” said Entner.

landline phone services, Landlines, Telecom, Verzion

Verizon Trademark “One Talk” Hints Mobile, Landline Combination

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Verizon, a leading network carrier in the US, filed a trademark application for a “One Talk” service which hints at a potential move from the carrier to integrate fixed and mobile services. The network’s trademark application states- “Telecommunications services, namely, providing telephone services; and providing a unified system of integrated fixed and mobile voice services where landline and mobile communications devices can take the same calls, use the same telephone numbers and share the same calling features such as voice and text messaging.”

verizone network

Verizon’s trademark application, reported by Phandroid, indicates the network’s plan to offer a service that would allow its landline and mobile customers to seamlessly shift their conversations to and from the company’s wireless and wireline calling services. The Phandroid report states- “We imagine the company will require a special home phone to take full advantage of the feature, though it’s possible the call mirroring options could be made available no matter which phone you use. Although many people have moved to mobile phones for their primary communication needs, there’s still a big crowd of folks who subscribe to home phone service, else availability of those services wouldn’t be as plentiful as they are today. For those people, using your phone while you’re at home doesn’t need to be a watered down, ancient experience — make it just as smart and convenient as if you were using a smartphone, and we’re happy.”
And, Phandroid also said that such services are already hitting the market. Last year, AT&T detailed its “NumberSync” technology that is designed to allow customers to share their primary phone number with other connected devices such as smartwatches, even if their phone isn’t connected to a cellular network.
Also, in March, Google announced its Fiber Phone service, which builds on the Google Fiber Internet and TV service to create a triple-play service offering. Shiver-Blake said “Your Fiber Phone number lives in the cloud, which means that you can use it on almost any phone, tablet or laptop.” He further added, “It can ring your landline when you’re home, or your mobile device when you’re on-the-go.”

Verzion, Verzion

Verizon Landline Workers Continue With Strike, and Protest at Verizon Shareholder Meeting

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Dozens of Verizon landline workers are on strike since mid-April after contract talks hit an impasse. Recently, they were seen protesting at Verizon’s annual shareholder meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Verizon Landline

Sources say that around 15 protesters blocked traffic and laid down atop a large banner on the street. And, the Albuquerque Police Department confirms that no arrests were made. Nearly 250 protestors, including workers and supporters, were demonstrating at the meeting where the agenda included an election for 13 directors and a vote on executive compensation. The unions for the strikers said they planned hundreds of protests across the United States against Verizon. More than 40,000 network technicians and customer service representatives of the company’s FiOS Internet, telephone and television services units walked off the job on April 13. The action was called by the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

As the strike enters its fourth week, the sticking points include job relocations, off-shore call-center jobs and healthcare coverage. According to the unions, the striking workers have about $1.3 billion in Verizon stock holdings.
They voted on proposals including one brought by the Association of BellTel Retirees that seeks the company to require shareholder approval for any executive severance agreement offering a payout of more than triple the base salary. Verizon shareholders rejected this proposal on Thursday, according to Don Dunn, a union representative and Long Island, New York-based FiOS field technician, who attended the meeting.

Verizon said last week it had presented an updated and “final” offer to the unions, including a wage increase of 7.5 percent. The company, which has been scaling back its FiOS and legacy landline business, wants workers to shoulder more healthcare costs and be open to relocating to new job locations. The union rejected the new proposal and the parties remain far apart.

“CWA is the one of the biggest unions out there and if we lose this fight, all other unions…they are going to lose. There’s a lot at stake here,” said Shon Scents, a Verizon cable splicer, at the protest in New York’s Financial District.

The work stoppage at Verizon stretched across several U.S. East Coast states, including New York, Massachusetts and Virginia. Verizon has said it has brought in thousands of temporary workers to avoid service disruptions.

Verzion

Verizon, Leading US Wireless Carrier, Fires Back at Allegations of Dodging Taxes as Nearly 40K Workers Plan to Strike

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Recently, Verizon was ranked third on the list of “America’s Top Ten Corporate Tax Avoiders” by the Sanders campaign. They said that the company made more than $42.4 billion in U.S. profits from 2008 to 2013 but received a tax refund from the IRS of $732 million. In response to the allegations, Verizon fired back at Bernie Sanders’ claims that it doesn’t pay its fair share of taxes, which is heightening tensions between the nation’s largest carrier and some 40,000 of its workers who are planning to strike.

Verizon

Also, the democratic presidential candidate targeted Verizon again at a speech in Buffalo, quoting the potential strike and claiming that “Verizon has made billions in profits over the years but in a given year has not paid a nickel in taxes.”

The Sanders team also said Verizon “stashed $1.8 billion in offshore tax havens to avoid paying U.S. income taxes,” and would owe an additional $630 million in federal income taxes if not for that strategy.

“Sen. Sanders is dead wrong on this issue,” the operator said, reposting a February statement from Mark Mullet, the company’s vice president of federal government relations. “Let’s set the record straight: Verizon complies with all tax laws and pays the taxes it owes under the law,” Mullet wrote. “In 2015, that amounted to $8.445 billion. That’s $5.293 billion in income taxes (net amount of any refunds the company received); $1.284 billion in employment taxes related to its 177,700 employees, and $1.868 billion in property and other taxes.” The operator paid $7.18 billion in 2014, Mullet added.
Mullet went on to claim that the U.S. corporate tax rate is the highest in the world, “but there are too many loopholes.” Not only are those loopholes counterproductive, he said, they result in an uncompetitive landscape for U.S. companies hoping to compete worldwide.”

“Even though Verizon made $39 billion in profits over the last three years – and $1.8 billion a month in profits over the first three months of 2016 – the company wants to gut job security protections, contract out more work, offshore jobs to Mexico, the Philippines and other locations, and require technicians to work away from home for as long as two months without seeing their families,” the Communications Workers of America said Monday in a press release. “Verizon is also refusing to negotiate any improvements in wages, benefits or working conditions for Verizon Wireless retail workers, who formed a union in 2014.”

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Complaints Allege Verizon Overcharges New York for Landline Costs

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Verizon customers are complaining of overcharges for its landline services. Consumer advocacy group New Network Institute, focussing specifically on benefiting the telephonic customer, is planning to take legal action against Verizon according to the New York reports. The group claims that the carrier has been overcharging its landline customers by $1000 to $1500. Having 2 million Verizon landline customers in New York, it adds up to a billion dollars.

Allege Verizon Overcharges New York

NNI executive director Bruce Kushnick told the post that copper phone services are estimated to be $10 or $20 per month. With additional taxes and add-ons including long distance calling, voicemail, call waiting, call forwarding, unlimited local calling and home wire maintenance and this number can shoot up to $60. Kushnick also stated that call forwarding and call waiting costs Verizon 2 or 3 cents, but customers pay $7.95. Instead of being cheaper home phone service providers, Verizon turned out to be the costlier one.

Also, the NNI claimed that Verizon misguides users and clutches their money for corporate expenses for its fibre optic networks when it should be going towards upholding its homephone services. This news became prominent when New York’s Public Service Commission started to investigate whether Verizon is maintaining its landline services or not. Though the company defends NNI’s claims. “We think Kushnick is wrong on a number of levels but primarily because there is absolutely no factual basis for his allegations,” a Verizon spokesperson told Fortune. “We continue to make significant investments in all our networks-copper, wireless and fibre and we make no apology for doing so.