Post by : Badri Ariffin

In a major realignment that marks one of the most significant changes in the US telecom landscape this year, Verizon is set to reduce its workforce by approximately 15,000 jobs—nearly 15% of its employees in the United States—starting as soon as next week. This decision represents the largest layoff round in the company's history and arrives shortly after Dan Schulman, the former PayPal leader, assumed the role of CEO.

The restructuring will primarily affect non-union management personnel, with over 20% of this group anticipated to be impacted. In addition to workforce reductions, the company intends to transition around 180 corporate-run retail outlets to franchise operations, highlighting its efforts to streamline operations and cut costs.

This strategic move comes amid increasing competitive challenges in the US wireless market, where subscriber growth has decelerated and customers are becoming more reluctant to invest in premium plans. Verizon, known for its higher pricing strategy, has encountered fierce competition from rivals such as AT&T and T-Mobile as consumers seek better value.

In recent years, Verizon has faced significant investment commitments and escalating operational hurdles. In 2021 alone, the company expended $52 billion to acquire vital C-band spectrum and subsequently completed a $20 billion purchase of Frontier Communications. Additionally, it acquired TracFone Wireless for $6 billion to bolster its prepaid mobile offerings. While these moves were strategically sound, they placed considerable financial stress on the company during a downturn in market growth.

To address these challenges, Verizon has been progressively reducing its workforce. By the end of 2024, the company employed about 100,000 individuals in the US, down from roughly 120,000 three years prior. In the previous year, it cut 4,800 jobs via a voluntary severance initiative and incurred nearly $2 billion in related expenses.

With Schulman at the helm, Verizon is aiming for a more streamlined and concentrated future. The forthcoming layoffs will play a critical role in this transformation, as the company seeks to stabilize its subscriber base and re-establish itself in a maturing telecom sector.

The forthcoming weeks will reveal how quickly and thoroughly this transformation takes shape for one of America’s leading telecommunications firms.

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