Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications provides fixed and mobile services, satellite broadband Internet access services, and information services. In addition, the company owns a large business for the production of telephone directories.

History

2022: Theft of data of hundreds of employees

The fraudster stole the data of hundreds of Verizon employees. This became known on May 28, 2022.

The information can be used in attacks using social engineering and SIM card spoofing.

The hacker gained access to a database containing full names, email addresses, corporate identification numbers and phone numbers of hundreds of Verizon employees.

It is not yet clear whether all the data is accurate and relevant. Motherboard (Vice's technical department) found out that at least some of the data is legal by calling the phone numbers in the database. Four people confirmed their full names and email addresses and said they were working at Verizon. Some of the respondents confirmed the data and said that they had previously worked for the company. At the same time, about a dozen numbers left voice messages with names from the database, which suggests that they are also accurate.

The hacker contacted Motherboard and stated that the data was obtained using social engineering. The cybercriminal convinced a Verizon employee to give him remote access to his corporate computer, posing as a support employee. After that, the hacker was able to gain access to the Verizon internal tool and received information about employees.

The attacker demanded $250,000 from Verizon, otherwise threatening to release the stolen data.

A spokesman for Verizon confirmed that the hacker was in contact with the company.

We were recently contacted by a fraudster who threatened to disclose employee information in exchange for payment from Verizon. We do not believe that the fraudster has any confidential information, and therefore do not plan to interact with this person, - said a representative of Verizon[1].

2021

Sale of Yahoo brand for $1.6 billion to SoftBank

In early July 2021, it became known that SoftBank it would pay Verizon Communications $1.61 billion for an indefinite license to use trademarks Yahoo and. Yahoo Japan SoftBank subsidiary Z Holdings announced the deal. More. here

Purchase of software developer for autonomous robots incubated IT

In mid-February 2021, Verizon announced the acquisition of the Austrian company incubated IT, which provides tools for managing and optimizing a fleet of autonomous robots in industrial conditions. Read more here.

2020

Purchase of TracFone

On September 14, 2020, Verizon Communications announced its acquisition of TracFone. The transaction worth about $7 billion will be paid for by the buyer's own funds and shares ($3.125 billion each). In addition, Verizon can pay another $650 million if certain TracFone results are achieved. What tasks are in question is not specified. Read more here.

Purchase of cloud video conferencing service developer Blue Jeans Network

On April 16, 2020, Verizon announced the acquisition of BlueJeans for $400 million. The deal was concluded amid a surge in demand for video conferencing tools amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.

2019: Tumblr social media sale

On August 12, 2019, Verizon announced the sale of the Tumblr social network to Automattic, which owns the project WordPress.com. The service sold for nothing after the ban on pornographic content. Read more here.

2018: Launch of the world's first 5G network

On October 1, 2018, Verizon announced the launch of the world's first commercial fifth generation (5G) network. The operator deployed it in four American cities: Sacramento, Los Angeles, Houston and Indianapolis. The company has officially declared Houston resident Clayton Harris "the first 5G network customer in the world." The new network will provide an average speed of 300 Mbps, and the maximum will reach 940 Mbps.

To successfully deploy the network, Verizon assembled a package designed to attract customers of cable companies: the first three months of use are free, including all equipment and its installation by professionals. After the first three months, Verizon customers will pay $50 per month, and customers who have switched from other companies will pay $70 per month. In addition, all early customers receive a free Apple TV 4K or Google Chromecast Ultra device, as well as a free service to use YouTube TV for three months.

North American telecom operator Verizon Wireless has announced the launch of the world's first fifth-generation commercial network.

So far, Verizon has not disclosed the number of customers already enrolled in the program, but by how many customers have already signed up, but the company's vice president of technology development and planning Bill Stone (Bill Stone) said that statistics on visits to the Verizon website in the last few weeks indicate interest from potential customers.

The first customers are provided with services for installing a new type of network for free, but in the future Verizon intends to switch to the option of self-installation of equipment by the user, as Stone noted. The steps now being taken should help Verizon identify problems that may arise with self-installation and find a solution.

Verizon's chief technology officer for networks and head of wireless networks Nicki Palmer said Verizon's 5G Home service will soon launch in many other cities.^[2]

2017: 5G in five American cities

The American telecommunications corporation Verizon announced in the fall of 2017 plans to deploy commercial 5G networks in five American cities as early as 2018. The company believes that new networks can replace traditional Internet, and up to 30 million households can become their users^[3].

As Verizon said in a statement released Wednesday, the rollout of 5G commercial networks will take place next year, the company plans to introduce these services to three to five locations, starting with Sacramento (California) in the second half of the year. The company promises to announce in which other settlements the commercial 5G network will be launched later.

Verizon noted that in 20117 it successfully conducted test tests of new generation networks in 11 settlements. According to the operator, this technology will give consumers completely new opportunities for using the Internet, IoT (Internet of Things) and consuming multimedia content. Verizon predicts that up to 30 million households can use its services in the initial phase of the mass deployment of 5G broadband networks in the United States alone.

Verizon could be one of the first companies in the world to roll out commercial 5G networks for consumers. Currently, 5G networks are being tested in many countries, but only Swedish Telia has announced plans for a commercial launch in 2018 in conjunction with Intel and Ericsson - the launch of a 5G network for public use is expected in Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn. The first commercial 5G modem was the Snapdragon X50, released by the American company Qualcomm in October 2016.

In July 2016, the European Union adopted the concept of developing 5G networks with the prospect of launching commercial networks. Britain's BT Group plans to launch test networks in 2019 to bring it into commercial use a year later. In South Korea, the launch of the first commercial 5G network is planned for 2019, in China - for 2022.

2016

Sale of 29 data centers to Equinix for $3.6 billion

On December 6, 2016, Equinix announced the purchase of 29 data centers from the American telecommunications company Verizon Communication for $3.6 billion. With this deal, the world's largest data center operator will expand its presence in the Americas. Read more here.

Verizon IT System Failure at JFK Airport

The failure of the information system of the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on May 29, 2016 caused huge queues. The problems happened during one of the busiest tourist periods. Read more here.

2011: Employee strike

In August 2011, it became known that about 45 thousand employees of the American telecommunications company Verizon Communications went on strike after the company delayed negotiations on the creation of a new contract, which should take into account the requirements of workers.

The strike will continue until Verizon management begins "serious negotiations," according to union members of the Communications Workers for America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

The company's management, in turn, said that it was working to reach new agreements. In addition, Verizon management claims that customers will not be affected by the company's internal problems.

Discussions about the telecom giant's employee demands began on June 22. In total, Verizon employs about 200 thousand people.

2006

In January 2006, Verizon Communications acquired MCI, which provides IP communication services.

2003: Top 20 internet giants by size of internet audience

Internet companies by audience size

2000: Formation of the company through the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE

The company was formed in 2000 by merging Bell Atlantic and GTE.

Notes