Us at XO are getting increasingly nervous about layoffs. Things just aren't adding up anymore regardless of what management tells us.
One of our billing locations has already been hit with 30 day letters saying move to Oklahoma or see ya later. I don't think most of us will survive the transition much longer.
Why are you posting to a two year old post. This problem for operations folks a VZ, has nothing to do with layoffs or f/XO folks. How many XO employees are left? Some of us still care about that, as most of the team had to leave through RIF or VSP.
Verizon wrecked XO Communications tech support! I've have a 10GB circuit down with a major network outage for 10 hours and not one person knows what is going on! Could that be because every time I call I have to talk to someone in India! Way to go Verizon! Major network outage in Chicago and not one person knows what is going on? Time to switch from Verizon to Crown Castle or another ISP with U.S. support!
@7Jlit, thank you for the kind kudos.
Too often, when one’s under stress, they unnessessarily add to that stress, and their own misery, by panicking rather than thinking rationally. When your mind’s in a bad place, sometimes it’s hard as hell to claw your way out of that place. It’s also tough, at times, to recognize your self worth. The offers being made now are unbelievably lucrative. In my world, fiber optics, low to mid six figures proposals from headhunters have now become almost commonplace. There’s a lot going on out there. @7Ihld has got to start having faith in the value of his/her knowhow, or someone’s gonna acquire their knowledge too cheaply. This has morphed into an employees game, at least for the time being, if people can just get past their psychological hang-ups of unworthiness. Din’t let tgem fool ya, you’re worth far more than the powers that be are letting on. You’ll land on your feet.
On an unrelated side note, I just wish my darn phone didn’t allow for so many typos. I hate reading what I’ve written only to see I’ve goofed!
Peace Brother, or Sister
7Jgne. What a great reply.
@7Ihld, it is very tough to follow the logic in your peculiar manner of written communication. It’ a non sequitur-y mishmash.
-“The people who are still here have been with the company 18 years and so are just sticking around for the severance package.
-I have only been here 5 years so I am not sure if it's worthy enough to stay until I am laid off.
-Then what?
-The job I held here has been so stupid and I gained no new skills that is worthy enough to land another 6 figure salary else where.
-So I am leaving now when I have chance to jump.”
What?
Relax. Take a deep breath. Look for a job while you’re still employed, if you feel your current employment is in jeopardy. If something good comes along, and an offer’s made, congratulations. If not, should you stick it out, maybe there’s the possibility of some severance and unemployment benefits to tide you over until your next big comeback! Stick it out until you find something. It’s a better negotiating position for you if interviewers and headhunters know your employed, rather than up and quit suddenly without having made arrangements.
Why jump of a seaworthy ship, if no other boat has arrived in the area yet, especially if you’ll be provided a life raft if the order to abandon ship does eventually come?
Best of Luck.
I am former XO IT Billing Systems employee and still work at Verizon. I survived two layoffs in 2017. I think there was another small one in April of 2018 but nobody at XO was impacted as far as I know.
It's July 2018 and I heard Verizon layoffs once in April and the second in November right before Thanksgiving. We are the last group of IT that is supporting the XO Billing System until it is completely integrated with Verizon Billing system by 2018. The XO customers can either upgrade to Verizon service or just leave. Once this last project is completed, what will happen to the team we asked?
Silence from the management. They used to bull sh-- how they will map us over to Verizon positions based on our skill set but even the CTO Noel jumped ship in February 2018. I don't think Verizon has any plans to do so. They just say keep doing what you will have to do until the integration is completed. Then what?
So depressing to be at a company with layoffs imminent within 1-2 yr. There are no more development, no more project. The people who are still here have been with the company 18 years and so are just sticking around for the severance package.
I have only been here 5 years so I am not sure if it's worthy enough to stay until I am laid off. Then what? I am too worried about finding a new job once I am laid off. The job I held here has been so stupid and I gained no new skills that is worthy enough to land another 6 figure salary else where.
So I am leaving now when I have chance to jump.
1Lsfz, remember when XO went bankrupt? Yeah, those were real good times. Not.
RIP XO Communications. It was a great company until Verizon took over.
As a former employee of XO who got laid off by Verizon I've learned new thing about Verizon acquisition and that is all about layoffs. Next time I work for a company that has been acquired, I will jump a ship in a hurry unless they give killer severance. Their loss is my gain.
I got laid off at VZ because of the XO acquisition. I was told I need to go because they need my spot for a less expensive XO employee. Of course, typical of VZ, my replacement is a minority and I am not. Can you say "reverse discrimination"?
Is there any truth to the rumor of a big RIF today
There are worse places than Tulsa, and many people say folks in Oklahoma are usually nicer than others you encounter in many other places. But you also accept that you need to take a drive to get anywhere else if you're looking for something else to do besides what's in Tulsa. OK City is an hour and a half away by toll road if you're looking for more culture or an NBA game, and Branson, MO is 3 1/2 hours away if you're looking for a fun weekend. But if you don't have family anywhere near there that makes it tough although Southwest does fly out of OK City. Downside like others have said is if you lose your job after you move to Tulsa then I'm not sure how hosed you are. It's a pretty big city like 400K so there should be a lot of other companies. I'm sure Verizon didn't come up with the idea of moving jobs to Tulsa , so there are probably other companies there.
Any other news for us at XO?
Verizon is leaving XO customers in the cold with no support or options for growth.
Received 30 day lay off notice from VZ on April 19th. VZ said my last day will April 19th. VZ loves to lay off people.
I feel bad for XO'ers. Their severance package s---s and they aren't eligible for Verizon's (which as of today is awesome, but that could be changing) until February 8 2018.
Verizon only acquires companies to take their proprietary technology. After they get what they need, they will shut you down and dismantle your company.
They do not care about anyone and have destroyed thousands of lives. Do yourself and your family a favor and get out. Find another place to work.
Verizon will be shutting down XO Communications shutting down their 89 Fulkerson Street Cambridge site by 2018 consolidating everything to One Summer Street Boston location.
Apparently the only reason XO was acquired was for the benefit of infrastructure for VZ Wireless. XO's enterprise business is as unprofitable as VzB's. If you're in XO sales good luck -- they'll keep a few of you as "XO Specialists" to sell a few XO services to Verizon customers, but if you were a Sales rep with a customer relationship your account is apparently going to be taken away and given to an existing VZ sales rep from what I've heard.
None of this sounded surprising to me, as VZ doesn't do anything these days unless it benefits wireless. They've allegedly tried to get rid of VzB probably a dozen times but never could find a buyer who was willing or able to pay the asking price.`
Thats the new verizon welcome,welcome,and, welcome again
Sorry, XO. If you are finance but aren't part of the "pet" Financial Planning & Analysis sub-org of finance, the CFO and VP/Director minions directly below him will never attempt to learn the minutia and detail of what you do day-to-day because they are too busy stroking each other off on executive calls all day and thus see no value in your experience and telecom knowledge, hence the halls of the Verizon Finance "Center of Excellence" in Owasso, OK looking like a frat/sorority house filled with Millennials that couldn't tell the difference between a fiber line and a fishing line.
Sorry, XO. If you are finance but aren't part of the "pet" Financial Planning & Analysis sub-org of finance, the CFO and VP/Director minions directly below him will never attempt to learn the minutia and detail of what you do day-to-day because they are too busy stroking each other off on executive calls all day and thus see no value in your experience and telecom knowledge, hence the halls of the Verizon Finance "Center of Excellence" in Owasso, OK looking like a frat/sorority house filled with Millennials that couldn't tell the difference between a fiber line and a fishing line.
Would like to find my home when I get back from work, tornadoes are enough to say no to the move
Take extreme care if one agrees to the move....this happened before and 6 months 'after' moving people lost their jobs to lower paid replacements. Move entire family and 6 months later out of a job.
It's not that Oklahoma is a bad spot (definitely not ideal though), but more of an issue of being many many miles from "home". Most people grew up in our area, have families, and spouses who work in the area as well. It's just too much uprooting for the amount of pay, and who knows how long you would even last once moved.
Don't knock a place until you've been there. Oaklahoma is considered one of the better states for quality of life and it has positive net migration. People want to live there. NJ on the other hand is in decline.
Oakland a is business friendly, affordable, safer, and arguably better managed than NJ where Verizon has its headquarters. When's the last time a governor's office punished a town with road closures because the mayor didn't endorse the governor? Oh.... wait .... wasn't that NJ?
Welcome to Ver lie zon...
Oklahoma? That's f---ing brutal...