I worked at Verizon and was laid off (RIF) as well. Despite the fact I could probably tell a lot of cowboy stories as well and be negative, I make a deliberate choice not to do so as I know it hurts the people still working there who depend on Verizon to pay their mortgages and kids study.
Fact is everything will become digital and software defined, 5G and other future wireless technologies will replace wireline, so the bottom line is that the whole telecommunications industry will be downsizing on people like hell and it is not going to stop. My prediction is within this and 5 years another 50% will be cut. Just like in banking and insurance. Don't be negative, it is the price our society pays for digitization.
While I might not agree completely with the second part of your post, @ON7Qo72-7qfg, I wanted to thank you for the first part. People on here seem to forget that real people with real problems still work at and rely on Verizon...