Folks, the gravy train days of the first 10 years of VZW are over...and they ain't coming back. Your BR senior leadership (talking more so of their age than position) has seen to that.
If you're "riding this out" until it gets better, guess what? It won't. This IS the new normal.
Expect quarter after quarter of mediocre to bad results. We've been living with bi-annual layoffs for the past 3 years.
Your loyal baby boomer customers are getting old and the millennials look at VZW as their grandparent's phone company. They only way they'll come near us is if they're still on their parent's plan. Whatever chance we had to capture the millennial market has long since passed. T-Mobile owns that ever-growing market.
For the past 4 years, US wireless has been playing the cannibalization game (taking customers from other companies and the others doing the same). There is very little growth to be had in wireless. The growth that is left is out of reach of VZW due to our inability to logically compete. Add in the fact that we've bought up what's left of 90s-era tech companies, and you have the perfect recipe for why we're in the horrible shape we're in.
Update your resumes, study interview questions and do some interview skill-drills with a trusted friend. Then blanket your resume out there.
Believe it or not, having Verizon on your resume is QUITE attractive.
Lastly, a word to my brethren who don't have a degree. Don't sweat it. More and more companies want talent with solid experience. If you get that face-to-face, show them your (hopefully) great personality and talk about your ability to be approachable, a team player, and undying loyalty to your customer, either external or internal.
The culture here is so unnecessarily stressful, especially with the "sword of Damocles" constantly hanging over your head.
Best of luck to all.