4/13 Update: Verizon is prepared to serve customers during COVID-19 crisis

Verizon teams on the frontlines with COVID-19 first responders

The Verizon Response Team (VRT) has been engaged since the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic and to date, has deployed emergency services and solutions to hundreds of COVID-19-related response sites in more than 30 states. In addition to day-to-day support of federal, state and local government agencies on the frontlines of the pandemic, the VRT delivers on-demand, emergency assistance during crisis situations to government agencies, emergency responders, nonprofits and communities on a 24/7/365 basis. Its solutions include portable cell sites, WiFi hotspots, free charging stations and other devices and solutions that enable communications and/or boost network performance.

Alicia Keys to perform on Verizon’s Pay It Forward Live on Thursday, April 9

Fifteen-time Grammy winner and global music icon Alicia Keys will perform on Pay It Forward Live, Verizon’s weekly streaming entertainment series in support of small businesses affected by COVID-19, on Thursday, April 9. The performance will stream live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Twitter @Verizon, Yahoo and Fios Channel 501. The event will also be available on these platforms for one week following the live stream.

Verizon Network Update:

After weeks of significant increases in voice and data usage as a result of millions of people transitioning to working from home, distance learning and virtual socializing, new routines and usage behaviors are stabilizing, according to the latest Verizon Network report.

The report also shows that as new routines emerge, on-demand entertainment is taking center stage. On-demand movie viewing is up 32% compared to the typical pre-COVID-19 average weekly viewing. Customers have also embraced TV series filled with action, suspense and comedy.

Last weekend, the top 5 Fios Video on Demand HD titles were:

1. 1917
2. Bad Boys for Life
3. Onward
4. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
5. Jumanji: The Next Level

The top 5 Fios on-demand TV series viewed last week include:

1. Homeland
2. Westworld
3. Keeping Up with the Kardashians
4. Curb Your Enthusiasm
5. Outlander

Small Business Webinar Series

Verizon will debut a Small Business Webinar Series to share practical advice, insight and tips to help small businesses survive during these unprecedented times.

The first event begins April 7 at  2 p.m. EST and will feature entrepreneur Mike Michalowicz, best-selling author of “Profit First,” and U.S. Small Business Association entrepreneur of the year. Mike will offer specific steps small business owners can take now and how to be ready to grow after the crisis.

Access to the Times

From April 6 to July 6, students and teachers will have free digital access to NYTimes.com. The New York Times Company and Verizon joined forces to offer all students and teachers in high schools to support student learning during these turbulent and uncertain times.

Cizzorz and Pokimane joinVerizon’s PayItForwar LIVE line-up 

As part of Verizon’s PayItForward LIVE Cizzorz and Pokimane will be live April 7 on Cizzorz’s Twitch, @verizon’s Twitter, Yahoo, and Fios Channel 501 at 8pm ET for Verizon’s Pay It Forward Live supporting small businesses. Verizon’s  PayItForward LIVE connects big names to small businesses by offering streaming entertainment to those at home and financial support to those small businesses in need.

Verizon offers enhanced pay for essential on-site employees

Verizon announced today that it’s immediately implementing a significantly enhanced compensation plan for the company’s dedicated employees who must deploy outside their homes to meet critical customer needs. These mission-critical employees are unable to work remotely as they fulfill and repair broadband orders and connection issues, maintain networks and offer products to customers immediately and in person when deemed essential.

“Now, more than ever, our networks must remain operational as we continue to provide essential services to healthcare workers and facilities, first responders, schools, businesses, and families,” said Christy Pambianchi, Verizon’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “From the very beginning, ensuring the health and safety of our employees has been our highest priority. We’re leaving no stone unturned and doing everything within our power to make sure our employees are kept safe and healthy as they bring essential products and services to our customers.”

In addition to its frontline employees, the company has more than 100,000 employees working from home as part of a major redeployment effort to continue serving customers.

Verizon teams up with Faze Clan to expand Pay It Forward Live into gaming

Verizon expands Pay It Forward Live, the weekly streaming entertainment series that includes music, gaming, comedy and more in support of small businesses affected by COVID-19, with Tuesday night gaming events. The match-ups will pair a member of FaZe Clan, one of the world’s most popular esports and gaming entertainment collectives, and a celebrity guest going head to head. The kick-off event on Tuesday, March 31, will feature FaZe Clan’s Nate Hill going head to head with a surprise challenger in a game of Fortnite. The weekly 45-minute events will stream live at 8:00 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST on Twitch, Twitter @verizon, Yahoo Entertainment and on Fios Channel 501.

The duos will not only play, but also surprise some of their favorite local businesses, engage with viewers, and create small-business-themed in-game experiences – all while encouraging viewers to support local businesses in their own communities and to use the hashtag #PayitForwardLIVE to unlock funds from Verizon to support small businesses on both Twitch and Twitter.

3/31 Verizon Network Report

While things are far from normal, it seems Verizon customers are creating a new weekend normal of fun and fellowship, according to the latest Verizon Network Report.

Over the weekend, the company is seeing a steady increase in Sunday morning collaboration tool usage (8 AM– 12 PM ET), including a 163% increase between Sunday March 15 to the 22 and another 224% March 22 compared to this past Sunday.

On the entertainment front, Fios TV customers are turning to Video on Demand content, with a 49% increase week-over-week.

This weekend, the top 5 Fios Video on Demand HD titles were:

1. 1917

2. Jumanji: The Next Level

3. The Invisible Man

4. Onward

5. Knives Out

The report also shows a 2% increase in peak video traffic, a 7% increase in web traffic and a 3% increase in gaming over peak weekday traffic.

While many retreat to gaming, videos and fellowship, people continue to stay up-to-date with the news. The Verizon Media brand portfolio continues to see a surge in engagement with more than 2 billion pages views and one billion video streams related to COVID-19 news and content.

Beginning March 30, Verizon owned and operated retail stores move to in store pickup only

For the health and safety of employees and customers, Verizon has taken the following steps in its owned and operated retail stores:

• All Verizon owned and operated stores will be closed on Sundays through April 12.

• Stores that are open will operate on reduced hours Monday thru Saturday, 11 AM-4 PM.

• The number of customers in a store may not exceed the number of employees working at any given time in order to promote social distancing.

Beginning Monday, March 30, we’re  asking customers to limit visits to our stores for the following transactions only:

• In Store Pick Up for critical equipment replacements (order online)

• Critical troubleshooting by appointment only (schedule on VZW.com or the MyVerizon app)

Customers with the  following non-critical needs should visit VZW.com and the MyVerizon app:

• Account maintenance including price plan changes

• Non-critical equipment replacements/upgrades

• Basic troubleshooting

• Everything else

We continue to evaluate local conditions daily and are adjusting our operations accordingly. Customers can find an up to date listing of store hours/locations by visiting: https://www.verizonwireless.com/stores.

Verizon pays it forward to help small businesses

Verizon announced the launch of Pay it Forward Live, a weekly streaming entertainment series that will include music, gaming, comedy and more in support of small businesses affected by COVID-19. The weekly series will debut on Thursday, March 26, at 8:00 p.m. ET with a performance from Dave Matthews. The concerts will stream live at 8:00 p.m. ET on Twitter @verizon and on Yahoo Entertainment. Additional artists and partners will be announced at a later date.

“Small businesses are being impacted in extraordinary ways as we all fight against the spread of COVID-19,” said Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO, Verizon. “These companies provide employment opportunities, goods, services, and gathering places that are the soul of local communities. Pay it Forward Live will give all Americans an opportunity to help their favorite small businesses survive this unprecedented hardship.”

Understanding the toll of small businesses closing their doors to help fight the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Verizon will donate $2.5 million to Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a national nonprofit that has invested $20 billion to fuel economic opportunity for people and communities across America. Over the course of the series, all viewers who tune in will be encouraged to tag their favorite local businesses and make a purchase in advance for when the crisis is over and the businesses reopen. As consumers engage, Verizon will unlock an additional $2.5 million in funds, bringing the total donation to a potential $5 million.

Verizon is also giving its own customers an easy way to support small businesses by leveraging their customer loyalty program, Verizon Up, which will give members the ability to use their monthly reward for a Visa eGift card to use to support small businesses throughout the month of April.

Verizon delivers solutions that allow healthcare professionals to stay connected

The Verizon Response Team is currently leading nearly 160 engagements in the United States and has deployed mobile cell sites, WiFi hotspots, free charging stations and other solutions that help boost network performance and enable communications.

Verizon along with public and private healthcare agencies is delivering solutions that allow healthcare professionals to stay connected to patients and each other, including the enablement of coronavirus testing through connected technologies, such as mobile hotspots, smartphones and tablets. The delivery of a reliable, secure network helps healthcare workers stay connected to patient records, on-premise laboratory results and other critical information they need when time to diagnosis and care is critical.

“Our Verizon team has a tremendous sense of urgency when it comes to the critical technology and connectivity needs of both public health and public safety agencies,” said Andrés Irlando, senior vice president and president, Public Sector and Verizon Connect at Verizon. “When first responders and federal, state and local agencies on the frontlines need us— for mobile testing or quarantine sites or making sure healthcare professionals are able to connect with patients and each other—Verizon is here to serve.”

Verizon helps eliminate worry for customers during time of great need 

Verizon continues to support customers who may find themselves needing additional data in order to learn, work or keep connected during this challenging time. That’s why today, for those residential and small business wireless customers whose economic circumstances have been impacted due to the coronavirus, Verizon is waiving overage charges in addition to our Keep Americans Connected pledge to not terminate service and waive late fees. We’re also offering new internet options for low-income households and adding 15GB of 4G LTE data to consumer and small business plans automatically.

Verizon continues to support those at the forefront of response efforts to provide them with the connectivity and resources needed to complete their critical missions and protect the public. Verizon’s fiber optic and wireless networks have been able to meet the shifting demands of customers and remain ready to address changes in demand, if needed.

“We understand the hardships that many of our customers are facing, and we’re doing our part to ensure they have broadband internet connectivity during this unprecedented time,” said Ronan Dunne, CEO Verizon Consumer Group. “With so many Americans working and learning remotely from home, having access to reliable and affordable internet is more important than ever before.”

Our retail stores

Out of an abundance of caution and to balance the safety of our employees with the critical needs of our customers, Verizon has taken the following steps:

• All Verizon owned and operated stores will be closed on Sundays through April 12.
• Stores that are open will operate on further reduced hours Monday thru Saturday, 11 AM-4 PM.
• In order to increase social distancing and allow more employees to take advantage of work from home, we’ve reduced by 50 percent, the number of employees working shifts in our retail locations and we are paying employees for any shifts they may miss due to these scheduling changes.
• The number of customers in a store may not exceed the number of employees working at any given time in order to promote social distancing.

We’re also asking that customers limit transactions in store to the following essential transactions:

• Critical equipment replacements and upgrades,
• Critical accessories
• Critical troubleshooting.

For everything else, please visit our website or use the MyVerizon app. We continue to evaluate local conditions daily and are adjusting our operations accordingly. Customers can find an up to date listing of store hours/locations by visiting: https://www.verizonwireless.com/stores.

Verizon Response Teams are on the frontlines

Verizon continues to support those at the forefront of response efforts to provide them with the connectivity and resources needed to complete their critical missions and protect the public.

“During an unprecedented crisis of this nature, no need is more critical than communication – whether it’s between loved ones or between first responders and healthcare professionals who are on the front line, staying connected is absolutely vital for everyone’s safety and protection,” said former NYPD and LAPD Police Commissioner Bill Bratton. “As a police commissioner of the nation’s largest cities and today as a private citizen, I have the opportunity to work with Verizon. I know that their network, their technology and most importantly their people will be there to support first responders when they need them most.”

Supporting the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund

Verizon has committed $2 million to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund in support of the World Health Organization (WHO)’s global response. Through the United Nations Foundation, the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund will help support WHO and partners’ efforts to track and understand the spread of the virus; to ensure patients get the care they need and frontline workers get essential supplies and information; and to accelerate efforts to develop vaccines, tests, and treatments. The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund is the only way companies, organizations, and people everywhere can donate to WHO’s COVID-19 response efforts. Verizon’s most recent donation is in addition to the $10 million commitment the company announced earlier in the week to aid nonprofits supporting students and first responder healthcare workers.

Verizon will waive late fees and keep residential and small business customers connected if negatively impacted by the global crisis.