A decade of kindness.

Happy Friday, V Team! On today’s edition of Up To Speed live, host Raquel Wilson shared a full news rundown.

Up To Speed: Week in review

• Monday: We shared highlights including some back-to-school deals and how we’re fueling the love across the United States by surprising gas station customers with free gas.
• Tuesday: We met V Teamer Jake Buchnat who opened up about life with Autism Spectrum Disorder and how joining Verizon ERG, ADVANCE, provided him with resources to continue learning and developing his skills.
• Thursday: We learned about MUTT, which stands for Mobile Utility Transport Technology, our latest public safety asset which is setting the stage for top-notch police cruisers.

Western U.S. wildfire relief

Several wildfires burning in the Western U.S. have grown dramatically in recent weeks due to extreme heat paired with dry and windy conditions.

And as first responders work tirelessly to contain the fires and families are forced to evacuate their homes, Verizon is working to keep everyone connected when it matters most.

For our consumer and small business customers impacted by the wildfires in the west, beginning August 3 through 9, Verizon is providing unlimited calling, texting and data to those customers who reside in areas most impacted by the wildfires. You can find out if your area is eligible by clicking here.

Customers do not have to take any action to take advantage of the offer.

The standard for network reliability

Verizon remains the standard for network reliability, providing customers the Most Reliable 5G experience in the U.S. for the third consecutive test period, according to RootMetrics’ State of 5G in the U.S. report. This comes on the heels of Verizon winning best overall network for the 18th time in a row in RootMetrics’ U.S. State of the Mobile Union report.

RootMetrics is the nation’s most rigorous and scientific network tester, driving over 260,000 miles and testing 125 metro markets across the U.S. Reliability as measured by RootMetrics looks at the ability to both get connected to the network and then stay connected.

Fiber Network

Verizon is supercharging the core of its fiber network by upgrading older router equipment with new equipment, capable of utilizing the latest 400 Gbps per port optical technology. When the overhaul of the fiber core network (the superhighway Verizon uses to move customers’ data) is complete, Verizon will be able to manage 115 Tbps of data, the equivalent of almost 24 billion streaming songs, at any given moment. This upgrade will significantly increase the bandwidth needed to support wireless, home internet, enterprise, small business and FIOS customers.

Verizon Mobile Security Index 2022

The traditional 9-to-5 in-office workday has shifted to an always-on hybrid or remote working world. And on Tuesday, the Verizon Mobile Security Index (MSI) 2022 revealed that there is a continued rise in major cyberattacks in the last year involving a mobile/IoT device – up 22% year-over-year, that resulted in data or system downtime. The Verizon MSI 2022 findings are based on an independent survey of 632 professionals responsible for security strategy, policy and management.

Luckily, Verizon has many products and services like Business Mobile Secure, Mobile Device Management and Mobile Threat Management to maintain the safety of our customers and address cybersecurity threats.

To read the full Verizon Mobile Security Index 2022, and learn more about what Verizon is doing to help address cybersecurity threats, click here.

Artificial Intelligence Dashcam

Fleet managers have a number of responsibilities - their company's vehicles, the services or goods they provide, but above all, their top priority is getting their team of drivers home safely at the end of their shift.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver assistance technologies hold the potential to reduce traffic crashes and save thousands of lives each year. To provide fleet managers with a greater range of insight into dangerous events and in-cab coaching to alert drivers in real time of high risk driving behaviors – Verizon Connect is unveiling its advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) Dashcam.

This innovative technology is available for new and existing Fleet and Reveal customers. Integrated Video is available for use with two new camera models, including a road-facing only camera – which can be upgraded with a driver-facing camera add-on – and a dual-facing camera.

Supporting our V Team

At Verizon, we’re always striving to support the health of our V Teamers, their families, and their communities. Which is why we’re proud to be featured in the Top 100 for Healthy Families and Communities by JUST Capital. JUST Capital measures and ranks companies on the issues Americans care about most.

The list was measured by ranking companies that are dedicated to holistically addressing stakeholder well-being in a multitude of areas including: Environmental justice; community engagement; workers’ wages, and benefits; diversity, equity, and inclusion; product safety; and ESG governance.

Call for Kindness Campaign

To help amplify our #ACallForKindness campaign, Verizon recently spread kindness to St. Delmar’s Loop in St. Louis with a new Kindness Mural thanks to partnership with local artist Peat “EYEZ” Wollaeger. The mural is an Augmented Reality mural that animates when you scan it with the Artivive App and if you look really closely you’ll find a smiley face that represents kindness.

Since October 2020, Verizon has teamed up with incredible artists to paint Kindness Murals in more than 20 American cities. To learn more about our #ACallForKindness campaign, check out verizon.com/kindness.

School Rocks Backpack Giveaway

A group of V Teamers in Phoenix, AZ, recently held their annual School Rocks Backpack Giveaway event organized in partnership with TCC, an Authorized Retailer. This is the 10th year of the giveaway which means 10 years of giving back and making a difference for local marcommunities in need.

1,200 participating TCC stores around the country will be hosting events to give away thousands of free backpacks filled with school supplies for local students to alleviate the financial stress on families as they prepare for the upcoming school year.

These thoughtful giveaways serve as the perfect reminder that August is Back to School & Caregiver Appreciation Month presented by our Parents And Caregivers Together (PACT) Employee Resource Group (ERG). All month long there will be events and volunteer opportunities in line with this month’s theme, “PACT-filled Adventure, supporting and impacting Verizon families.”

Good mailbox submissions

V Team don’t forget to send in your summer vacation photos where your vacation time was made even sweeter thanks to the coverage you had on Verizon’s network.

Jesse Kieffer, Access Fiber Planner, enjoyed Verizon’s coverage when he went on a 5-day canoeing and camping trip at the Saranac Islands Campground in the Adirondacks, NY, with his children and adorable dog Tupper. And Communications Director Steve Van Dinter, was able to get coverage at Deep in the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs and on the mountain peak of Tantalus, Oahu.

Thank you Jesse and Steve for sharing your vacation experiences with us. And we still want to hear more! So make sure to email us at good@verizon.com

Click here for a transcript of the webcast.

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