They made the ultimate sacrifice for us.
How we honor and support those who serve. Plus, a 5G Indy portal and all the news.
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Happy Friday! On today’s Up To Speed live, host Diana Alvear shared the following updates:
Up To Speed Week in Review
Monday: Do you have game? We found out during this episode — which was all about breaking speed records — by testing our network and competing in a live gaming quiz.
Tuesday: Andy Choi and Marie McGehee from our Corporate Comms team marked one year since George Floyd’s murder, discussing what the tragedy meant for all of us and the changes we’ve witnessed in that time.
Wednesday: We had a special Up To Speed Live with Hans and Christy. Christy walked us through the latest on Work Forward, including some key dates for our V Teamers.
Thursday: We got a peek at some of the popular summer destinations that will be equipped with 5G Ultra Wideband just in time for Memorial Day, including numerous New Jersey and Delaware beaches.
Remembering our heroes
This is a meaningful weekend for so many of us. As we approach Memorial Day and remember our fallen U.S. service members, we’re hoping you take some time to fly our stars and stripes in honor of those we’ve lost. Take a moment to share stories and remember their sacrifice as we pay our respects Monday.
Speaking of supporting our veterans, did you know that nearly 10,000 V Teamers are current or former members of the military? That’s no accident. We support veterans by recruiting them to work at Verizon and offer great military leave benefits.
We also join forces with amazing partners, including Hiring our Heroes and American Corporate Partners, to mentor military members transitioning into civilian careers and hire them.
We’re working with veteran-owned businesses and partnering with several branches of the military to explore how 5G can transform things like communications, energy management, vehicle connectivity, drones and base security.
We also put those who serve and their families first by providing them with special discounts, deals and promotions on our wireless and Fios services, as well as special deals for military veteran-owned small businesses. We also have some amazing ad campaigns to show our heroes how grateful we are for their heroism, bravery and sacrifice.
We kicked off the Verizon Warrior Series at the World of Warships King of the Sea tournament. The Verizon-owned World of Warships charity tournament features events all year long, where the money raised goes to veteran mental health services. A $100,000 prize pool will be donated to military charities, and thanks to Verizon’s partnership with Wounded Warrior Project, every donation will be matched \to raise funds for injured veterans.
These are some of the many reasons that we’ve been honored as a 2021 Military Friendly® top company for our commitment to recruiting, supporting and developing military talent several years in a row.
How you can do your part
If you want to give back, check out virtual volunteer activities. You can walk, talk, write letters or craft, all in our volunteer portal.
If you’re a veteran, military spouse, active duty V Teamer, or someone who loves our military and wants to learn and do more, consider joining the Veterans and Advocates Leading Organizations Responsibly (VALOR) employee resource group. All are welcome, and you’ll be a part of a team that maintains a special commitment to serving their communities through mentoring, career growth opportunities, and more.
#MakeTheCall campaign features inspirational veteran stories and encourages others to take action to help combat mental health issues. Follow the link to see how you can check in and catch up with a service member as well as find mental wellness resources.
The Orecchio family
One New Jersey-based military family that has become a V Team family is the Orecchios. Three of five family members have found their way to the V Team, with dad Joe working as a Business Operations Manager, mom Monica serving as a Retail Recruiter, and son Schuyler working as a Process Engineering Manager.
Verizon Ventures news
Diana caught up with Verizon Ventures Managing Director Tammy Mahn, who is instrumental in finding new companies worthy of our investments, and Sivan Rauscher, CEO of SAM Networks, a game changer in the cybersecurity industry. Their discussion centered around the increasing importance of cybersecurity and how SAM is working to protect the millions of smart devices now in our homes.
Start your engines
The Indy 500 is happening this weekend. Make sure to tune in Sunday to catch new spots which are part of the Reliable Performance campaign that show the incredible engineering that goes into our 5G network.
With the Small Business and First Responders spot, we’re highlighting the impact 5G will have in different business segments, including helping tomorrow’s First Responders save lives and stay safe. By showing how we’re taking businesses to a whole new level and continuing to push ourselves to be better, we’re further solidifying our network leadership position and driving demand with key audiences, including Public Sector and Small Businesses.
5G-powered Indy store
For the first time, we’re bringing a 5G-powered autonomous convenience store to the Indy 500, which will allow fans to purchase snacks, beverages and merchandise using AiFi’s portable computer vision-enabled NanoStore. It runs on Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network.
5G Indy Portal Experience
This year, fans can get close to the action, no matter where they are, with the Verizon 5G Indy 500 Up Close Portal. The 5G portal will give fans access to exclusive Indy 500 locations, whether that’s on turn 4 or in the pit row entrance. During the broadcast, fans who watch on their television at home will be able to use their phones to portal into these locations. All you have to do is scan a code on screen to be transported, so be sure to check it out.
Living the Credo: Myra Jones
Finally, we love telling you about V Teamers going the extra mile and here is a great example. A Verizon customer in Greenville, SC, had purchased a new flip phone but couldn’t figure out why she kept missing calls. While telling her husband about it at a restaurant, a woman sitting nearby said she’d overheard her issue and offered to help her fix it.
That helpful person turned out to be Customer Service Advocate Myra Jones, who patiently explained how to make the change. The customer was so impressed that she tracked down Consumer Customer Service leaderNancy Clark to tell her all about it. Thank you, Myra, for showing your compassion and making us proud!
To Myra and the entire V Team, have a great Memorial Day weekend.
If you have any questions, email them to live@verizon.com.
Click here for a transcript of the webcast.
Get the latest information on our Coronavirus Resource Page (Inside Verizon, The Street).
