TELECOM VICE PRESIDENTS COMMITTEE
Telecom Industry News
CWA in the News
Tech Policy Press, How Major Labor Unions are Positioning on AI, 10/28
Bloomberg Law, Unions Urge Pension Funds to Downvote Musk’s Pay in New Campaign, 10/22
Fierce Network, Charter plans 1,200 new job cuts following its Cox deal, 10/22
Wireless
Inside Towers, WIA Panel: “Wireless Infrastructure is Really AI Infrastructure.”, 10/25
Light Reading, Verizon adds ‘Lite’ plan to its FWA mix, 10/24
Light Reading, EchoStar deal already delivering for AT&T, 10/23
RCR Wireless, T-Mobile US delivers record customer growth amid rising capex, 10/23
Broadband Breakfast, Fixed Wireless Exempt from AT&T Price Hike, 10/20
Wireline
WV News, West Virginia PSC approves Verizon acquisition of Frontier, 10/27
Mobile World Live, Lumen extends internet-on-demand reach, 10/27
Fierce Network, What you need to know about Verizon’s new Eaton Fiber deal, 10/27
Data Center Dynamics, The US fiber frenzy, 10/23
Tech Crunch, Palantir enters $200M partnership with telco Lumen to offer enterprise AI services, 10/23
Fierce Network, Copper demand on the rise thanks to data center boom, 10/21
Other Corporate Developments
Dallas Express, AT&T Wins $146 Million Federal Contract — Then Lays Off Americans And Hires Foreign Workers, 10/27
Wireless Estimator, Tilson’s $200 million Gigapower lawsuit is sold to Winston I LLC for an undisclosed amount, 10/27
RCR Wireless, Five states making real progress on BEAD, 10/24
US Telecom, Near Record High Investment in U.S. Broadband, 10/23
AT&T, AT&T Reports Strong Third-Quarter Financial Performance, 10/22
Fierce Network, More than 20% of BEAD locations will go to satellite, 10/21
CWA in the News
How Major Labor Unions are Positioning on AI
By Chris Mills Rodrigo, 10/28/2025
Tech Policy Press
As industries rush to integrate artificial intelligence tools into their daily operations, labor unions may well serve as workers’ best hope of shaping how this trend affects their jobs. Whether by securing contract provisions, lobbying for protections or resisting major changes, unions are set to play a critical role in the pace and reach of AI adoption across workplaces.
So far, unions in the United States have adopted a fairly consistent tone on AI: that the technology has the potential to improve productivity and benefit society, but workers need to be involved in where and how it is deployed. [Link to full article]
Unions Urge Pension Funds to Downvote Musk’s Pay in New Campaign
By Chris Marr, 10/22/2025
Bloomberg Law
A coalition of labor unions is fighting Tesla’s proposed $1 trillion pay package for Elon Musk, calling for public pressure on pension funds and other major shareholders to vote against it.
The pressure campaign announced Wednesday comes ahead of a Nov. 6 shareholder vote on the Tesla Inc. board of directors’ proposal, which could yield Musk the full sum over 10 years, if the company meets certain performance metrics under his leadership. [Link to full article]
Charter plans 1,200 new job cuts following its Cox deal
By Masha Abarinova, 10/22/2025
Fierce Network
· Charter is undertaking another round of layoffs, per Wall Street Journal
· The operator previously let go of over 1,000 call center staff
· New job cuts come months after Charter announced its $34.5B Cox merger
Layoffs keep on coming in telecom, as Charter reportedly plans to let go of 1,200 employees – just over 1% of its 95,000-person workforce.
A source familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal the job cuts will primarily impact corporate and back-office roles at Charter’s Stamford, Connecticut and across the country. [Link to full article]
Wireless
WIA Panel: “Wireless Infrastructure is Really AI Infrastructure.”
Inside Towers, 10/25/2025
“Wireless infrastructure is really AI infrastructure.” This was a main theme repeated by several panelists, including Crown Castle (NYSE: CCI) COO Cathy Piche and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) CTO/SVP Strategy and Tech Enablement Yago Tenorio at WIA’s “Building the AI Future” event Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
Looking at the big picture, Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) SVP/Spectrum Policy and Regulatory Counsel John Kuzin said, “AI infrastructure is absolutely critical. No one plugs in anything anymore when you want to connect to the web.” He emphasized that “from Qualcomm’s perspective, it’s absolutely critical to have advanced network infrastructure to support the growth of AI.” [Link to full article]
Verizon adds ‘Lite’ plan to its FWA mix
Broadening the scope of its residential FWA product, Verizon has launched a new lower-speed ‘Lite’ plan that starts as low as $25 per month when paired with a three-year commitment and bundled with mobile.
By Jeff Baumgartner, 10/24/2025
Light Reading
Fixed wireless access (FWA) has been successfully targeting the cost-conscious end of the residential broadband market, offering enough speed to handle the bulk of the apps and services that most people need. Just ask the cable guys.
Verizon is now starting to segment that slice of the market further with a new, less expensive and less speedy “Lite” FWA plan that is affixed with more stringent data usage policies than Verizon’s primary fixed wireless offerings. Verizon notes that the new Lite offering is also tailored for light Internet usage customers who previously were located outside of its Fios and 5G Home Internet footprint, including those who might have been relying on DSL or satellite broadband services. [Link to full article]
EchoStar deal already delivering for AT&T
AT&T has started deploying EchoStar’s 3.45MHz midband spectrum before their transaction is complete, while Boost Mobile is migrating customers onto its network.
By Michelle Donegan, 10/23/2025
Light Reading
The deal isn’t done, but AT&T has already started deploying the 3.45MHz midband spectrum it has agreed to acquire from EchoStar and expects the rollout to reach two thirds of the population by the middle of November.
The operator’s jump on turning up spectrum that is part of a $23 billion transaction, which has not yet closed, is thanks to a “short-term spectrum manager lease” arrangement. [Link to full article]
T-Mobile US delivers record customer growth amid rising capex
T-Mobile US COO and incoming CEO Srini Gopalan said the carrier had its ‘best Q3 in over a decade’
By Catherine Sbeglia Nin, 10/23/2025
RCR Wireless
In sum – what to know:
Subscriber growth surges: T-Mobile added a record 2.35 million postpaid customers in Q3 2025 — including 1 million postpaid phone lines — cementing its lead in U.S. wireless growth.
Raised full-year outlook: The company lifted its 2025 guidance for postpaid adds, EBITDA, and free cash flow, signaling confidence despite higher spending. [Link to full article]
Fixed Wireless Exempt from AT&T Price Hike
The company has about 1 million subscribers on its Internet Air service.
By Jake Neenan, 10/20/2025
Broadband Breakfast
AT&T’s impending price hike for home broadband does not apply to its fixed wireless customers, the company said Monday.
News outlets reported Friday that the company notified customers their broadband plans would increase by $5 per month starting Dec. 1. Asked by Broadband Breakfast, an AT&T spokesperson said fixed wireless customers were exempt from the increase. [Link to full article]
Wireline
West Virginia PSC approves Verizon acquisition of Frontier
By Charles Young, 10/27/2025
WV News
The Public Service Commission of West Virginia has approved Verizon Communications Inc.’s acquisition of Frontier Communications Parent Inc. and its subsidiaries, but imposed conditions to protect rural landline service.
The commission approved the deal on the condition that Verizon follow commitments outlined in a joint stipulation filed by the companies. Verizon plans to provide dedicated customer support representatives, hire 25 full-time technicians in West Virginia by the end of 2026, and honor all federal and state broadband grant commitments, including Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program awards. [Link to full article]
Lumen extends internet-on-demand reach
Lumen Technologies expanded its internet on-demand service, enabling high-performance connectivity at more than 10 million new US business locations, including offices and data centres.
By Mike Robuck, 10/27/2025
Mobile World Live
The company stated the move expands its network-as-a-service platform beyond its own footprint through partnerships with other providers.
It noted the service enables organisations to access high-performance, cloud-like connectivity without the traditional delays of network buildouts. [Link to full article]
What you need to know about Verizon’s new Eaton Fiber deal
By Masha Abarinova, 10/27/2025
Fierce Network
· Verizon strikes a wholesale deal with Tillman-owned Eaton Fiber
· Eaton will build a network where Verizon will get exclusive fiber service rights for a limited time
· Verizon’s new CEO is wasting no time revamping its fixed and mobile strategy
Verizon inked a commercial agreement with Eaton Fiber, a subsidiary of Tillman Global Holdings, to expand fiber broadband outside of both Verizon’s existing Fios footprint and its future Frontier markets.
Details are scant about the locations the network will reach, but Verizon seems to be getting a decent deal with relatively little capital investment. [Link to full article]
The US fiber frenzy
Can M&A help US carriers meet their build-out targets?
By Paul Lipscombe, 10/23/2025
Data Center Dynamics
A balanced diet should always include a good amount of fiber, and it seems the biggest US telecoms companies agree.
AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have been on a spending spree, snapping up fiber broadband companies to bolster their respective offerings. [Link to full article]
Palantir enters $200M partnership with telco Lumen to offer enterprise AI services
By Ram Iyer, 10/23/2025
Tech Crunch
Palantir said on Thursday it had struck a partnership with Lumen Technologies that will see the telecommunications company using the data management company’s AI software to build capabilities to support enterprise AI services.
The companies are calling the deal “a multi-year, multi-million-dollar strategic partnership,” but Bloomberg reports, citing anonymous sources, that Lumen is going to spend over $200 million on Palantir’s tech over the course of several years. [Link to full article]
Copper demand on the rise thanks to data center boom
By Diana Goovaerts, 10/21/2025
Fierce Network
· Copper telecom networks may be on their way out, but the metal is still heavily used in data centers
· Data centers use copper not just for cabling and power systems but also for new liquid cooling setups
· Supply hiccups coupled with rising demand could send prices up
Copper isn’t yesterday’s news, it’s integral to the future of computing. Higher density and higher performance workloads run on systems rife with copper. That means a wave of AI-driven demand for copper is on the way, and the mining industry by and large isn’t ready. [Link to full article]
Other Corporate Developments
AT&T Wins $146 Million Federal Contract — Then Lays Off Americans And Hires Foreign Workers
By Kellen McGovern Jones, 10/27/2025
Dallas Express
AT&T has quietly expanded its foreign workforce while securing a multimillion-dollar federal contract intended to bolster U.S. national security infrastructure.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded AT&T a 10-year, $146 million contract last year to maintain and expand emergency communications systems such as the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service and Wireless Priority Service, according to a September 2024 company press release. The award extends AT&T’s long-running partnership with DHS into next-generation 5G networks. [Link to full article]
Tilson’s $200 million Gigapower lawsuit is sold to Winston I LLC for an undisclosed amount
Wireless Estimator, 10/27/2025
Bankrupt Tilson Technology Management has sold its $200 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against Gigapower — the AT&T and BlackRock-backed open-access fiber venture — to Winston I LLC, a Delaware-registered entity that now assumes control of the litigation, according to a Purchase Agreement filed in Tilson’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. The price and financial terms were not disclosed in the publicly available filing.
A contractor’s legal battle turned a tradable asset
Tilson’s lawsuit alleges Gigapower failed to pay for substantial network design and construction services after awarding the company significant broadband buildout work during early phases of its expansion. Gigapower has rejected claims of wrongdoing. [Link to full article]
Five states making real progress on BEAD
As most states finalize their broadband expansion plans, a few are standing out for their speed, strategy, and scope
By Catherine Sbeglia Nin, 10/24/2025
RCR Wireless
In sum – what to know:
· States push ahead – Louisiana, Texas, Hawaii, Mississippi, and Nevada are turning BEAD plans into action amid shifting federal rules.
· Fiber still leads, for now – Most states remain fiber-first, even as BEAD adopts a more “technology-neutral” approach.
· Policy shapes progress – Evolving BABA guidance and BEAD restructuring show regulation now drives broadband rollout as much as technology.
The $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is finally shifting from planning to execution. After months of mapping, stakeholder consultations, and public-comment cycles, most U.S. states are edging toward the finish line — but a few are pulling clearly ahead. [Link to full article]
Near Record High Investment in U.S. Broadband
Infrastructure Continues as Industry Embraces AI, Advanced Tech Era Providers Invested Nearly $90 Billion in Communications Infrastructure in 2024
US Telecom, 10/23/2025
America’s broadband providers invested $89.6 billion in U.S. communications infrastructure in 2024. The continued strong pace of investment, topping $2.2 trillion since 1996, underscores broadband’s essential role in powering the U.S. economy at the dawning age of artificial intelligence.
THE BROADBAND INVESTMENT JOURNEY
Over the past three decades, broadband investment has evolved through distinct eras of growth, adaptation, and innovation: [Link to full article]
AT&T Reports Strong Third-Quarter Financial Performance
Differentiated investment-led strategy continues to drive customer growth and advance AT&T’s converged connectivity leadership
AT&T, 10/22/2025
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) reported strong third-quarter results that demonstrate continued customer demand for its nation-leading wireless and fiber offerings and position the Company to deliver on its full-year consolidated financial outlook.
“We have the key building blocks in place to give our customers the best connectivity experience in the industry and we’re winning the race to lead in convergence,” said John Stankey, AT&T Chairman and CEO. “We continue to add highly-profitable customers that are choosing AT&T for all their connectivity needs on the country’s fastest and largest wireless and fiber networks. It’s clear our differentiated investment-led strategy is working, and we remain on track to achieve all of our 2025 consolidated financial guidance.” [Link to full article]
More than 20% of BEAD locations will go to satellite
By Linda Hardesty, 10/21/2025
Fierce Network
· Broadband providers in Maine and Hawaii are choosing LEO due to challenging terrain
· More than two-thirds of eligible BEAD locations will be served by fiber, according to Connected Nation
· Amazon Kuiper is the second-most-common provider, even though it does not yet have a commercial satellite network
After all the hand-wringing about the revisions to the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program under the Trump administration, it looks like about 67.1% of eligible locations will get fiber, while 20.5% will receive low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connections. The remaining locations will receive fixed wireless access (10%) and coaxial cable (2.4%).
These figures come from the Connected Nation website, which is tracking all the BEAD proposals. Currently, it has data for 51 final proposals out of 56, and its data shows the allocations of 3.36 million locations out of a presumed 4.2 million. [Link to full article]
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