Verizon Unveils Customer-Focused Turnaround Strategy Amid Improving Earnings Outlook
Verizon CEO Dan Schulman presented a turnaround story at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference 2026, highlighting the company's shift from a defensive engineering-led culture to a customer-focused and results-driven model.
The carrier is showing better growth and stronger cash generation, with adjusted earnings per share expected to rise 6% to 7% in 2026 and free cash flow growing 9% to 10%. Postpaid phone net additions are guided at 750,000 to 1 million, with Q2 marking the best consumer phone-add quarter in at least three years.
Schulman emphasized that Verizon has seen no meaningful impact from low Earth orbit satellite rivals such as Starlink and is leaning on simpler plans, no device subsidies, fiber expansion, and AI-related connectivity to drive future growth. The company's Simplicity Plan targets the one- to two-line value segment, where Verizon had been losing share among younger customers.
The plan separates mobile pricing from device financing and removes subsidies from the core value proposition, driving an immediate increase in net adds and continued performance through the quarter. Average revenue per account on new additions is accretive and rising.