The news is Bond, Green Bond

On today’s edition of Up To Speed Live:

• Unplug to connect with what’s important,
• Verizon Business leaders discuss our advancements with partners across the globe (plus TWO new partnerships),
• Our latest Green Bonds,
• A solution that’s for the birds, and
• This Thursday: a can’t miss stop on the Up To Speed tour!

Unplug from tech to plug into what’s important🔌

We’re Verizon, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that technology makes us as giddy neon-flashing kidbots in a store full of cybercandy. That’s why you might think it’s odd to celebrate a day for unplugging … but unplugging is actually right up our alley.

We love technology for all the ways it connects us, from calling your mom across the country, to keeping up with your besties on group chat, to that social media group where your group of yarn-bombers can plot your next clandestine art project, but then… ahem. We’ve said too much. The National Day of Unplugging, celebrated yearly on March 1, is about remembering all the ways to connect with the people closest to you without technology.

So whether you 🫂visit a neighbor, 🃏play a game with the family, or just go fo a nice long walk 🐕with your four-legged family member, take some time this Friday– or anytime that tech takes over … Remember, there’s nothing like staying connected IRL.

Sampath talks unplugging: get Verizon Consumer Group CEO Sampath Sowmyanarayan’s thoughts on unplugging in the replay by scrolling to 00:37

🗣️💬Tell us your plans in the comments

What will you do to unplug on March 1? What do you do on a regular basis to stay connected to the people, places and things that are important to you? Let us know in the comments!

🌍Around the globe with Verizon Business, plus two new partnership announcements [04:13]

V teamers on the Verizon Business team are no strangers to racking up those frequent flyer miles– we create business solutions backed by the best global network, so we’re no stranger to meeting customers where they are.

But this week, we’re going global to meet with industry leaders, customers experts at a number of important conferences:

• In Spain, we’re at the Mobile World Congress Barcelona to talk about topics like responsible use of AI, global supply chain and more. Check out coverage from the event at [04:42].
• In Los Angeles, California, we’re at this year’s ViVE conference, where we’re demonstrating how 5G, dependable connection, collaboration tools, and other features are facilitating the future of connected patient care and other important topics in the world of connected healthcare.
• And in Orlando, Florida, we’re at DISTRIBUTECH, demonstrating the future of connected energy through innovative smart grid and utility transmission solutions.

We also had two exciting partnership announcements this week:

• We’ll partner with Audi to build a state-of-the-art private wireless network and tech-testing environment at their automotive test track in Neustadt, Germany, replicating network conditions from around the world at one dynamic, multi-dimensional test facility.
• Xerox will utilize Verizon’s Network as a Service or NaaS Solutions framework to dynamically scale network resources, and efficiently redirect resources toward innovation and growth.

🐸 It may not be easy being green, but we’re getting better with each new bond [06:37]

In 2019, we became the first U.S. telecom company to issue a green bond. And this month, we made news again when we announced not one but two more offerings.

What is a green bond? It’s a financial tool that allows us to raise funds from investors that is exclusively used to finance or refinance projects that have a positive impact on the environment.

What do we use the funds for? Programs such as solar panel installation across our corporate offices, renewable energy, green buildings, energy efficiency, biodiversity and conservation. We’re working to achieve our goal of net zero emissions in our operations by 2035.

Where are the projects located? The net proceeds for our fifth green bond went to renewable energy projects under development in Illinois, Maine, North Dakota, Ohio and West Virginia; those from the sixth are expected to accelerate the transition to greener electrical grids across the United States.

How much are we raising with each offering? Each offering is for $1 billion, for a total green bond offering of $6 billion.

Learn more: About the new offerings | About the impact of our green bonds

When you have a bird problem, you just might need a bird solution [07:55] 🦅

If you live near a certain tower in Chautauqua County, near Buffalo, New York, you might have seen an eagle hanging around. In fact, if you are really eagle-eyed (ha!) you might wonder why that eagle never seems to leave …

We hate to break it to any local eagle enthusiasts, but this is no eagle– in fact, it’s an eagle decoy, and the first of its kind in Western New York.

Um, why do we need an eagle decoy? To scare away the ospreys of course.

And what’s up with the ospreys? They scare away the finches that scare away… just kidding! Ospreys have a tendency to nest on Verizon’s towers, and that’s a problem.

Are they bad tenants? Not exactly, but they have some serious bodyguards. When they nest in a tower, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation won’t allow us tower access and on-site repairs, which can impact both public safety and day-to-day coverage and capacity.

And the eagle keeps them from nesting there in the first place? Yep. We worked with SBA Communications Corporation and a company called Bird Deterrent Technologies or (BDT) to deploy the decoy eagle in an innovative and holistic effort to help keep people and birds safe. We can’t help but think they are probably better off all around nesting in natural habitats – we don’t want to disturb their little birdie families!

📰I’m obsessed with this and have to learn more: You and me and everyone else! Check out all the headline’s we’ve racked up lately from Yahoo News; The Buffalo News; Buffalo’s CBS and CW affiliates; and Inside Towers.

🛬 We’re about to touch down … for our next UTS Tour show! [09:13]

Our next show is going to be on location with a special team in a special location– have you guessed where it is yet? It’s going live at 5 AM ET / 2 AM PT on Thursday and we will be sending out the replay later that morning.

If you want to join Raquel and team live over your morning coffee or maybe your late night snack, here is a link to add the live event to your calendar. Consider the time of the live event your final clue as to where Raquel is on this tour stop.

🗣️💬What’s your final guess - where is Raquel?

Okay, this is it, make or break, now or never: where do you think Raquel is this Thursday? Tell us in the comments and make sure to tune in on Thursday to see if you’re right!

Click here for a transcript of the webcast.

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