New York, June 4, 2026, 04:10 EDT
Verizon picked up ex-Deutsche Telekom exec Abdu Mudesir to head up its network, platforms and technology unit, bringing in one of T-Mobile US parent’s senior leaders. The move comes as Verizon looks to restart growth with CEO Dan Schulman.
Timing is a big factor. Schulman took over as CEO in October and put out goals to make things simpler, make it easier for customers and win them back. But a fresh report about in-store selling rules points to ongoing retail problems for that effort.
Verizon saw signs of a turnaround in the first quarter, adding 55,000 postpaid phone customers. That was its first positive first-quarter growth for that group since 2013. Postpaid customers are billed after service and are often more valuable to carriers. Churn for its wireless retail postpaid phones increased to 0.97%, up from 0.95% a year ago, according to a filing.
Mudesir, who left Deutsche Telekom in March after eight years, will now be on the other side from T-Mobile US. T-Mobile US is majority-owned by Deutsche Telekom and is Verizon’s closest growth competitor.
Joe Russo, who has been with Verizon for 30 years, is set to retire, and his successor will take over. Verizon told Mobile World Live it is still working out the exact transition dates, and Russo will continue to lead the group until the end of Q1 2027.
Verizon told Mobile World Live that Mudesir brings a “brilliant track record in building 5G capabilities” and is experienced in Open RAN, cloud infrastructure, and AI-driven network automation. Open RAN means radio access networks that use interoperable, not single-vendor, equipment. Mobile World Live
Schulman said in an internal memo that Mudesir will focus on “customer experience and network excellence” and will work to unite the company’s efforts in network, platform, product and AI, according to Mobile World Live, citing the message to staff.
Verizon store staff say they have to push a wide range of products to every customer, TheStreet reported June 3, citing posts from workers and customers on Reddit. The posts say employees are told to offer everything from new lines and watches to home internet, perks, insurance and tablets, no matter why someone comes in.
Verizon customers can face waits over two hours to talk with a rep, according to one staffer cited in the report. Staff also need management approval during quotes. Some customers said they got pitches for items they didn’t ask for or found things added to their quotes they hadn’t wanted, the report said.
Verizon pushed back. Kevin Zavaglia, chief sales and service officer, said on LinkedIn that “most customers do not have a wait at all” and the average wait is now “only 7 minutes,” lower than last year, TheStreet said. Zavaglia also pointed to Verizon’s new pay model that he said is set up to reward better sales performance. TheStreet
J.D. Power’s 2026 wireless carrier satisfaction study put T-Mobile ahead of the big national carriers, with a score of 631 out of 1,000. Verizon followed at 593, with AT&T at 587. Carl Lepper, senior director of technology, media and telecom at J.D. Power, said: “True loyalty comes from how easy it is for customers to work with a carrier.” The new numbers show why the issue matters.
Hiring someone to run the network doesn’t guarantee stores will act differently. Employees may get a stricter sales pitch while customers keep hearing talk about smoother service. Schulman’s push for a turnaround could split the company — one side chasing more signups, the other dealing with unhappy staff and shoppers.
Another network test is coming up. TelecomTV said Russo’s group is backing Verizon as FIFA’s telecom services sponsor for the 2026 World Cup, set for June 11 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Mudesir’s bigger impact, given the timeline for the transition, probably shows up in 2027.
