Schulman predicts 100 billion AI agents will drive a data traffic explosion that makes Verizon's network a scarce asset to be priced accordingly.
I think as I look out over the next couple of years, there'll be something like 8.5 billion people in the world, but I think there could be at least 100 billion agents. There is going to be an explosion in data traffic, and our network will become a scarce and crucial asset, and we will price it as such.
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Schulman commits to blocking agent access to Verizon's platforms unless it is certain a genuine customer is behind it.
We'll be sure that we won't allow agents to access our platforms unless we're 100% certain that it's truly a customer and not a rogue agent,
Schulman says agents will drive an explosion in data traffic, making Verizon's network scarce and valuable, and that it will be priced accordingly with new plans.
an explosion in data traffic," making the Verizon network "a scarce and valuable asset," he told analysts. "And we will price it as such. You'll see different pricing plans.
Schulman downplayed the threat of SpaceX entering the core mobile business, saying there are no shortcuts to building a terrestrial network given spectrum, backhaul, customer service and back-office needs.
"There's no magic wand. There's no secret sauce. There's no shortcut," Schulman said when asked to address the potential impacts of SpaceX's moving into the core mobile business.
Schulman said Verizon's 1,700MHz of mmWave spectrum has become a competitive advantage and called the new FWA capability a technological breakthrough with significant positive implications.
Our 1,700MHz of millimeter wave spectrum has suddenly become a differentiated and competitive advantage" that complements Verizon's existing C-band spectrum, Schulman said on Monday's earnings call. "This is a technological breakthrough for us with significant positive implications.
Schulman said Verizon should not sell FWA to customers needing gigabit speeds it can't deliver, and that it needs a much wider 1-Gig footprint.
If a customer needs a gig of speed and we can only offer them 300-Meg, we shouldn't sell the service. It's just going to be something that disappoints a customer," Schulman said. "And then the second implication was like we need a much wider footprint in which we can provide 1-Gig or more of speed.