Telecommunications offers some of the largest diverse supplier programs in the world. Here's why certification matters:
Billion Dollar Roundtable Members: AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast NBCUniversal are all charter or long-standing members of the Billion Dollar Roundtable, each spending over $1 billion annually with diverse suppliers. AT&T alone has spent over $230 billion with diverse suppliers since it began tracking this metric.
Regulatory Expectations: State public utility commissions, such as the CPUC in California, require telecommunications companies to report diversity procurement. Verizon reported over $5.7 billion in diverse supplier spending in 2024. T-Mobile exceeded $1.4 billion in diverse spend in California alone in 2023.
Infrastructure Investment: The telecom industry is investing heavily in 5G deployment, fiber-to-the-home expansion, and data center construction. These massive capital projects require contractors, material suppliers, equipment vendors, and professional services firms—creating opportunities for diverse suppliers at all tiers.
Broad Procurement Needs: Telecom companies buy everything from network construction and fiber installation to marketing, fleet management, facilities services, IT consulting, and customer equipment. Diverse suppliers across many industries can sell into telecom.
BEAD Program: The Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program is distributing $42.45 billion to expand broadband access. This creates additional subcontracting opportunities for diverse suppliers in broadband construction and deployment.
Note: Several major carriers have been restructuring their diversity programs in 2025 in response to evolving legal and regulatory landscapes. However, the scale of telecom procurement with diverse suppliers remains substantial.