I think it is always their plan to shake the tree and see who quits voluntarily.
If enough quit - problem solved and no severance packages. Of course, it's usually the strong swimmers who jump from a sinking boat. Add to this the complexity of having a ton of contractors and and ton of those being foreign workers.
What a mess.
I really don't like how secretive it all is. Just come out and tell people. We get that times are changing. There are other jobs out there. Our careers are just foam and bubbles on a vast sea of uncertainty at AT&T.