Whether measured in the short term or over many years, telecom giants Verizon Communications (VZ -0.92%) and AT&T (T -2.05%) have not delivered for shareholders. In this video, Motley Fool contributors Jason Hall and Tyler Crowe make the case for Realty Income (O -0.63%) and One Liberty Properties (OLP -1.22%) as better, likely safer investments, whether you're looking for dividends for today's income or long-term compounding of your wealth.

*Stock prices used were from the morning of Nov. 28, 2023. The video was published on Dec. 6, 2023.