https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com Once a week we get together in a studio somewhere in London to take the piss out of telecoms and technology for an hour or so. Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://podbean.com/?v=5.5 en All rights reserved Technology 1440 Telecoms.com Telecoms.com No false https://feed.podbean.com/thetelecomscompodcast/feed.xml https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/22336806/avatars-000379519316-gdsn8k-original.jpg https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com 144 144 Security, geopolitics and BT https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/security-geopolitics-and-bt/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/security-geopolitics-and-bt/#comments Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2318478755 The lads are delighted to welcome back returning special guest – analyst John Strand. The implications of policy and regulation on the global telecoms industry are a major focus of his work, so they start by reflecting on the importance of secure 5G networks in that respect. That inevitably leads to lots of spicy chat about geopolitics and especially the impact of American activity, while hopefully not straying too far from the name of the pod, before they conclude by analysing a recent move by BT to revitalise its brand. Telecoms.com false No 7236 FWA, Samsung and AI https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/fwa-samsung-and-ai/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/fwa-samsung-and-ai/#comments Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2314957859 No guest this week, so you get the usual more meandering, self-indulgent fare from the lads. They set the scene by doing a taste test of Irish whiskies kindly donated by recent guests, before they eventually get around covering a bit of telecoms news. They start by discussing Nokia’s sale of its fixed wireless access business and that broader sector, before moving on to analyse Samsung’s performance in the networking sector and concluding with some handwringing over the societal impact of advances in artificial intelligence. Telecoms.com false No 7548 Cambridge Consultants, robots and Nokia https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/cambridge-consultants-robots-and-nokia/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/cambridge-consultants-robots-and-nokia/#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2310047399 The lads are delighted to welcome their second guest from Cork in Ireland in a row – Frank Long from Cambridge Consultants. At MWC this year, Cambridge Consultants demonstrated an advanced robot, so after learning about the company more broadly, they get into exploring the confluence between robotics, AI and telecoms, including physical AI and 6G, with the inevitable dystopian detours. They eventually get on to discuss Nokia’s latest quarterly numbers and what they suggest about the direction of the company. Telecoms.com false No 7683 IBM, Ericsson and satellite https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ibm-ericsson-and-satellite/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ibm-ericsson-and-satellite/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2305843970 The lads hobble back into the studio this week to chat to special guest Eoin Coughlan of IBM. Helped along by the medicinal effects of an excellent Irish beverage, they start by exploring what IBM’s interests are in the telecoms industry and in AI. IBM is involved in the ‘plumbing’ for both, as it is many other industries, so they have a deep dive into the practical implementations of AI. They eventually move on to other news, including Ericsson’s latest quarterly earnings announcement and the acquisition of satellite company Globalstar by Amazon. Telecoms.com false No 7748 VMO2, Huawei and AI doom https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/vmo2-huawei-and-ai-doom/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/vmo2-huawei-and-ai-doom/#comments Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2297966888 A rare Zoom pod this week as overwhelming audience demand persuades Scott to overcome his aversion to the format. They start by exploring the news of UK mobile operator announcing the winners of its latest RAN upgrade work. The most fun part of this news was attempts to influence the narrative around it and subsequent minor PR drama. They eventually move on to examine Huawei’s 2025 revenues before concluding by pondering what effect AI is having on our ability to think. Telecoms.com false No 7018 AI grid, Nokia and social media https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ai-grid-nokia-and-social-media/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ai-grid-nokia-and-social-media/#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2293157945 The lads manage to squeeze in a second recording in a week and this time it’s a rare pod when there’s no guest. As a consequence, Iain and Scott are able to do a deeper dive into recent news and they select announcement made by Nvidia to discuss first. Specifically the US tech giant has refined its pitch to the telecoms industry under the concept of the ‘AI grid’, so they explore that and ponder its appeal to the telecoms industry. They eventually move on to look at some of the business challenges faced by Nokia before concluding by analysing the implications of recent legal rulings against social media platforms. Telecoms.com false No 7167 Netomnia, altnets and fibre https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/netomnia-altnets-and-fibre/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/netomnia-altnets-and-fibre/#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2290390439 The lads are delighted to welcome special guest Jeremy Chelot, CEO of UK altnet Netomnia, to this early pod. Jeremy is very much in the news these days thanks to his company’s acquisition by Nexfibre (not VMO2) to create a major challenger to Openreach in the UK fibre market. They start by exploring Netomnia’s business and the rationale behind the acquisition, before moving on to examine the dynamics of the UK altnet market and concluding with a discussion of some of the technologies it relies on. Telecoms.com false No 7724 Satellite, AI and 6G https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/satellite-ai-and-6g/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/satellite-ai-and-6g/#comments Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2284663451 Back in the studio, the lads are delighted to be joined by returning special guest, Opensignal analyst Sylwia Kechiche. This being the first pod after MWC, they review the main themes taken from the show. They start by reflecting on the prominence of satellite connectivity as talking point at the show, reflecting on confusing market messaging on the matter. The various manifestations of AI are then discussed, before they conclude by reviewing the early hyping of 6G and asking whether it’s justified. Telecoms.com false No 7114 Live from MWC 2026 https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/live-from-mwc-2026/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/live-from-mwc-2026/#comments Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2278692200 The guys wasted no time in bringing you their special podcast recorded from the show floor in Barcelona. Overwhelming demand means they’re delighted welcome no less than four guests, but are slightly more organised about it than last year. First they’re joined by Ray Dolan from Cohere and Mike Dano from Ookla. Both are familiar faces but there was still plenty to catch up on, including talk of satellites and network sensing. Eventually they give way to Queen of Props, Totogi’s Danielle Rios, and industry expert Dan Warren. Among the topics the four then discuss are network software and, of course, AI. Telecoms.com false No 6672 MWC 2026 preview https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mwc-2026-preview/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mwc-2026-preview/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2274488972 As has become tradition, the guys are delighted to welcome back special guest Analyst Dean Bubley, to look ahead to the main themes of this year’s big telecoms trade show. They start with the obvious – AI – but strive to inject focus and substance into this ubiquitous and often hyperbolic topic by discussing agents, automation, and APIs. They then move on to the matter of sovereignty and how viable it is for countries to become more self-sufficient in a time of ultra globalisation. The final big theme is satellite telecoms, with direct-to-device likely to be a hot topic at the show. They conclude by examining recent conjecture on the effect AI will have on the world and its workers. Telecoms.com false No 6854 Red Hat, software and 6G https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/red-hat-software-and-6g/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/red-hat-software-and-6g/#comments Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2268122645 For the second day in a row the lads were delighted to welcome a special guest, this time Fran Heeran, head of telecoms at Red Hat. For once they waste little time before moving on to the main topic of Red Hat and getting to the bottom of what it does. Spoiler alert: it’s open-source software for enterprise, which includes telecoms, so they explore topics such as virtualization, containers, and assorted other software arcana. They eventually move on to look ahead at some of the likely innovations and opportunities offered by 6G before concluding by exploring some of the practical telecom applications of AI. Telecoms.com false No 7115 Openreach, PSTN and AI https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/openreach-pstn-and-ai/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/openreach-pstn-and-ai/#comments Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2265871250 Openreach, PSTN and AI by Telecoms.com Telecoms.com false No 6966 Sovereignty, geopolitics and automation https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/sovereignty-geopolitics-and-automation/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/sovereignty-geopolitics-and-automation/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2262966368 Just Iain and Scott this week as their guest had one of those ubiquitous UK winter bugs. After acknowledging some recent social engagements, they get into the matter of data sovereignty, which has become even more important since supposedly allied countries started threatening each other. The main question concerns how viable it is for Europe to be less reliant on world superpowers. That naturally leads to more general geopolitical chat before they conclude by discussing the business and societal implications of jobs being automated away by AI. Telecoms.com false No 6469 Ericsson, AI and Nokia https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ericsson-ai-and-nokia/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ericsson-ai-and-nokia/#comments Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2258644682 The lads were delighted to welcome special guest Ibrahim Eldeftar, who heads up Cognitive Software and Services at Ericsson. What does that mean, we hear you ask. Well listen in and all will be revealed. They start by explaining what rApps are and why we should care about them. The broader context for them is network automation, something that is being accelerated by recent developments in AI, so they explore that too, as well as Ericsson’s programmable networks strategy. They eventually move on to talk about AI in a broader context before concluding with a look at Nokia’s latest quarterly numbers. Telecoms.com false No 7035 Ookla, Europe and Ericsson https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ookla-europe-and-ericsson/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ookla-europe-and-ericsson/#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2254332374 The lads celebrate a premature end to dry January with a nip of Irish Whisky, courtesy of special guest Luke Kehoe of Ookla. Luke has been into all things telecoms since childhood, which leads to a broad and organic chat, encompassing smartphones, components, AI, and wearable technology. They eventually move on to discussing some of the big news from last week, concerning new EU legislation that affects telecoms and the drama involving US President Trump, before concluding with a look at Ericsson’s latest quarterly results. Telecoms.com false No 7396 Altnets, Ericsson and Grok https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/altnets-ericsson-and-grok/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/altnets-ericsson-and-grok/#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2250113759 The guys were delighted to welcome special guest, fellow hack Kieran Smith of the Financial Times, to another sober episode of the pod. Among Kieran’s areas of focus at the FT is the UK altnet sector, so, after reflecting on Iain’s underground field trip, they start with a deep dive into a market that looks set for significant consolidation and disruption this year. They eventually move on to reflect on the latest round of redundancies and what that says about the state of the industry, before concluding with a look at the recent spat between the UK and AI platform Grok. Telecoms.com false No 7514 Robots, 5G SA and Venezuela https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/robots-5g-sa-and-venezuela/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/robots-5g-sa-and-venezuela/#comments Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2246018270 The lads are back in the studio after an extended Christmas break and are managing to stay off the beers for a bit. After reflecting on the festive period and subsequent sobriety they start by reflecting on the CES tech trade show, which was dominated by talk of AI-powered robots. This prompts the inevitable agonising over the infusion of AI into everything and what that means for increasingly obsolete humans. They eventually move on to discuss one of Iain’s stories, which questions the real world utility of 5G standalone, before concluding by reflecting on the broader implications of recent US aggression towards Venezuela. Telecoms.com false No 6975 2025 Christmas quiz https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/2025-christmas-quiz/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/2025-christmas-quiz/#comments Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2230130672 The final pod of the year features traditional guest host Elena Davidson of Liberty Communications. Elena is kind enough to not only compile a quiz of the year’s telecoms.com news but bring along festive props designed to strip the lads of what little dignity they have. Consequently there’s no underlying theme to this most rambling of pods, but they do manage to get into a wide variety of tangents, some of which are even relevant to the telecoms industry. That’s all you get from us for a month, so thanks a lot for listening, have a great Christmas, and we look forward to returning in the new year. Telecoms.com false No 8109 Paradise Mobile, telco innovation and Intel https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/paradise-mobile-telco-innovation-and-intel/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/paradise-mobile-telco-innovation-and-intel/#comments Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2225977586 The guys are delighted to welcome special guest Sam Tabbara, CEO of Paradise Mobile, this week. Paradise is a mobile network operator from Bermuda and Sam was over here in part to attend the Glotel Awards ceremony, so they start by reflecting on that event, before moving on to learn about Paradise. That leads to many fruitful tangents about the state of innovation in the telecoms industry, mobile technology and Bermuda itself. They eventually move on to discuss Intel’s decision not to flog its network and edge group, before concluding with a look at some recent telecoms-related drama in India. Telecoms.com false No 7360 6GHz spectrum, AI-RAN and USA https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/6ghz-spectrum-ai-ran-and-usa/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/6ghz-spectrum-ai-ran-and-usa/#comments Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2221999658 6GHz spectrum, AI-RAN and USA by Telecoms.com Telecoms.com false No 6895 Nokia, Nvidia and BT https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nokia-nvidia-and-bt/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nokia-nvidia-and-bt/#comments Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2218029230 The lads were delighted to welcome back special guest Gabriel Brown of analyst firm Omdia. Pausing only to reflect on some mixed sporting news, they get straight into the big new of the week, which emanated from Nokia’s capital markets day. It was the opportunity for Nokia’s newish CEO to reveal his cunning plan for the company. Given events that preceded, that inevitably leads to discussion of Nvidia’s increasing influence over Nokia and the telecoms world in general, before they conclude by reflecting on a recent event held by BT International. Telecoms.com false No 6537 Telco survey, AI and geopolitics https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/telco-survey-ai-and-geopolitics/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/telco-survey-ai-and-geopolitics/#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2214006932 The lads are delighted to welcome special guest Zoe Osy de Zegwaart of PR agency CC Group/Hoffman this week. The three of them recently hung out in Dublin, so they start by reflecting on that before getting into an exclusive preview of a telecoms industry survey conducted by Zoe and her colleagues. Spoiler alert: it turns out operators can be a bit risk-averse and the returns from AI investments in telecoms can be a bit hit-and-miss. After an especially meandering and tangential discussion of the findings, they eventually conclude by analysing signs of growing suspicion towards Chinese companies in Europe. Telecoms.com false No 7104 FYUZ, Huawei and BT https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/fyuz-huawei-and-bt/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/fyuz-huawei-and-bt/#comments Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2209968641 Just the two lads back in the studio this week, back from their adventures in Dublin. They start by reviewing the reason for being in Dublin, the FYUZ industry gathering, and reflect on encounters and conversations they had there. The elephant in the room was the recent major investment in Nokia by Nvidia and they explore the implications of that, and the broader interest of mega US tech companies, to the telecoms sector. They eventually move on to discuss the latest developments in Germany regarding its policy on Huawei, before concluding by reviewing BT’s latest earnings announcement. Telecoms.com false No 6508 Cohere, FYUZ and ISAC https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/cohere-fyuz-and-isac/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/cohere-fyuz-and-isac/#comments Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2207765187 For this special edition of the podcast we partner with Cohere Technologies to explore a number of areas of wireless innovation. The main segment is recorded at Cohere’s stand at the FYUZ industry gathering in Dublin, featuring Cohere’s CEO Ray Dolan, Brad Stimpson of Bell Canada and Paco Pignatelli of Vodafone. They discuss radio innovation, the FYUZ event, recent Cohere announcements, the road to 6G and much more, with some valuable insights from the operators. This pod then moves to a purely audio segment recorded the previous day from the Stag’s Head pub in Dublin, featuring Ray and US defense industry insider Tom Rondeau, and exploring the emerging field of integrated sensing and communication.. Telecoms.com false No 6661 Totogi, public cloud and Nokia https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/totogi-public-cloud-and-nokia/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/totogi-public-cloud-and-nokia/#comments Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2199789231 The guys are delighted to welcome back special guest Danielle Rios of Totogi this week. Pausing only to acknowledge Danielle’s continued contribution to the pod’s refreshment resources, they get straight into Totogi’s recent initiative to make even the creation of telecoms software ‘AI-native’. Among the topics explored are the pros and cons of automating such things, as well as inevitable concerns about overly powerful and ubiquitous AI, before they eventually move on to give the public clod the same treatment and conclude with a look at Nokia’s recent quarterly earnings report. Telecoms.com false No 7027 ASML, chips and geopolitics https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/asml-chips-and-geopolitics/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/asml-chips-and-geopolitics/#comments Wed, 22 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2196151319 This special midweek bonus episode of the pod features a conversation with special guest Marc Hijink. Marc is the author of Focus – The ASML Way, which charts the evolution of the Dutch company to its current position as the sole supplier of EUV lithography tools to the global semiconductor manufacturing industry. They start by discussing the book and the profound significance of ASML to the chip sector, before eventually moving on to explore its consequent position at the centre of the tech cold war between the US and China. Telecoms.com false No 6137 Neos Networks, Vodafone and Ericsson https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/neos-networks-vodafone-and-ericsson/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/neos-networks-vodafone-and-ericsson/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2194496451 The lads are delighted to welcome back special guest Lee Myall of Neos Networks. Pausing only to reflect on the recent Network X trade show, they get straight into discussing the UK fibre connectivity sector, in which Neos is a provider of backbone infrastructure. The conversation includes an analysis of the impact the booming AI and data centre markets are having on that space. They eventually move on to review Vodafone’s recent RAN tender announcements before concluding with a look at Ericsson’s latest quarterly earnings report. Telecoms.com false No 6081 Network traffic, AI and Verizon https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/network-traffic-ai-and-verizon/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/network-traffic-ai-and-verizon/#comments Mon, 13 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2189184291 The lads were delighted to welcome back special guest, telecoms consultant William Webb. William is a prolific writer and a pod with him wouldn’t be the same without a book launch. He has significantly expanded on his book: The End of Telecoms History, so they start by examining the case for, and arguments against, his contention that global network traffic growth is peaking. They eventually move on to explore the utility of AI in managing networks before concluding with some casual speculation about changes at the top of US operator Verizon. Telecoms.com false No 7298 Post Office, HPE and Vodafone https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/post-office-hpe-and-vodafone/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/post-office-hpe-and-vodafone/#comments Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2183376423 The guys are delighted to welcome special guest Karl Flinders, a journalist at Computer Weekly, this week. Karl is a colleague who also happens to be the person who has done much of the reporting on the protracted scandal surrounding the mistaken victimisation of UK Post Office workers due to faulty software. So, pausing only to reflect on a recent trip to New York courtesy of HPE, they explore the Post Office saga from the initial Computer Weekly reporting 16 years ago to the continued injustices still being committed. They eventually move on to look at Vodafone’s recent RAN vendor decisions before concluding by looking at the current status of Chinese vendors in Europe. Telecoms.com false No 6648 WWT, AI and smart glasses https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/wwt-ai-and-smart-glasses/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/wwt-ai-and-smart-glasses/#comments Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2174566671 The lads were delighted to welcome special guest Simon Dumbleton from World Wide Technology this week. WWT is a system integrator that does a lot of work with telcos. They start by discussing what the current AI boom means for communications service providers and how best they should go about making the most of it, including optimal levels of investment. That eventually leads to reflections on the recent big round of investment pledges to the UK by US big tech, before they conclude by analysing Meta’s new smart glasses and what effect, if at all, products like that may have on the telecoms industry. Telecoms.com false No 6892 Nokia, Nokia and Oracle https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nokia-nokia-and-oracle/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nokia-nokia-and-oracle/#comments Mon, 15 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2170753242 It’s double Nokia this week as our guest is from that company and the lads were also Nokia’s guests in Finland recently. Special guest Bjorn Capens is from Belgium and he brought over a selection of beers typical to that country. So they start by going though those before getting into Bjorn’s day job at Nokia, which focuses on fixed broadband networks, covering the history of broadband and the latest fixed network technology developments and market trends. They eventually get on to Iain and Scott’s visit to Oulu in northern Finland, where Nokia has just opened an impressive new wireless technology campus, before briefly reflecting on Oracle’s impressive recent earnings. Telecoms.com false No 6104 EchoStar, Huawei and UK vs US https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/echostar-huawei-and-uk-vs-us/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/echostar-huawei-and-uk-vs-us/#comments Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2162796738 One more summer bonus episode that will also be the last for two weeks as, ironically, Iain and Scott are off on their travels. The main focus this week is the $23 billion sale of spectrum by US telco EchoStar to its larger rival AT&T. The move begs all sorts of related questions, which the lads have a proper dig into. They eventually move on to Iain’s recent reporting on Huawei and its persistent presence in Europe, before concluding with some of Scott’s coverage of the UK’s attempts to police the internet, which are increasingly upsetting the US. Telecoms.com false No 7613 AI, geopolitics and Nokia https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ai-geopolitics-and-nokia/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ai-geopolitics-and-nokia/#comments Tue, 26 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2159548251 Another bonus summer episode of the pod, courtesy of Pierre’s travel misfortunes, but with no guest this week. Both Iain and Scott had been writing about AI so they devote the main segment to an extended critique of the technology, business case and general concept. Is AI over-hyped? Is it even useful? Does increasing reliance on it damage our brains? All these questions and more are addressed. They eventually get on to the many geopolitical tensions the AI arms races is causing before concluding by exploring investor concerns at Nokia. Telecoms.com false No 7224 5G SA, Intel and Trump https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/5g-sa-intel-and-trump/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/5g-sa-intel-and-trump/#comments Mon, 18 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2155121361 This bonus episode of the pod comes courtesy of Pierre’s travel challenges and features returning special guest Gabriel Brown, Analyst at Heavy Reading. After reflecting on the circumstances that enabled this pod, as well as some of the stuff the lads have been up to recently, they get into a recent piece of research published by Brown stating that ‘5G standalone (SA) is set to scale worldwide’. A key question concerns the broader significance of 5G SA, which leads to musings on the nature of technological progress and best how to communicate that to the market. They eventually move on to talk about Intel’s struggles as they affect the telecoms industry, before concluding with a look at US President Trump’s increasingly forceful interventions in the tech industry. Telecoms.com false No 7596 APFN, fair share and online safety https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/apfn-fair-share-and-online-safety/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/apfn-fair-share-and-online-safety/#comments Mon, 04 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2147535219 The lads are back in the studio and delighted to welcome back Ronan Kelly of All Points Fibre Network. APFN is a UK wholesale fibre provider, so they start by finding out more about the company and how it fits into the broader market. Discussion turns to the broader economics of fibre and the UK’s very competitive environment before they eventually turn to the perennial topic of ‘fair share’ contributions to network costs by US Big Tech and conclude with a Scott rant about the Online Safety Act. Telecoms.com false No 6428 Nokia, Intel and AT&T https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nokia-intel-and-att/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nokia-intel-and-att/#comments Mon, 28 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2137717737 With Pierre returning to his roots, it’s a rare remote pod this week. After acknowledging a couple of great recent sessions, conversation turns to reflections on a week of quarterly earnings announcements. They start with Nokia, which felt compelled to warn the world about the negative effects of Trump’s tariffs, a topic that yields some fruitful tangents. Eventually the focus turns to Intel and its continued attempts to improve things for itself, before they conclude with a quick look at how AT&T is benefitting from recent political developments. Telecoms.com false No 6525 Ericsson, AI and CityFibre https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ericsson-ai-and-cityfibre/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ericsson-ai-and-cityfibre/#comments Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2133735543 Ericsson, AI and CityFibre by Telecoms.com Telecoms.com false No 6226 6G, Open RAN and Google Cloud https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/6g-open-ran-and-google-cloud/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/6g-open-ran-and-google-cloud/#comments Mon, 30 Jun 2025 11:29:52 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2121932529 6G, Open RAN and Google Cloud by Telecoms.com Telecoms.com false No 7125 DTW, Mavenir and Trump phone https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/dtw-mavenir-and-trump-phone/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/dtw-mavenir-and-trump-phone/#comments Fri, 20 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2116654632 This episode was recorded from the show floor of the Digital Transformation World 2025 event with special guest Analyst John Strand. Pausing only to review the Danish beer selection John provided, they get straight into a review of the show. Many familiar themes were covered once more, with AI providing much of the novelty, so the guys ponder how much progress is being made. They eventually move on to discuss recent news from US vendor Mavenir and what that may tell us about the industry, before reflecting on the US President’s involvement in a new MVNO. Telecoms.com false No 4692 Threedafone, Apple and AI https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/threedafone-apple-and-ai/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/threedafone-apple-and-ai/#comments Mon, 16 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2114125602 The lads were delighted to welcome special guest, Analyst Paolo Pescatore, to the latest pod. Iain and Scott had already downed a couple before recording, so discipline was especially challenging. Luckily all the podders had been at the grand launch of VodafoneThree so they’re able to bang on about that for a bit. They eventually turn to the latest news from Apple, with Paolo having attended the supporting event in California earlier in the week, before concluding by pondering the role of emerging technologies in consumer devices. Telecoms.com false No 5818 Openreach, Threedafone and AI https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/openreach-threedafone-and-ai/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/openreach-threedafone-and-ai/#comments Mon, 09 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2110232946 The guys were delighted to welcome special guest Juliette Scott from Openreach, following their half-term break. Openreach is the UK’s biggest wholesaler of telecoms infrastructure, including all the legacy stuff, and Juliette is one of the people responsible for migration from old to new. So they start by talking about that, as well as the broader UK fixed line telecoms environment. They eventually move on to acknowledge the completion of the merger between UK MNOs Vodafone and Three, before concluding with a spot of light AI doom-mongering. Telecoms.com false No 7890 Mavenir, AI and BT https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mavenir-ai-and-bt/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mavenir-ai-and-bt/#comments Tue, 27 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2102982903 The guys were delighted to welcome special guest Brandon Larson of Mavenir to this last pod before a brief break. It doesn’t take long for AI to make an appearance in the conversation, but that’s fair enough because it’s a big part of Brandon’s day job. They focus on what AI means for telcos, but there are inevitable tangents in the direction of assessing the utopian vs dystopian implications of the technology. They eventually move on to discuss BT’s latest quarterly announcement before concluding with a quick look at stories concerning OpenAI and Malaysia. Telecoms.com false No 7603 6G, GSMA and geopolitics https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/6g-gsma-and-geopolitics/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/6g-gsma-and-geopolitics/#comments Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2098366596 6G, GSMA and geopolitics by Telecoms.com Telecoms.com false No 6531 Spectrum, wifi and US vs China https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/spectrum-wifi-and-us-vs-china/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/spectrum-wifi-and-us-vs-china/#comments Thu, 15 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2096171532 This special mid-week recording of the pod was scheduled so we could speak to spectrum policy consultant Dave Wright while he was in town. Scott starts by asking Dave why operators and the industry associations who represent them are constantly begging for more spectrum in frequency bands that have limited utility. That conversation goes on to cover the competing needs of the cellular and wifi worlds before they conclude with a look at evolving US trade policy towards China. Telecoms.com false No 7611 FutureNet, AI and 6G https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/futurenet-ai-and-6g/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/futurenet-ai-and-6g/#comments Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2094251280 The lads are uncharacteristically smart this week ahead of an event Scott chaired immediately after recording. One of the speakers at that event was Analyst Roz Roseboro of Omdia and she was able to join the pod for a bit. They start by reflecting on another recent event they all attended called FutureNet World, which covered a lot of telecoms industry hot topics. They go on to talk about AI, which was the theme of Roz’s event, before concluding by questioning the utility of higher frequency spectrum. Telecoms.com false No 5592 HPE, sovereign cloud and Apple https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/hpe-sovereign-cloud-and-apple/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/hpe-sovereign-cloud-and-apple/#comments Fri, 02 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2088780474 The guys celebrate the nicest day of the year by spending it locked in a small room with special guest Phil Mottram from HPE. They start by finding out all about Aruba, which is the bit of the company Phil runs, and soon branch off onto a bunch of other HPE-related topics. Among those is the IT security environment, which eventually leads them to talk about recent developments in the sovereign cloud, before they conclude with a look at some legal hot water Apple has landed itself in. Telecoms.com false No 7396 Nokia, Open RAN and USA https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nokia-open-ran-and-usa/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nokia-open-ran-and-usa/#comments Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2086452144 This second pod of the week was recorded after the lads had been out for a few the previous evening. In the absence of a guest, Iain and Scott indulge themselves by reflecting on a conversation they had about AI after a few beers. They eventually move on to the big story of the week – Nokia’s quarterly numbers – and use that as the catalyst for a broader discussion of the Finnish kit vendor. The chat is rounded off by reflections on the Open RAN market and America’s rapidly evolving with the rest of the world. Telecoms.com false No 7489 Alianza, Ericsson and Nvidia https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/alianza-ericsson-and-nvidia/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/alianza-ericsson-and-nvidia/#comments Wed, 23 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2083642692 The lads return from the Easter break by welcoming special guest Dag Peak of Alianza. Pausing only to reflect on the passing of the Pope, they start by asking Dag about his company and how it fits into the great telecoms scheme of things. That leads to a broader interrogation of the operator business model and what they can do to improve their fortunes. They eventually move on to discuss the latest news from Ericsson before reflecting on the growing hostility of the US state towards its own companies. Telecoms.com false No 6817 Trade war, Huawei and vRAN https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/trade-war-huawei-and-vran/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/trade-war-huawei-and-vran/#comments Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2072708928 Just the lads this week so they get to be nice and self-indulgent over subject matter. There’s no getting past the trade war declared by the US on the rest of the world, which affects all industries, so Iain and Scott spend a good chunk of time exploring the concept of tariffs and macroeconomics in general before pondering how telecoms will be affected. They eventually move on to examine Huawei’s full-year 2024 numbers before concluding with a look at the pros and cons of virtual RAN. Telecoms.com false No 7507 Juniper Networks, 6G and Open RAN https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/juniper-networks-6g-and-open-ran/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/juniper-networks-6g-and-open-ran/#comments Mon, 31 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2067382416 Producer Pierre wasn’t well this week, so we were forced to speak to special guest Neil McRae of Juniper Networks over Zoom. Broadcasting from his pinball den, Neil offered an update on his company before reflecting on the recent MWC trade show. They covered a lot of hot mobile topics, including private 5G vs wifi, but definitely not 6G. That eventually led to speculation about whether 6G will ever be a big deal, before concluding with a look at a buzzword that has already lost its lustre – Open RAN. Telecoms.com false No 7234 Telecoms law, global trade and Nvidia https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/telecoms-law-global-trade-and-nvidia/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/telecoms-law-global-trade-and-nvidia/#comments Mon, 24 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2062000696 The guys came straight from an early lunch to welcome the pod’s first ever lawyer – David Hunt – as their special guest. David specialises in the interface between companies and governments, so the conversation covered a wide range of topics, covering all parts of the globe. The US, Europe, and China inevitably featured strongly as the implications of recent developments on global trade were also explored, before they concluded with an analysis of Nvidia’s attempts to get into telecoms. Telecoms.com false No 7563 MWC, geopolitics and Huawei https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mwc-geopolitics-and-huawei/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mwc-geopolitics-and-huawei/#comments Mon, 17 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2056308744 The lads have one more assessment of the recent Mobile World Congress trade show, this time with the benefits of hindsight and special guest, analyst John Strand. Geopolitics, along with AI, dominated the chat at this year’s show, so they discuss as much of that at telecoms purist Iain can tolerate, before moving on to more sector-specific stuff. They conclude by examining the news that some EU officials are being investigated on suspicion of receiving bribes from Chinese vendor Huawei. Telecoms.com false No 7425 MWC25 Special https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mwc25-special/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mwc25-special/#comments Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2048905144 An attempt to feature five guests resulted in possibly the most chaotic version of the podcast ever. The first two guests were analyst Paolo Pescatore and Danielle Rios, CEO of Totogi, who brought along a cocktail crew to make sure things go smoothly. They eventually made way for Sylwia Kechiche of Opensignal and Mark Giles from Ookla and we even managed to fit in pod favourite Mary Clark of Numeracle at the end. They tried, and failed, to avoid talking about geopolitics and the AI dystopia, but plenty of telecoms was covered too. Telecoms.com false No 4178 MWC 2025 preview https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mwc-2025-preview/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mwc-2025-preview/#comments Fri, 28 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2044018692 The pod is delighted to welcome back special guest, analyst Dean Bubley, for his now traditional preview of an event he prefers not to attend. They tackle the likely themes of Mobile World Congress 2025 and you don’t need to be Nostradamus to know AI will dominate. But what does that mean? The guys take the time to pick it apart and sort the wheat from the chaff. The other main themes covered are 5/6G, network APIs and geopolitics and this is published early to get you in the mood ahead of next week’s event. Telecoms.com false No 7533 Ericsson, B2B telecoms and Nokia https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ericsson-b2b-telecoms-and-nokia/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ericsson-b2b-telecoms-and-nokia/#comments Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2036434404 The guys are delighted to welcome Pablo Tomasi of analyst firm Omdia this week, whose appearance is so well timed as to create the impression of planning. All three of them attended Ericsson’s big pre-MWC media and analyst presentation in London, so they start off by reviewing that, specifically Ericsson’s bets on the future of the mobile industry and the likelihood of them paying off. That leads to conversation about enterprise telecoms in general, before they conclude with a robust debate about the implications of Nokia’s new CEO appointment. Telecoms.com false No 7555 Huawei, Intel and Google https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/huawei-intel-and-google/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/huawei-intel-and-google/#comments Mon, 10 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2030638076 Just the core crew again this week as they brave the foul weather to bring you your weekly fix of telecoms banter. Chinese vendor Huawei snuck out a singly financial data point last week but Ian and Scott still managed to bang on about it, and the inevitable tangents, for an hour or so. They eventually moved on to look at the current state of US chip firm Intel before briefly questioning Google’s principles when it comes to AI. Telecoms.com false No 7411 DeepSeek, Nokia and Meta https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/deepseek-nokia-and-meta/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/deepseek-nokia-and-meta/#comments Mon, 03 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2024743940 No guest this week as the lads planned in advance to be hungover and Scott wanted to catch up on the Long Drink action. Pausing only to reflect on the pros and cons of falling off the wagon, they get straight into the big story of the week – DeepSeek – and analyse the implications of China suddenly catching up with the US on AI. After the obligatory Terminator references they eventually get on to discuss Nokia’s recent quarterly numbers before laughing at Meta’s continued attempts to repair its relationship with Donald Trump. Telecoms.com false No 6569 Wifi, Ericsson and Stargate https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/wifi-ericsson-and-stargate/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/wifi-ericsson-and-stargate/#comments Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2019169949 In the last relatively sober pod of the month, the lads are delighted to welcome special guest Jussi from Hamina Wireless. Pausing only to introduce Iain to the Finnish drink lonkero, Jussi introduces his company’s focus on the optimisation of wifi. That leads to plenty of tangents around indoor connectivity, private 5G, etc, before they eventually move on to discuss Ericsson’s latest quarterly numbers and conclude with a look at America’s big Stargate AI infrastructure announcement. Telecoms.com false No 6602 Trade shows, Europe and Huawei https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/trade-shows-europe-and-huawei/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/trade-shows-europe-and-huawei/#comments Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2013066151 Finally back in the studio, the lads are joined by Paul from CC Group PR and his colleague Rich, who ensures an extra long recording by his constant interruptions. They start by talking about an imminent webinar, hosted by CC and featuring elite telecoms hacks, that aims to set the scene for the Mobile World Congress trade show, leading to plenty of tangents around the show, journalism, and PR in general. They eventually move on to cover a couple telecoms moans about how rubbish the EU is, before concluding with a review of a new book about Huawei. Telecoms.com false No 7785 Huawei, Open RAN and Meta https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/huawei-open-ran-and-meta/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/huawei-open-ran-and-meta/#comments Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/2007989607 Iain and Scott are forced to do the first pod of the year over Zoom because their office was broken. Pausing only to reflect on Christmas and the misery glory of sobriety, they start by reflecting on a busy start to the year for the US versus China cold war, with Huawei playing a central part as ever. The lads then settle back immediately into their respective pet topics, with Iain having written comprehensively on Open RAN and Meta giving Scott an excuse to bang on about censorship. Telecoms.com false No 6291 Christmas quiz special https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/christmas-quiz-special/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/christmas-quiz-special/#comments Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1992567419 The podcast year culminates in its traditional Christmas quiz, hosted by Elena from Liberty Communications. Pausing only to reflect on a big day out for Iain and Scott the day before and a farcical attempt to use a beer hat just before recording, they eventually get into the quiz. Expect rabid competitiveness, buzzer drama, and unbridled tangents, but you’ll have to listen to the end to find out who wins. Have a great Christmas and see you in the (sober for a bit) new year. Telecoms.com false No 6223 Nscale, Open RAN and mobile data https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nscale-open-ran-and-mobile-data/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nscale-open-ran-and-mobile-data/#comments Mon, 16 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1986493087 Just Iain and Scott this time after their guest-athon last week. They start by reflecting on a great lunch the two of them had with Nokia and UK AI data centre startup Nscale. The latter is deemed worthy of an entire segment as it sits in one of the most hyped and fast-growing segments of the market. They eventually move on to the contrasting Open RAN market, which is going through a rocky time, before concluding with a look at one of the reasons for that – slowing mobile data growth. Telecoms.com false No 6556 EXA, subsea cables and Salt Typhoon https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/exa-subsea-cables-and-salt-typhoon/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/exa-subsea-cables-and-salt-typhoon/#comments Mon, 09 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1977490531 The lads are feeling the pace after a busy few days but find the energy for the second pod of the week, this time featuring special guest Jim Fagan, CEO of EXA Infrastructure. They start by learning more about Jim’s company, during which they learn a lot about fibre, datacentres and much more. That eventually leads to a discussion about subsea cables and why people keep sabotaging them, before they conclude by reviewing the Salt Typhoon and Vodaphone/Three news. Telecoms.com false No 6785 Cohere, Vodafone and radio waves https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/cohere-vodafone-and-radio-waves/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/cohere-vodafone-and-radio-waves/#comments Thu, 05 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1974235195 This unprecedented episode of the pod not only took place in the middle of the week, but also featured a dialled-in special guest in addition to Ray from Cohere in the studio. They start by finding out what Cohere does (spoiler alert: it has invented some cleverness that makes better use of radio waves), which gets into the weeds regarding radio technology in general. Cohere recently won a Glotel award in partnership with Vodafone Spain, so they eventually patch in Paco from that company to join the fun, before concluding with some broader musing about the future direction of the industry. Telecoms.com false No 6630 6G, mobile data and Nokia https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/6g-mobile-data-and-nokia/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/6g-mobile-data-and-nokia/#comments Mon, 02 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1971691071 One of the pod’s most regular guests – William Webb – returns because he’s written yet another book. They start by exploring the core theme of his book, which is that 6G is currently headed in the wrong direction and his proposal for a course correction. They eventually move on another of William’s favourite topics – the slowdown in global mobile data growth, before concluding with a look at Nokia replacing Huawei at Deutsche Telekom. Telecoms.com false No 7429 Nokia, Mavenir and geopolitics https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nokia-mavenir-and-geopolitics/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nokia-mavenir-and-geopolitics/#comments Mon, 25 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1966501675 Just Iain and Scott this week as they record ahead of the Glotel Awards evening. Pausing only to reflect on Iain’s hangover they start by discussing claims that T-Mobile US may be on the verge of ditching Nokia as a RAN vendor, which largely revolve around the pros and cons of using fans to keep things cool. They eventually move on to a story Iain wrote examining US vendor Mavenir’s struggles with 5G, before moving on to Scott’s pet topic of how geopolitics impacts the telecoms sector. Telecoms.com false No 5630 Ofcom, regulation and Fyuz https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ofcom-regulation-and-fyuz/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ofcom-regulation-and-fyuz/#comments Mon, 18 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1960972655 The lads were delighted to welcome Harry Rippon of UK communications regulator Ofcom to the pod this week. They start by exploring the increasing number of roles Ofcom has in the UK comms market, touching on pricing and spectrum, before an inevitable Scott rant about censorship. That only leaves time for one more segment, in which Iain reflects on his attendance of the Fyuz event, as which Open RAN’s state or progress was a major theme. Telecoms.com false No 6800 The Telecoms.com Podcast: VodaThree, BT and Trump https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/the-telecomscom-podcast-vodathree-bt-and-trump/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/the-telecomscom-podcast-vodathree-bt-and-trump/#comments Mon, 11 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1955144727 The pod is back, having skipped a week to allow Scott to galavant around Istanbul, and is delighted to welcome back special guest Neil McRae of Juniper Networks. After hearing all about Scott’s trip they get into the main news of the week – the near approval of the UK operator megamerger of Vodafone and Three. They eventually move on to discuss the latest developments in BT’s strategy before reflecting on the recent election of Donald Trump as US President and what that may mean for telecoms. Telecoms.com false No 6784 US vs China, Huawei and telecoms recession https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/us-vs-china-huawei-and-telecoms-recession/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/us-vs-china-huawei-and-telecoms-recession/#comments Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1943708615 There’s no guest this week, which is just as well as they didn’t have enough cameras to record three people anyway. The lads start by examining the many ways America is trying to starve China of access to semiconductors. That inevitably involves Huawei, which is the main proxy for this initiative, and they eventually move on to discuss Europe’s hesitance to do what the US tells it regarding Huawei, before concluding with the latest signals concerning the telecoms recession. Telecoms.com false No 7141 Ericsson, Nokia and smartphone bans https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ericsson-nokia-and-smartphone-bans/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ericsson-nokia-and-smartphone-bans/#comments Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1938681410 Iain is back as co-host following Scott’s return from Paris and it’s just the two of them for their reunion. The big telecoms news of the week concerned quarterly announcements from big kit vendors Ericsson and Nokia, so they spend much of the pod analysing those, along with the usual tangents. They eventually get around to one more topic, a discussion of calls to ban smartphones in schools. Telecoms.com false No 6575 Network X, APIs and 6G https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/network-x-apis-and-6g/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/network-x-apis-and-6g/#comments Fri, 11 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1933183772 This episode of the pod was recorded on the show floor of the Network X telecoms trade event in Paris. Iain didn’t make the trip so risked losing his co-host position to his colleague at Light Reading, Tereza Krasova, who joined Scott along with returning guest Gabriel Brown of Heavy Reading. The main topic of conversation was a review of the opening keynotes from the event, which focused on the opportunities offered by network APIs. After a few tangents they eventually conclude with a look at the state of progress of 6G. Telecoms.com false No 3359 Cerillion at 25 https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/cerillion-at-25/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/cerillion-at-25/#comments Tue, 08 Oct 2024 06:38:54 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1930890839 This special edition of the podcast was recorded in partnership with Cerillion and features a conversation between Louis Hall, Founder and CEO of Cerillion, and Scott Bicheno, Editor of Telecoms.com. Telecoms.com false No 1410 APIs, Vodafone/Three and GenAI https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/apis-vodafonethree-and-genai/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/apis-vodafonethree-and-genai/#comments Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1930248779 The lads were delighted to welcome special guest James Crawshaw, Analyst at Omdia, this week. James is a telecoms software expert, so they started by analysing the recent creation of a new venture designed to open up networks to developers. They eventually move on to examine what concessions Vodafone and Three need to make to get their mega-merger approved, before concluding with a look at generative AI from a telecoms perspective, which inevitably degenerated into dystopian catastrophising. Telecoms.com false No 7343 AI, fair contribution and Intel https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ai-fair-contribution-and-intel/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ai-fair-contribution-and-intel/#comments Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1926213200 It was just the two of them this week, which presented the opportunity to be even more self-indulgent than usual. After a few industry shout-outs, the main recipient of that extra podding latitude was AI, which has been in the news even more than usual, as the utopians and dystopians battle it out for the future direction of this era-defining tech. They eventually move on to a spat between Deutsche Telekom and Meta related to the fair contribution debate, before concluding with a look at the increasing role of the US state in the fortunes of chip maker Intel. Telecoms.com false No 6159 Cambridge Consultants, AI and telecoms recession https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/cambridge-consultants-ai-and-telecoms-recession/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/cambridge-consultants-ai-and-telecoms-recession/#comments Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1921783433 The guys were delighted to welcome special guest Stephane Remy of Cambridge Consultants to the pod this week. They start by finding out about Stephane’s day job, which involves all kinds of telecoms and tech cleverness. That leads to a broader discussion about the current state of the telecoms industry, before they conclude by analysing some recent AI news. Telecoms.com false No 6820 Numeracle, APIs and Vodafone/Three https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/numeracle-apis-and-vodafonethree/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/numeracle-apis-and-vodafonethree/#comments Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1917436511 The pod was delighted to welcome back GOAT guest Mary Clark this week. Mary is now the President and COO of caller ID startup Numeracle, so they start by hearing all about her new gig. They move on to discuss the latest attempt to catalyse the network API market, featuring Ericsson and a bunch of operators, before concluding with a look at what concessions Vodafone and Three could offer to get their proposed merger approved. Telecoms.com false No 6892 Ookla, BT/EE and Huawei https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ookla-btee-and-huawei/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ookla-btee-and-huawei/#comments Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1913054429 After a five week absence, the pod returns from its second summer break. They were delighted to welcome special guest Mark Giles, Lead Analyst at Ookla. Iain and Scott had just come from an event hosted by BT/EE so they combine the review and analysis of that news with a discussion of what Mark does at Ookla. That left time to reflect on a piece of ‘fan mail’ Iain received and the story that seems likely to have provoked it. Telecoms.com false No 6107 Neos Networks, fibre and Intel https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/neos-networks-fibre-and-intel/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/neos-networks-fibre-and-intel/#comments Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1889238168 The pod was delighted to welcome special guest Lee Myall, CEO of UK business comms specialist Neos networks, to this last episode before its main summer break. They start by asking Lee to introduce his company, which leads to a general discussion of the market dynamics it operates within and the UK fibre market in general. This leads naturally discussion of a new group created to lobby for a better deal for UK altnets before they conclude by looking as the tricky spot US chip giant Intel finds itself in. Telecoms.com false No 7465 Telecoms inflection, mobile data and Microsoft https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/telecoms-inflection-mobile-data-and-microsoft/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/telecoms-inflection-mobile-data-and-microsoft/#comments Mon, 29 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1883516199 The pod is delighted to welcome back one of its most returning guests – telecoms consultant William Webb. William is also a prolific author and they start by discussing his latest book, The End of Telecoms History, which asserts that the industry has reached an inflection point and needs to pivot to new business models. A key to that assertion is the slowing of mobile data traffic growth and they go on to critique forecasts that claim the contrary, before concluding with a look at Microsoft’s attempts to mitigate its responsibility for the recent global IT outage. Telecoms.com false No 6320 Digital media, Ericsson and US vs China https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/digital-media-ericsson-and-us-vs-china/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/digital-media-ericsson-and-us-vs-china/#comments Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1877954754 The pod was delighted to welcome back special guest Ed Barton, Director at Caretta Research. Ed’s field of expertise is in the digital media and entertainment markets, so they start by exploring some of the stuff that has caught his attention recently. They eventually move on to reflect on recent quarterly earnings announcement s from Ericsson and Nokia, before concluding with a critique of America’s belligerent trade policy towards China. Telecoms.com false No 6953 Huawei, Open RAN and cheap smartphones https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/huawei-open-ran-and-cheap-smartphones/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/huawei-open-ran-and-cheap-smartphones/#comments Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1872116211 The pod returns after for Scott to go galivanting around France. They start by recapping that trip, along with some of the political developments that took place since the last pod, before discussing the nature and implications of Germany’s apparent ban on Huawei kit. Since he has been doing most of the work, they move on to explore a couple of stories Iain wrote around Open RAN, before concluding with a look at how little you have to pay for a new phone these days. Telecoms.com false No 6911 Digital Transformation World 24 special https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/digital-transformation-world-24-special/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/digital-transformation-world-24-special/#comments Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1853596635 The lads made the annual pilgrimage to Copenhagen for the DTW event and thought it appropriate to record a pod with their Danish mate – analyst John Strand. Pausing only to review the beers John kindly brought along, they start by reviewing the event and specifically the opening keynotes. They move on to discuss industry initiatives in general before concluding with a chat about Strand Consult’s recent report analysing the effect of recent European elections on the telecoms industry. Telecoms.com false No 4144 Opensignal, telco cloud and Apple AI https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/opensignal-telco-cloud-and-apple-ai/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/opensignal-telco-cloud-and-apple-ai/#comments Mon, 17 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1849885731 The guys were delighted to welcome special guest Sylwia Kechiche of Opensignal this week. They started with an overview of what Opensignal does, which led to plenty of telecoms tangents, especially concerning mobile user experience. Iain has written a fair bit about the telco cloud recently, so they eventually move on to that topic, before concluding with a look at Apple’s recent AI announcement. Telecoms.com false No 7891 AI, Nvidia and 5G spectrum https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ai-nvidia-and-5g-spectrum/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/ai-nvidia-and-5g-spectrum/#comments Mon, 10 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1843661742 Everyone is back in the studio this week as the lads once more put a dent in their Beavertown bounty. They start by reviewing a couple of news items concerning artificial intelligence, which leads to the inevitable dystopian hand-wringing as well as a questioning of all the hype. They biggest beneficiary of AI so far has been chip company Nvidia, so they move on to discuss that company, before concluding by asking whether there’s any need for more 5G spectrum. Telecoms.com false No 5088 Public cloud, Open RAN and SRN https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/public-cloud-open-ran-and-srn/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/public-cloud-open-ran-and-srn/#comments Mon, 03 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1836380622 A bit of a hybrid effort this week as the lads record over Zoom, but still come into the studio anyway. They start by discussing a piece Iain wrote, highlighting the increasing vulnerability faced by the world as everything moves into the public cloud. This leads to more Iain stuff, this time covering Open RAN for a change, before Scott finally gets a look-in to go over stories of his covering the UK shared rural network and possible 5G vendor swap in Portugal. Telecoms.com false No 4375 Telecoms recession, China and Germany https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/telecoms-recession-china-and-germany/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/telecoms-recession-china-and-germany/#comments Tue, 28 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1832034045 This week’s pod was recorded remotely because Scott was larging it in the Canary Islands. After reflecting on Scott’s weekend on the lash, they start by reviewing data showing the telecoms recession is set to get worse before it gets better. They move on to assess China’s ability to manufacture cutting-edge chips before concluding by discussing a popular story of Iain’s regarding German policy towards Huawei. Telecoms.com false No 4498 TXO, underground connectivity and cloud core https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/txo-underground-connectivity-and-cloud-core/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/txo-underground-connectivity-and-cloud-core/#comments Mon, 20 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1826137242 The guys were delighted to welcome special guest Darren Pearce, CEO of telco circular economy specialist TXO. Accordingly they started by exploring the various opportunities for used kit and generally getting schooled on the nuances of that industry. They then move on to Scott’s coverage of the London Mayor gaslighting his public, before concluding by discussing Iain’s story about Telefónica Germany moving to a cloud core. Telecoms.com false No 6882 US vs China, Open RAN and Apple https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/us-vs-china-open-ran-and-apple/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/us-vs-china-open-ran-and-apple/#comments Mon, 13 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1820719542 It was ‘just the two of us’ after a guest had to bail at the last minute. The lads both covered reports that the US is revoking many licenses granted to its companies to do business with Huawei, so the main segment focuses on that and the broader US/China tech cold war. Iain was getting Open RAN withdrawal so they then decided to give him a fix, before concluding with a look at a hilarious misstep taken by Apple with its new advert. Telecoms.com false No 6820 Vorboss, UK telcos and PR https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/vorboss-uk-telcos-and-pr/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/vorboss-uk-telcos-and-pr/#comments Tue, 07 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1816457961 The lads were delighted to welcome long-time industry friend Howard Jones of Vorboss onto this week’s pod. That familiarity resulted in an exceptionally long period of rambling before they eventually got to the point. They started with an introduction to Howard’s company, which then led to lengthy tangents about the whole UK telecoms sector, and was interspersed with thoughts on the current state of PR. Telecoms.com false No 6262 Boldyn, neutral host and net neutrality https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/boldyn-neutral-host-and-net-neutrality/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/boldyn-neutral-host-and-net-neutrality/#comments Mon, 29 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1810256067 The pod is delighted to welcome special guest Igor Leprince, CEO of Boldyn Networks, to this week’s episode. After lamenting the Scott’s roaming experience in Venice, they start with an introduction to Boldyn and where it fits into the broader telecoms mix. That leads natural to an exploration of the neutral host market in general before they conclude with an analysis of America’s decision to reintroduce net neutrality rules. Telecoms.com false No 5942 Quarterly earnings, networks and telecoms recession https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/quarterly-earnings-networks-and-telecoms-recession/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/quarterly-earnings-networks-and-telecoms-recession/#comments Tue, 23 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1806057648 The pod is delighted to welcome back special guest Neil McRae, Chief Network Strategist at Juniper Networks. The main theme of the chat was derived from recent quarterly earnings announcements by Ericsson and Nokia, which were very similar as they’re both suffering through what could be described as a telecoms recession. There also were plenty of networking tangents, including some DIY stories from Neil. Telecoms.com false No 5707 Huawei, China and geopolitics https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/huawei-china-and-geopolitics/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/huawei-china-and-geopolitics/#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1795906819 Iain and Scott are forced to do this pod over Zoom due to producer Pierre selfishly taking an Easter holiday. The main theme of their conversation is Huawei’s recently announced 2023 financials, which seem a lot more healthy than any of their Western equivalents. That leads naturally to an examination of how effective US sanctions against Huawei and China have been, before they conclude with a broader look at the geopolitical environment that is behind all these shenanigans. Telecoms.com false No 5452 6G, regulation and Ericsson https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/6g-regulation-and-ericsson/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/6g-regulation-and-ericsson/#comments Tue, 02 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1790810950 The pod is delighted to welcome special guest Alex Lawrence, Editor of 6G World, for this week’s episode. Unsurprisingly, the spend the first half of the recording discussing 6G, including what it might be and whether or not we should even bother with it. Since 6G’s success may be determined a more helpful regulatory environment, they move on to the topic of telecoms regulation, before concluding with a review of Ericsson’s recent news. Telecoms.com false No 5739 Microsoft, public cloud and 5G https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/microsoft-public-cloud-and-5g/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/microsoft-public-cloud-and-5g/#comments Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1783845573 The pod was delighted to welcome its first ever special guest from Microsoft – Shawn Hakl VP of 5G Strategy. They start by asking for an overview of what Microsoft’s interest is in the telecoms sector these days, which has increased significantly in recent years. That leads naturally to a review of the role the public cloud plays for operators, before they conclude by asking Shawn about the 5G part of his job title. Telecoms.com false No 6892 Vodafone, Open RAN and digital control https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/vodafone-open-ran-and-digital-control/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/vodafone-open-ran-and-digital-control/#comments Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1777845675 No guest this week so you get a looser version of the podders, including some extra fruity language. Telecoms.com false No 7316 Nokia, fibre and trade shows https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nokia-fibre-and-trade-shows/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/nokia-fibre-and-trade-shows/#comments Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1771414557 The pod is delighted to welcome special guest Rafael De Fermin, SVP of the Nokia Networks Infrastructure business in Europe. They start by exploring exactly what Rafa’s bit of the company does, which leads to a broader discussion of the fixed-line world, on which mobile technology is increasingly reliant. They eventually move on to chat about trade shows, including the recent MWC and the surprisingly big LEAP, before concluding with a quick look at Apple’s battle of wills with the EU. Telecoms.com false No 4436 MWC 24 show floor special https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mwc-24-show-floor-special/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mwc-24-show-floor-special/#comments Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1764763926 The traditional Mobile World Congress show floor recording of the pod is brought to you from the media centre this year. Once more they were delighted to welcome journalist George ‘available’ Malim as a special guest and start by reflecting on the dominant theme of the show – AI. They move on to share some of their other observations and experiences form MWC 24 until the video crew tell them to shut up because it has better things to do. Telecoms.com false No 4487 MWC 2024 preview special https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mwc-2024-preview-special/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/mwc-2024-preview-special/#comments Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1754836155 This special episode of the pod, recorded early to allow you to listen to it on the plane to Barcelona, features special returning guest – Analyst Dean Bubley. Most of the time is spent anticipating the key themes of discussion at the show, including 5G, AI, APIs and regulation, with an emphasis of cutting through the hype. Thery eventually move on to breaking news around European telecoms regulation before concluding with a quick look at Vodafone’s latest Open RAN announcements. Telecoms.com false No 6569 Regulation, 5G and enshittification https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/regulation-5g-and-enshittification/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/regulation-5g-and-enshittification/#comments Mon, 19 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1751501109 The pod was delighted to welcome returning special guest William Webb this week, who’s got a book out. The book focuses on how UK regulation is standing in the way of our strategic communications aims and how to fix it. Inevitably that leads to a few Ofcom and regulatory tangents, including recent developments in the EU. They move on to discuss the vision for 5G articulated at a recent Ericsson event, which includes another look at Open RAN, before concluding with a look at a neologism that describes how internet platforms inevitably deteriorate. Telecoms.com false No 6678 BT, Three and metaverse https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/bt-three-and-metaverse/ https://thetelecomscompodcast.podbean.com/e/bt-three-and-metaverse/#comments Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000 tag:soundcloud,2010:tracks/1744738548 The pod was delighted to welcome super-sub Gabriel Brown, Analyst at Heavy Reading, who stepped in at the last minute after another guest pulled a sickie. They stated by reviewing a BT network update meeting all three attended that morning, with a lengthy tangent onto a TM Forum AI-themed gathering the day before. They move on to hear about Iain’s trip to Glasgow with Three, before concluding with a look at a deal between Disney and Epic and how it might revive the metaverse. Telecoms.com false No 7068