Staying Connected

In mid-May, two of the largest cable companies in the US, Charter and Cox, entered into an agreement to merge in a deal valued at over $34 billion.  Pending regulatory approval, the deal is expected to close sometime in the latter half of 2026.  In this 5-minute podcast, TC2's Keith Cook joins Tony Mangino to discuss the merger and potential impact on enterprise customers.  If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Internet First & Broadband Services and Strategic Sourcing webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3

In mid-April AT&T updated the General Terms and Conditions in their online Service Guide, which apply to pretty much all its wireline services, to allow them much broader leeway to migrate services as part of what they call a “Technology Migration”.  This is on top of an earlier AT&T Service Guide change that resulted in material cost increases on certain key components of their SIP Trunking service. In this 10-minute podcast, LB3's Laura McDonald joins Tony Mangino to discuss these changes and how to effectively manage your deal in the face of supplier service guides.  If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Network Services Transactions and Strategic Sourcing webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

Recent technology advancements and changes in the regulatory environment have made Private 5G a more attractive technology for enterprise applications, including “Wi-Fi” for industrial, educational, and corporate campuses and numerous IoT (Internet of Things) applications. In this 8-minute podcast, David Lee of TC2 and Steve Rosen of LB3 join Tony Mangino to discuss the state of the market for Private 5G, CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) and FWA (Fixed Wireless) and how these services should feature prominently in the strategic plan for your enterprise.  If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development and Spectrum, Wireless & Infrastructure Development webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

The commitment to sustainability initiatives, such as net-zero emissions targets and renewable energy consumption measures, is moving from the corporate boardroom into the decision-making process for selecting strategic ICT service suppliers. In this 8-minute podcast, TC2 Director Tony Mangino joins LB3 Partner Deb Boehling to discuss the challenges of quantifying and evaluating the "soft benefits" of sustainability from an ICT procurement perspective and whether these benefits are translating into real cost savings for enterprise customers. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

As Cisco has grown from a network device OEM to a multifaceted software supplier across networking, UC, security services, observability tools, and a plethora of other products, enterprises' relationships with Cisco have become correspondingly complex.  Add to this, a deep-rooted pattern at Cisco of targeting price increases, and any negotiation with Cisco quickly becomes very challenging. In this 10-minute podcast, TC2 Managing Director Ben Fox joins Tony Mangino to discuss the layers of complexity involved when engaging with Cisco and how to best prepare for and succeed in your next Cisco negotiation. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

In 2025, we anticipate the continued enterprise migration to Contact Center as a Service (“CCaaS”) solutions. Customers are facing the difficulty of keeping good contact center agents, the end-of-life status of existing equipment and software, and the shift by providers from on-prem to cloud-based offerings with effective AI use cases.  In this 8-minute episode of Staying Connected, Julie Gardner of TC2 and Laura McDonald of LB3 join Tony Mangino to discuss the state of the CCaaS market, and how savvy customers are utilizing RFPs and pilots to select best in class solutions that align with business and technical requirements. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development Services and Strategic Sourcing webpages. ·         Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

Big changes in Washington have created big changes in the regulatory environment for ICT services—which may impact the ICT products and services that enterprise customers buy to run their businesses and, importantly, how much they must pay for them.  What are the impacts of big, proposed tariffs on the costs of ICT?  What's going to happen to USF and how much will enterprise customers have to pay for it?  And, did enterprise customers get regulatory protection from net neutrality rules or did the ISPs effectively quash their implementation? In this 11-minute episode of Staying Connected, Andrew Brown of LB3 joins Tony Mangino to discuss headline regulatory issues in 2025 and the potential effect of new tariffs on enterprise ICT services. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Communications Regulatory Advice and Advocacy webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

The complexity and number of ICT-related invoices continue to increase exponentially.  Enterprises are migrating to multi-platform, multi-vendor services, and cloud-based solutions with rates that are unclear or unchecked. In this 9-minute episode of Staying Connected, Theresa Knutson and Frank Zagrodnik join Tony Mangino to discuss the evolving landscape of TEM services and strategies for extracting maximum value from your TEM solution. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our TEM Services and IT Cost Management webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3

In this 7-minute episode of Staying Connected, Ben Fox joins Tony Mangino to demystify NaaS and related “as-a-service,” utility-based, network service and pricing models.  They discuss the confusing marketing suppliers use for NaaS, what customers want from a true NaaS proposition, and the reality of translating network infrastructure into utility-based service and pricing models. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting and Strategy Development webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3

On this episode of Staying Connected we continue our discussion on the evolution of the LEO satellite market and the enterprise use case for these solutions. In this 9-minute podcast, David Lee and Steve Rosen join Tony Mangino to discuss the technical and regulatory factors that make LEOs a viable competitor to traditional terrestrial Internet service and point to increased enterprise adoption.  If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting and Strategy Development webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, has recognized that the market for mobile termination charges for bulk messaging isn't working. With significant market power, some providers have increased these charges by 70% since 2021 and there's no end in sight. On January 28th, Ofcom proposed a price cap on mobile termination charges for messaging.      In this 5-minute podcast, Deb Boehling, a partner at LB3, joins Tony Mangino to describe the proposal and consider what enterprise customers can do to take advantage of the potential savings. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Network Services Transactions webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

Non-FCC mandated surcharges on ICT services have increased threefold over the last ten years, and AT&T's recent increase in its Property Tax Surcharge is just the latest installment.      In this 7-minute podcast, Deb Boehling, a partner at LB3, joins Tony Mangino to unpack the surcharge regimes and discuss what enterprise customers can do to address, or at a minimum be prepared for, these material service cost uplifts. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Network Services Transactions webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3

ERP systems have been around for many years, but there is now a significant focus on modernizing ERP systems by shifting them to the cloud.  In this 8-minute podcast, Marc Lindsey, a partner at LB3, joins Tony Mangino to discuss the risks and opportunities companies face when transacting for and adopting ERP SaaS, including: vendor lock-in, ERP implementations, and strategies for controlling costs. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Network Services Transactions and Information Technology Advisory Services webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3

At TC2 we continue to see IT outsourcing as an important and growing space for enterprise customers.  Recent engagements confirm the shift away from "factory" style managed services toward dedicated staffing models as well as the evolution of IT tooling approaches and the rise of the experience level agreement (XLA).    In this 11-minute podcast, TC2 Managing Director Ben Fox and Senior Consultant Bryan Carriker join Tony Mangino to discuss current trends in IT outsourcing deals and the role of XLAs that measure end-user satisfaction and overall experience rather than just technical metrics. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3

What do all the telcos including AT&T, Lumen and Verizon have in common?  That's right, they all rely on service guides and online terms.  Not to be outdone, you'll now also find these shadow provisions in your deals with Avaya, Cisco, Nice, Palo Alto, Z-Scaler…the list goes on. In this 14-minute podcast, LB3 partners Laura McDonald and Deb Boehling join Tony Mangino to provide an update on the ever-changing world of service guides and online terms.  Listen as Laura and Deb reveal key insights on how these online publications are making their way into most ICT deals in your enterprise, what to look out for and what you can actually do about it! If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Network Services Transactions and Strategic Sourcing webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn:  LB3 & TC2

The latest Market Guide for Telecom Expense Management Services from Gartner is out and includes market trends and customer feedback on the major providers in the Telecom Expense Management (“TEM”) services space.  In this 12-minute podcast, Theresa Knutson and Julie Gardner join Tony Mangino to discuss the latest from Gartner and provide their unique perspective on the TEM marketplace.  Listen as Theresa and Julie reveal key insights on sourcing and implementing TEM services and how to extract maximum value from your TEM supplier by conducting a “health check” review. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our IT Cost Management webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn:   TC2 & LB3

The rapid pace of technology change coupled with a corresponding shift in the supplier landscape is driving the need for a fresh look at how to leverage RFPs to achieve improved ROI. In this 9-minute podcast, Larry York joins Tony Mangino to discuss this new sourcing paradigm and how to maximize the outcome of your next RFP. Stay tuned for a follow-up episode where we'll discuss key pre-RFP activities you need to take to deliver a market-leading result. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development Services webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3

Contact Center as a Service (or CCaaS) solutions are evolving in step with developments in the AI space.  AI is impacting both the pricing construct and contractual framework for CCaaS solutions.   In this 10-minute podcast, Laura MacDonald and Julie Gardner join Tony Mangino to share key insights into developing sourcing strategies and contracts for AI enabled CCaaS services and how to secure the right solution at the right price with the necessary terms and conditions. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Network Services Transactions webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

On September 30th, T-Mobile and the FCC reached a settlement that includes over $30 million in penalties and mandatory cybersecurity spending resulting from significant data breaches in 2021, 2022, and 2023.  In this 8-minute podcast, Steve Rosen joins Tony Mangino to discuss the recent T-Mobile Consent Decree and a similar settlement with AT&T related to a data breach in 2023. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Mobile Services and Information Technology Advisory Services webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn:  TC2 & LB3

Broadband technologies are at the heart of the transformation of the enterprise WAN. Wired broadband, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Non-Terrestrial Networks (or satellite) are now being leveraged as a strategic WAN connectivity solution in enterprise networks, globally.  In this 10-minute podcast, David Lee and Brent Knight join Tony Mangino to discuss the broadband technologies being deployed to deliver enterprise-grade solutions that are high bandwidth, low cost, and resilient. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn:  LB3 & TC2

The commercial model and supplier landscape for broadband service is evolving as the rate of enterprise adoption accelerates. In this 8-minute podcast, Keith Cook joins Tony Mangino to discuss the challenge of identifying the optimal balance between available broadband technologies, suppliers, and financial outcomes.   If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn:  TC2 & LB3

An entity called National Public Data was recently victimized by what may be the second-largest data breach in history, impacting both individuals and enterprises.  As data breaches seem only to increase in frequency, enterprise customers cannot rely on service providers alone to keep their data safe—they must be proactive about security, which includes negotiating appropriately protective contract terms, limiting unnecessary data exchange, and enforcing internal security practices. In this 7-minute podcast, Deb Boehling joins Sara Crifasi to discuss how enterprises can negotiate appropriate terms in their IT and telecom agreements for necessary protections related to data breaches. > Follow us on LinkedIn:  LB3 & TC2

At LB3 and TC2 we are continuing to cover the strategic shift in enterprise networking toward broadband.  In this 7-minute episode, Tony Mangino joins Sara Crifasi to break down the business case for broadband and discuss how enterprise customers can leverage the opportunity for cost savings and enhanced connectivity.  With appropriate planning, enterprises can weigh the practicalities and potential challenges of integrating broadband into their network strategies, gaining necessary foresight prior to engaging procurement. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpages. > Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

AI continues to drive innovation in the Contact-Center-as-a-Service (CCaaS) space, significantly improving agent efficiency and customer experience.  However, the use of AI in CCaaS solutions, while almost ubiquitous, is not without potential risk to the enterprise. In this 10-minute podcast, Laura McDonald joins Tony Mangino to discuss pending legal actions related to AI and CCaaS service and strategies to mitigate the legal risks inherent in the technology.  If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Network Services Transactions and Information Technology Advisory Services webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn:  LB3 & TC2

Two recent Supreme Court decisions may shake things up at the FCC when it comes to rulemakings and enforcement authority.  In this 7-minute podcast, Steve Rosen joins Sara Crifasi to talk about how the Supreme Court rulings in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and SEC v. Jarkesy could lead to a slowdown in the FCC's implementation of new rules. If you would like to learn more about our experience in the regulatory space, please visit our Communications Regulatory Advice & Advocacy webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 &TC2

AT&T recently revealed that it suffered a major data breach affecting nearly all of its wireless subscribers, making this one of the largest communications data breaches in recent history. While data breaches are all too common today, enterprise customers shouldn't let their frequency desensitize them from maintaining best practices in contracting for security. In this 8-minute podcast, Deb Boehling joins Sara Crifasi to discuss how enterprises can negotiate appropriate terms in their IT and telecom agreements for appropriate protections related to service providers' breaches. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

At TC2 we continue to observe a strategic shift in enterprise networking toward broadband, and the rate of adoption is accelerating.  In this 7-minute podcast, Keith Cook and Brent Knight join Tony Mangino to discuss why customers are more willing than ever to leverage broadband service in their networks and key considerations for developing your broadband strategy. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn:  TC2 & LB3

This year, several LB3 and TC2 colleagues attended the annual Enterprise Connect conference – a massive event focused on communications, collaboration and CX for enterprise customers.  Enterprise Connect provides a venue for customers, service providers, and subject matter experts to explore new service offerings and network with others in the ICT space. In this 8-minute podcast, TC2's Theresa Knutson, Julie Gardner, and Frank Zagrodnik joined Sara Crifasi to discuss their conference takeaways, including exploring incorporation of AI into UCaaS and CCaaS offerings and attending sessions focused on supporting legacy services while undertaking transformational technologies. Follow us on LinkedIn:  TC2 & LB3

TC2 is pleased to announce the launch of our IT Cost Management (ITCM) practice that consolidates key service lines focused on rapidly delivering and sustaining IT cost savings for our clients. In this 9-minute podcast, ITCM practice lead Theresa Knutson joins Tony Mangino to discuss core competencies and specific focus areas of the practice including Technology Expense Management, Cost Optimization and Billing Audits, and Lifecycle Services. If you would like to learn more about the ITCM practice, please visit our IT Cost Management webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn:  TC2 & LB3

At the core of most, if not all, outsourcing initiatives is the desire for innovation that will deliver radical change and improvement in the delivery of IT services and support.  The reality is that this outcome becomes aspirational when confronted with the need to simply “keep the lights on”. In this 8-minute podcast, TC2 Managing Director Ben Fox joins Tony Mangino to explore this outsourcing conundrum and how both the customer and the supplier can approach these opportunities to drive successful innovation and truly transformational change in the end user experience. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting and Strategy Development webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn:  TC2 & LB3

On the telecom regulatory front, the FCC is formally reinstating a new set of net neutrality rules that reignites what is a highly controversial, on-again/off-again debate regarding the regulation of broadband Internet access services (BIAS).  In this 10-minute podcast, Steve Rosen and Sara Crifasi join Tony Mangino to explain the FCC's latest action and why enterprise customers of ICT services should be paying attention. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Communications Regulatory Advice & Advocacy webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn:  LB3 & TC2

Cost of living adjustments, or COLA, are always a key topic in outsourcing contracts, and their presence in negotiations has only been exacerbated with COVID and recent general inflationary pressures. In this 7-minute podcast, Ben Fox joins Sara Crifasi to discuss service providers' recent struggles with COLA and how enterprise customers can manage their negotiations to avoid unnecessary cost increases. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development Services and Strategic Sourcing webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn:  TC2 & LB3

As enterprise customers know, layoffs and downsizing are a constant part of the ICT provider business lifecycle. Recently, Lumen announced that it will be reducing its staff by approximately 7%, and enterprises may feel the impact of the provider's decreased headcount. In this 5-minute podcast, TC2's Brent Knight joins Sara Crifasi to examine Lumen's latest cost-cutting measure and what it means for the competitive landscape for ICT services. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Contract Compliance and Optimization and Strategic Sourcing webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn:  LB3 & TC2

AT&T is quietly proceeding with a corporate restructuring that will, in AT&T's words, involve a series of internal transactions that “merges AT&T Corp. out of existence”.  AT&T has not made any flashy announcements about this change.  Instead, they have added one line to relevant invoices telling customers that “effective May 1, 2024, any services provided by AT&T Corp. will be provided by AT&T Enterprises, LLC.” In this 11-minute podcast, Laura McDonald joins Tony Mangino to discuss the restructuring, what happens to client contracts and deals, and what enterprise customers that purchase services from AT&T Corp. can and should be doing.  If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Network Services Transactions and Strategic Sourcing webpages. You can also follow us on LinkedIn:  LB3 & TC2

While companies should always be on the lookout for unexpected hikes in their ICT spend, in today's uncertain environment it is more important than ever to maintain vigilance.  Just last month Lumen notified its customers of an upcoming change to their operational and technical support structure that may leave enterprises footing a steeper bill. In this 5-minute podcast, TC2's Theresa Knutson and Frank Zagrodnik join Sara Crifasi to discuss Lumen's forthcoming shift in support and what enterprises can do to alleviate the corresponding unanticipated cost increase. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Contract Compliance & Optimization and Success Stories webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn:  LB3 & TC2

Merger and acquisition activity can be beneficial to the business, but it can also lead to complications when it comes to integrating ICT deals of the two entities.  Harmonizing disparate commercial terms, service schedules and pricing from legacy contracts can be a headache. In this 7-minute podcast, Keith Cook and Tony Mangino discuss how, when approached strategically, deal integration presents a unique opportunity to both reduce costs and increase commercial flexibility across a broader portfolio of services.  If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Contract Compliance & Optimization webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3

On Saturday, March 30th, AT&T announced a significant data breach that exposed the sensitive personal information of millions of its current and former customers.  As data breaches seem only to increase in frequency, enterprise customers can't rely on service providers alone to keep their data safe—they must be proactive about security, which includes negotiating appropriately protective contract terms, limiting unnecessary data exchange, and enforcing internal security practices. On our latest 11-minute podcast, Laura McDonald and Deb Boehling join Sara Crifasi to discuss what enterprise customers should know about AT&T's latest breach and what they should do to protect their sensitive data going forward. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

5G was in the doldrums, but 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is a success story – it is growing and we predict more adoption by enterprise customers in 2024. In certain industries, particularly those with more remote or ex-suburban presences, 5G FWA tempts enterprise customers as an alternative to fixed broadband.  Investments by providers, fueled by the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program and other available funds (e.g., Connect America Fund), will make 5G FWA more available and affordable.  In 2024, we also predict the accelerated adoption of 5G and Wi-Fi 6E and 7 technologies as enterprises prioritize wireless connectivity for critical applications, leading to a hybrid wired-wireless WAN architecture. In this 10-minute podcast, Deb Boehling and David Lee join Tony Mangino to discuss how 5G FWA will become an increasingly popular option for the enterprise ICT network architecture. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Mobility Services – In-Country, Regional, Global and Success Stories webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

This is the season of AI, and it should be no surprise that we predict that AI will continue to have a significant (and growing) impact on the ICT market and day-to-day use of information, communications, and network deals. Three areas in which AI-driven change will directly impact ICT in 2024: (1) the backend processes for vendors, including NOCs and staffing, (2) the refined use of AI in enterprises' management of their services and customer relationships, and (3) security – with both improvements and new threat factors accelerating. In the face of these changes, Kevin DiLallo and Sara Crifasi join Tony Mangino for this 13-minute podcast to discuss a number of contract terms that enterprise customers should incorporate into their agreements to keep their data and reputations well protected. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development and Information Technology Advisory Services webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3, TC2

2024 is a year of customer/user experience. In this 12-minute podcast, Frank Zagrodnik and Bryan Carriker join Sara Crifasi to discuss how enterprises continue to evolve their use of outsourced managed network service (MNS) arrangements, including co-management models – where the customer and provider collaborate on delivering certain functions deemed critical to the business. Changes in the provider landscape will accelerate this review, and combined with ever-evolving automation, machine learning and AI tools will provide ample opportunity for enterprises to examine their needs and obtain the savings and the end user experience they require from their MNS provider and solution.   If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Managed Services & Outsourcing and Success Stories webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

Enterprises did a herculean job of adapting to the pressures imposed by the pandemic, but now find themselves managing multiple cloud solutions with confusing invoices and overwhelming costs.  In 2024 enterprise customers will deal with two big cloud-related challenges – cloud management and cloud costs. In this 10-minute podcast, Deb Boehling and Brent Knight join Tony Mangino to discuss what Cloud Services are, examine management of diverse cloud environments, integrating WAN Solutions with cloud management platforms, migration strategies, and ways to eliminate wasted spend in this technology investment. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Cloud Services and Success Stories webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3, TC2

When rethinking their ICT infrastructure strategy, enterprise customers will demonstrate an increased willingness to diversify away from Cisco, focusing on the continued transformation to cost-effective, secure, easy-to-manage, cloud-first architectures.  Equipment providers including Juniper, Palo Alto, Arista Networks, and HPE/Aruba are positioned favorably to benefit from the diversification.  Odds are that the Gartner quadrants will look very different at the end of 2024 than at the beginning of this year.  In this 8-minute podcast, David Lee joins Tony Mangino to discuss how Cisco's competitors are successfully exploiting some of its weaknesses to capture market share, and where Cisco may be trending in the right direction.  If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Hardware & Licensing and Success Stories webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3, TC2

Looking forward into 2024, we expect an upsurge in migrations from on-premise solutions to cloud and hybrid cloud deployments.  While enterprises often engage third-party help for implementation support and optimization as they move from legacy to cloud-based solutions, once implemented, enterprises will continue to bring more of the day-to-day management in-house. Listen to this 9-minute podcast as LB3's Laura McDonald and TC2's Julie Gardner join Sara Crifasi to discuss the maturation and development of the CCaaS provider market and solution capabilities.  Effective integration and adoption of AI in CaaS solutions is expected to improve both customer and agent experience in the coming year but be prepared for telco providers' increasing push for managed solutions as they lose traditional contact center space and encounter increased competition from niche system integrators. You can learn more about our experience in the space by visiting our Unified Communication & Collaboration and Success Stories websites. Follow us on LinkedIn:  LB3 & TC2

On this episode of Staying Connected we continue our ongoing discussion of enterprise use of private 5G networks in general and in particular, enterprise use of Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS). In this 9-minute podcast, David Lee and Steve Rosen join Tony Mangino to discuss the technical and regulatory idiosyncrasies of CBRS and examine enterprise uptake of CBRS and the role that providers, equipment manufacturers, and regulators have in supporting increased enterprise adoption of this service.  If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development and Success Stories webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3

Laws and regulations related to technology issues can have direct (and sometimes indirect) impacts on the cost and delivery of the products and services that enterprise customers must purchase to keep their businesses running.  In 2024, information and communications technology policy developments coming out of the Federal Communications Commission – including updates on net neutrality, SIM swapping and port-out fraud, robocalling and robotexting, USF reform, and 911 requirements – will certainly influence enterprises' procurement decisions, operations, and customer outreach behaviors. In this 9-minute podcast, Andrew Brown and Sara Crifasi join Tony Mangino to discuss the forthcoming ICT regulatory developments that enterprise customers should be aware of. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Communications Regulatory Advice & Advocacy and Success Stories webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2

Satellite networks, low-earth orbit (LEO) constellations, and edge computing solutions will play a more prominent role in WAN connectivity for remote locations and latency-sensitive applications.  LEO providers will begin trialing technologies such as optical inter-satellite links (OISL) that create mesh networks in space with the ability to transport data 30% faster than terrestrial fiber optical cables.  In addition, we see terrestrial wave service deployments growing as enterprises continue to seek more bandwidth and lower latency WAN solutions that Internet and MPLS services cannot deliver. In this 10-minute podcast, David Lee joins Sara Crifasi to discuss the latest news on LEO satellites, the use of Passive Optical Network (PON) technology to deliver fiber-based Broadband services, and Wave services – three technologies that may not be in front of mind for CIOs. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development and Information Technology Advisory Services webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2, LB3

MPLS has long been the networking technology of choice for most enterprises.  But while many enterprises have already dropped MPLS completely many others still rely on MPLS and, arguably, are losing out on the benefits of alternative networking technologies. In this 11-minute podcast, Mark Sheard and Keith Cook join Tony Mangino to discuss how the enterprise WAN is evolving and provide key considerations for embarking on your transformational activity and effectively managing around indecision, setting your organization up for success. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development and Strategic Sourcing webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2, LB3

In this special New Year's installment of Staying Connected, we identify trends and share predictions in the ICT market and how we think they will impact enterprises in 2024. This 12-minute podcast features Laura McDonald, a Partner at LB3, and Tony Mangino, Director at TC2, to give you a preview of TC2 and LB3's predictions and hot topics for 2024.  Be sure to stay tuned to Staying Connected for a forthcoming special series of podcasts where we'll take a deeper dive into these trends that we see as likely shaping the ICT marketplace in 2024.

Private 5G has drawn little media attention compared to consumer-oriented 5G from the big 3 wireless providers. However, Private 5G is gaining traction in the enterprise space with specific business and use cases. In this 14-minute podcast, TC2's Technology Director David Lee and Steve Rosen, Partner at LB3, join Tony Mangino to discuss the technical elements and regulatory considerations of the service and how Amazon's recent move into this market may end up an overall boost to the uptake of Private 5G in the enterprise community. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpage.

Lately, not a day goes by when artificial intelligence isn't in the news—but from AI to foundation models to machine learning to Generative AI, you need to have a baseline understanding of what the various services can do before you can determine what type of AI will best fit your enterprise, particularly in the ICT space. In this 11-minute episode, Kevin DiLallo, a partner at LB3, joins Sara Crifasi to kick off a series of Staying Connected podcasts on AI for the enterprise. This episode is meant as an introductory session. Future podcasts in this series will include: ·         Coverage of the technology underlying AI and Generative AI and how it differs from other technology tools used by enterprises ·         What enterprises should know when contracting for AI-based tools ·         Developing legislation and regulation of AI and what it means for enterprise customers ·         Data protection and privacy issues implicated by Generative AI ·         Commercial issues in the procurement of AI-based tools. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Information Technology Advisory Services and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpages.

It's that time again when organizations that operate on a calendar-based fiscal year are in the midst of the complex task of budgeting for 2024.  Transformational projects, projected usage trends, understanding your contracts, and the moving target of taxes and regulatory charges all play into the exercise. In this 10-minute podcast, Theresa Knutson, Julie Gardner, and Frank Zagrodnik join Tony Mangino to provide helpful insights on the sometimes overlooked, but critically important, function of budgeting and forecasting for your ICT spend. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Lifecycle Services and Success Stories webpages.