The Week with Roger

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner examine the shifting reporting metrics at AT&T and T-Mobile, and why these optics don't alter the underlying fundamentals. 00:00 Episode intro 00:24 AT&T's improved disclosures 02:00 The analytics are still on target 03:10 T-Mobile shifts to account-level churn reporting 06:13 Transparency in the wireless industry 07:40 T-Mobile's free line issue 08:57 Listener shout-outs and appreciation 09:21 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, disclosures, AT&T, T-Mobile, churn, Verizon, ARPU, free lines, Q4, Q1

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner share insights from the recent T-Mobile Capital Markets Day update event, covering changes in the retail store strategy, new AI translation features, and updated reporting metrics.00:00 Episode intro 00:24 T-Mobile Capital Markets Day event overview 01:39 Pursuing convergence through fiber and FWA 02:37 Live AI translation could be a game-changer 04:03 Telecom must transcend the “dumb pipe” 05:08 Latency is key going forward 06:01 How AI actually impacts user experience 08:20 Key reporting metrics are changing 10:28 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, AI, T-Mobile, retail, FWA, fiber, convergence, USI, translation, network, Verizon, AT&T, latency, Apple, Android, churn, Srini Gopalan

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner react to news of Sampath's pending departure as CEO of Verizon's Consumer Group, discuss potential successors, and analyze what the leadership shakeup could mean for the competitive landscape.00:00 Episode intro 00:26 Sampath to exit Verizon 02:26 Who will be next? 04:40 Selection will likely come from outside 06:15 Impact on T-Mobile and its push toward T-Life 08:23 AT&T's relative stability and upcoming headquarters move 10:16 Q1 metrics are shifting 10:51 Industry excitement and episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Verizon, Sampath, CEO, Ronan Dunne, Manon Brouilette, Dan Schulman, Alfonso Villanueva, T-Mobile, T-Life, layoffs, AT&T, John Stankey, headquarters, convergence, John Legere

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner analyze Q4 earnings for AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, and Charter, with additional insights on convergence and FWA.00:00 Episode intro 00:24 AT&T Q4 overview 01:40 Convergence has supplanted handset upgrades 03:30 Verizon Q4 overview 05:18 Comcast Q4 overview 05:45 Charter Q4 overview 06:35 Charter is taking FWA seriously 07:15 Charter's wireless line metrics 07:58 Episode wrap-up Tags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, earnings, AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Charter, cable, net adds, FWA, convergence, devices, churn, iPhone, value, fiber, Frontier, bundling, upgrades, video, NFL, T-Mobile

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss Comcast's new loyalty program, Xfinity Membership, and whether it will work as intended for the cable giant.00:00 Episode intro 00:25 Xfinity Membership overview 02:18 Loyalty plans actually drive acquisitions 04:04 Tangible vs. vague rewards 05:17 Verizon and T-Mobile's loyalty programs 06:49 Will these programs work for cable? 07:58 Customer care as a potential perk and episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Comcast, Xfinity, cable, loyalty, T-Mobile, Peacock, Verizon, churn, NPS, customer-centric, support

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss several Verizon-related topics, including the recent outage, new rules on device unlocking, and the Frontier acquisition, plus HHS's plan to study cellphone radiation.00:00 Episode intro 00:25 Verizon outage diagnosis 03:23 What's the proper recourse? 04:28 FCC rescinds Verizon's 60-day phone unlocking requirements 07:13 Implications for competitors 08:37 California clears Verizon's acquisition of Frontier 11:31 Convergence is back on the table 12:19 HHS to study cellphone radiation 15:37 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Verizon, outage, 5G, network, FCC, spectrum, net neutrality, devices, cable, AT&T, BYOD, churn, Frontier, DSL, convergence, FWA, radiation, safety, HHS, CTIA

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss T-Mobile's new three-line Better Value family plan, what it means for retention, and how competitors might respond.00:00 Episode intro 00:26 T-Mobile's new family plan overview 01:42 Loyalty plans as acquisition tools 03:26 Who is actually switching? 04:48 FWA and cable retention 05:35 T-Mobile's strategy and episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, T-Mobile, Better Value, plans, satellite, loyalty, tenure, switching, Verizon, AT&T, cable, FWA

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Recon's XJ Wang to share insights from the new report on device insurance and discuss the changes carriers must make to retain their customer base.00:00 Episode intro 00:26 Device insurance market overview 02:32 The “Income Paradox” and market disruptors 06:05 Innovative strategies in the space 07:58 Carriers should seize opportunities 11:15 Changes are key to customer retention 12:35 Report overview and episode wrap-upThe Anxiety Premium: Structural Disruption and Behavioral Economics in the U.S. Device Insurance Market: https://www.reconanalytics.com/products/the-anxiety-premium-structural-disruption-and-behavioral-economics-in-the-us-device-insurance-market/Tags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, XJ Wang, devices, insurance, switching, Spectrum, AKKO, T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, ARPU, Charter, MVNO, churn, retention

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Recon's CEO of AI, Joe Salesky, to discuss his new report on the obstacles to mass AI adoption and what the industry may look like in 2026.00:00 Episode intro00:25 AI adoption has stalled despite model improvement02:17 First-party data's role in adoption03:58 Model Context Protocol is needed05:55 Navigating privacy concerns07:28 When will mass adoption occur?08:18 Google and Meta's prospects09:14 Predictions for 202610:31 Report overview and future AI research12:03 Episode wrap-upReport link:Genius Myopia: Why Smarter Models Aren't Enough - Digital Product ReportsTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Joe Salesky, AI, LLM, NPS, data, OpenAI, Google, Gemini, Microsoft, Claude, MCP, Apple, privacy, Facebook, Meta, 2026

On the Christmas episode, analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Peter Adderton, founder of Boost and MobileX, and Ronan Dunne, former CEO of Verizon's Consumer Group and O2, for a spirited discussion on MNOs, MVNOs, and the current state of the wireless industry.00:00 Episode intro00:27 MVNOs vs. their host carriers04:42 Segmentation as a powerful market force07:42 Wholesale vs. retail12:31 A lack of choices in the U.S.14:30 Is price the key concern?16:54 Why consumers actually change carriers18:42 Networks depend on MNO pricing20:44 Verizon, Visible, and subscriber growth24:23 MVNO strategy must differ26:20 Upselling lower-income customers27:40 Cable's free line strategy as a model28:51 Is Total relevant or not?31:10 Price vs. value31:57 The current landscape is unsustainable33:36 Which metrics matter?35:52 MVNO branding is falling short39:45 Business models should be customer-centric41:23 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Peter Adderton, Ronan Dunne, Christmas, MobileX, O2, Verizon, Boost, MVNO, MNO, carriers, Visible, cable, Comcast, Charter, Europe, Straight Talk, FWA, Mint, pricing, T-Mobile, giffgaff, data, network, Consumer Cellular, TracFone, ARPU, churn, Total, net adds, KPIs, value

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner share insights from Recon's new Super Owner Economics report as Comcast and Charter look to reshape the wireless industry through CBRS deployment.00:00 Episode intro 00:25 Comcast and Charter build out CBRS networks 02:57 Implications for Verizon and other MSOs 04:59 Cable's strategy and service bundling 06:41 FWA vs. fiber 07:51 Charter's approach to customers 08:48 Exploding prices are still around 10:35 Consumer satisfaction insights 11:51 Christmas episode teaser and episode wrap-upSuper Owner Economics: Charter & Comcast's Network Jiu-Jitsu - Digital Product ReportsTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, cable, Charter, Comcast, spectrum, CBRS, network, AT&T, T-Mobile, rural, Verizon, bundling, FWA, fiber, DOCSIS 4.0, pricing, NPS, Spectrum Mobile

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner break down the satellite market's shift toward three dominant players, as well as the complex mix of big personalities and government regulation shaping it.00:00 Episode intro 00:25 The state of satellite and Starlink alternatives 03:01 Amazon Leo's status 03:40 The rise of the three-player market 04:18 Backstopping BEAD and rural access 06:27 Direct to Consumer questions remain 08:19 Shadows of Charlie Ergen 08:55 Episode wrap-upThe “Starlink's Victory, Amazon's Sprint and GEOs crashing: The divergent realities of Satellite Broadband” is available at: https://www.reconanalytics.com/products/2027-november-satellite-report-vf/Starlink's Victory Lap, Amazon's Sprint, and GEOs Crashing: The Divergent Realities Satellite Broadband - Digital Product ReportsTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, satellite, Starlink, BEAD, Amazon, Leo, AST, AT&T, Verizon, Elon Musk, FCC, DoD, Golden Dome, rural, T-Mobile, B2C, spectrum, 5G, Charlie Ergen

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner examine the FCC's forthcoming C-band spectrum auction and its broader implications for both the wireless and satellite sectors.00:00 Episode intro 00:30 Spectrum auction news and analysis 02:18 Who will be the likely bidders? 03:09 Uses for unlicensed spectrum 04:54 Increased competition in broadband 07:08 How much is the spectrum worth? 08:52 Christmas episode update and episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, spectrum, C-band, FCC, auction, Dish, Elon Musk, unlicensed, FWA, Wi-Fi, BEAD, satellite, rural, Amazon, Leo, Starlink, fiber, Verizon

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner share insights from T-Mobile's recent Switching Made Easy event in Las Vegas and explore how the Un-carrier's bold strategies could shake up the industry in the new year.00:00 Episode intro 00:36 T-Mobile's Switching Made Easy event overview 03:17 Utilizing apps to simplify switching 05:17 Carrier switching pain points 07:24 Including devices in the process 09:46 Upselling and device insurance 13:53 How will the competition respond? 15:29 Ongoing research insights 17:36 2026 industry outlook 18:00 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, T-Mobile, Un-carrier, switching, Srini Gopalan, Verizon, Dan Schulman, Comcast, Dennis Strigl, T-Life, devices, DoorDash, retail, insurance, Charter, gross adds, research, net adds, 2026

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the growing expectations of Verizon layoffs, what a potential restructuring could mean for carrier retail, and why 2026 may be a make-or-break year for the wireless industry. 00:00 Episode intro 00:25 Verizon layoffs overview 02:07 Why Q4 matters 04:13 Carrier cost-cutting and retail evolution 06:17 Layoffs were not a surprise 06:39 2026 will be pivotal for wireless 07:01 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Verizon, layoffs, Dan Schulman, net adds, T-Mobile, gross adds, retail, 2026

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss Dish's Q3 earnings, its sale of spectrum to SpaceX, and T-Mobile's new Text-to-911 offer that's free to all.00:00 Episode intro 00:26 Dish Q3 earnings overview 01:22 AWS-3 sold to SpaceX 03:03 How will Elon use the spectrum?04:00 T-Mobile offers free emergency 911 texting 04:56 Dead zones are dying 06:52 Charlie Ergen's impressive legacy 08:38 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Dish, EchoStar, Charlie Ergen, Elon Musk, AWS-3, spectrum, SpaceX, Boost, Verizon, rural, T-Mobile, John Legere, satellite, Starlink, AT&T

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss Q3 earnings from Verizon, Comcast, and Charter, and what these trends signal for the industry heading into 2026. 00:00 Episode intro 00:25 Verizon earnings overview 02:25 Cable stops raising prices on fewer customers 04:53 How should Verizon use its network? 07:31 Youth-centric plans to attract customers 09:04 Comcast and Charter earnings overview 10:18 2026 industry predictions 12:46 Can T-Mobile overtake Verizon? 14:07 Comcast is poised for change 16:13 Cable vs. wireless in 2026 16:56 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, earnings, Verizon, Comcast, Charter, Dan Schulman, T-Mobile, AT&T, FWA, Dennis Strigl, network, 5G, cable, Srini Gopalan, Mike Sievert, John Legere, fiber

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner break down Q3 earnings for AT&T and T-Mobile, exploring strengths, weaknesses, and what the numbers reveal about their future as industry leaders.00:00 Episode intro 00:25 AT&T Q3 overview 02:59 Convergence as a key strategy 04:35 T-Mobile Q3 overview 05:27 Price increases and free lines 07:35 AT&T CapEx and rural strategy 09:02 T-Mobile's network leadership 09:27 AT&T and Verizon's new ad campaigns 11:26 Which metrics are trustworthy? 13:38 Networks are meeting customer needs 15:38 Verizon Q3 predictions and episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, earnings, AT&T, net adds, convergence, fiber, Frontier, spectrum, T-Mobile, cable, FWA, ARPA, network, satellite, Starlink, Verizon, Comcast, Nielsen, churn, Ookla

AnalystsDon Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss Verizon's appointment of Dan Schulmanas its new CEO, exploring what his leadership could mean for both the company and its competition. 00:00 Episode intro 00:39 Dan Schulman as new Verizon CEO 03:16 Schulman's experience aligns with Verizon's strengths 06:44 Pricing and customer service predictions 08:40 Building upon Verizon's corporate legacy09:45 Competing in a crowded telecom industry 11:27 Recon's future insights and episode wrap-upTags:telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, DonKellogg, Roger Entner, Verizon, Dan Schulman, Sampath, Priceline, PayPal,myPlan, AI, customer service, T-Mobile, AT&T, Frontier, cable, Mint, FWA,convergence

Analysts Don Kellogg and Daryl Schoolar discuss the recent ZTE Global Summit & User Congress, including insights on the practical use of AI, 6G development, and global network standardization.00:00 Episode intro 00:27 ZTE event overview 01:40 Current and future AI network applications 05:44 How much AI is too much? 06:13 The state of the international market 07:56 Operators need the “next big thing” 09:01 ZTE's Pre6G prototype and 6G development 11:38 Prognosis for global network standardization 13:37 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Daryl Schoolar, ZTE, AI, network, automation, LLMs, microloans, gaming, video, China, 5G, slicing, private networks, B2B, 6G, hardware

Analysts Don Kellogg and Jake Hawkridge discuss the recent Wireless Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, highlighting the five new inductees, their career milestones, and how the industry has evolved.00:00 Episode intro 00:26 Ceremony overview 01:22 The 2025 inductees 01:49 Ken Horowitz's career highlights 02:17 Jesse Russell's career highlights 03:09 Elizabeth Sachs's career highlights 03:29 Tom Stroup's career highlights 03:43 Neville Ray's career highlights and T-Mobile's network evolution 06:36 T-Mobile was well-represented at the ceremony 07:30 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Jake Hawkridge, Wireless Hall of Fame, Wireless History Foundation, Ken Horowitz, Jesse Russell, Elizabeth Sachs, Tom Stroup, Neville Ray, pagers, spectrum, Bell Labs, regulation, satellite, T-Mobile, network, 5G

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the upcoming appointment of Srini Gopalan as CEO of T-Mobile and what it means for the future of the company.00:00 Episode intro 00:24 Srini Gopalan's background in telecom 01:48 What company aspects might benefit? 02:53 The evolution of T-Mobile's leadership 03:55 T-Mobile's fiber strategy poses challenges 06:02 The new CEO is a solid choice 06:33 Satellite plans as part of Un-carrier moves 07:20 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, T-Mobile, Srini Gopalan, Deustche Telekom, Un-carrier, fiber, John Legere, Mike Sievert, BEAD, U.S. Internet, copper, satellite, Verizon, AT&T, AST, Elon Musk

Analysts Don Kellogg, Daryl Schoolar, and Jake Hawkridge discuss the recent Ericsson analyst event focused on enterprise strategy and AI innovation.00:00 Episode intro 00:29 The Ericsson event focused on enterprise solutions 02:22 Solutions included private networks, 5G, and AI applications 04:42 Aduna for standardizing network APIs 06:48 Private network applications are focused on industry 08:11 Network APIs and 5G laptops 09:44 Development strategy and 5G deployment 12:48 Private networks are gaining traction 13:55 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Daryl Schoolar, Jake Hawkridge, Ericsson, Vonage, private networks, 5G, AI, Aduna, industry, APIs, broadband, core network

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Tim Farrar, president of TMF Associates, to unpack SpaceX's $17 billion purchase of spectrum from EchoStar, and to discuss the current state of telecom's satellite segment.00:00 Episode intro 00:26 SpaceX's purchase of spectrum from EchoStar 02:51 Paying with equity may cause issues 05:43 Potential uses of the spectrum 08:45 The future of AWS-3 10:36 What was Charlie's strategy? 13:40 Mint succeeded where EchoStar failed 15:22 EchoStar's failed to convince consumers 15:43 Will Elon market effectively? 17:15 The future of AST 17:58 Contract billing details are crucial to end results 18:53 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Tim Farrar, TMF Associates, satellite, Charlie Ergen, Dish, EchoStar, Elon Musk, Starlink, spectrum, SpaceX, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, DTC, BEAD, AWS-3, AWS-4, FCC, 5G, network, MIMO, Mint, Boost, AST

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the pending sale of EchoStar's spectrum assets, who stands to benefit, and the role of regulators in shaping the market.*Note: This episode was recorded 9/5/2025 before the SpaceX acquisition of EchoStar's spectrum assets on 9/8/2025.00:00 Episode intro 00:25 The sale of AWS-4 02:03 Who will buy AWS-3 and 700 MHz? 03:54 Dish's path forward depends on regulators 05:30 Fourth-largest operators traditionally struggle 07:54 MMOs vs. MVNOs 08:39 A failing venture can be a success 10:28 Will spectrum go to good use? 10:49 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Dish, EchoStar, AT&T, AWS-4, Elon Musk, Charlie Ergen, Starlink, FCC, AWS-3, 700 MHz, Verizon, spectrum, T-Mobile, satellite, MVNO, Peter Adderton, Rakuten, network, MMO

Analysts Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, and Daryl Schoolar discuss the recent event at the T-Mobile Executive Briefing Center and Innovation Center in Bellevue, WA, highlighting the company's evolving business strategies and innovative technology applications.00:00 Episode intro 00:29 EBC first impressions and company strategy 03:10 Effectiveness of the EBC 04:03 Catering to the relationship aspect of sales 05:33 T-Mobile's technology advantages 08:42 T-Mobile events are well-rounded 11:00 Slicing and private networks 14:20 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Daryl Schoolar, T-Mobile, L4S, 5G Advanced, slicing, 5G Standalone, Verizon, AT&T, satellite, T-Priority, gaming, private networks

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Angela Rittgers, President of AT&T Prepaid and Cricket Wireless, to discuss Cricket's operations, recent updates, growth plans, and the increasingly blurred lines between prepaid and postpaid.00:00 Episode intro 00:26 Angela's move to Cricket 03:00 Cricket's approach to wireless 05:00 Atlanta's impact on Cricket 05:45 Cricket's new plans focus on unlimited data and hotspots 07:39 Prepaid and postpaid are blending 11:45 Cricket's plan for growth 12:28 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Angela Rittgers, AT&T, Cricket, Boost, Virgin Mobile, John Dwyer, Atlanta, plans, data, hotspots, multiline, devices, value, network, churn

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the launch of Deutsche Telekom's new AI-powered T Phone, as well as the evolution of various AI models and their massive looming impact on mobile carriers.00:00 Episode intro 00:37 Deutsche Telekom launches new Android AI phone 02:03 Perplexity's strategy to integrate with phones 03:12 How are search habits changing? 04:41 Copilot as a competitor 05:26 T Phone represents the future even to US carriers 07:19 Apple Intelligence has held carriers back 07:54 AI continues to advance rapidly 09:05 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, AI, Deutsche Telekom, T Phone, Perplexity, Comet, Chrome, Microsoft, Edge, Copilot, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Google One, Apple Intelligence, ChatGPT, Claude

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Jenifer Robertson, Executive Vice President & General Manager of Mass Markets at AT&T, to discuss the company's recent successes driven by its customer-centric initiatives.00:00 Episode intro 00:24 AT&T's Guarantee has led to satisfaction 03:33 Churn is at low levels 04:32 Best deals for everyone rewards existing customers 07:08 AT&T Turbo and Internet Air 08:31 Leadership changes spurred technological investment 11:26 Fiber has proven reliable 13:21 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Jenifer Robertson, AT&T, guarantee, network, AI, churn, FWA, convergence, AT&T Turbo, AT&T Internet Air, fiber, reliability

Ep. 255Analysts Jake Hawkridge and Roger Entner discuss the remaining Q3 earnings from cable giants Charter and Comcast.00:00 Episode intro 00:55 Charter earnings overview 03:49 Cable's subscriber issues 05:27 Comcast earnings overview 06:17 Streaming is flat overall 08:41 Comcast's pricing remains problematic 10:15 Business customers are disappearing 13:11 Fiber as a potential vacation home solution 13:44 Episode wrap-upTags:telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Jake Hawkridge, Roger Entner, Charter, Comcast, Cox, earnings, net adds, FWA, fiber, cable, RDOF, T-Mobile, NPS, Verizon, churn, Peacock, streaming, AT&T

Analysts Jake Hawkridge and Roger Entner discuss the new deal between Comcast, Charter, and T-Mobile, as well as Q2 earnings from the big players in telecom.00:31 Comcast and T-Mobile deal 04:59 Verizon Q2 overview 07:26 AT&T Q2 overview 09:42 T-Mobile Q2 overview 12:26 Rising churn and Q2 earnings summary 14:22 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Jake Hawkridge, Roger Entner, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, earnings, Comcast, Charter, cable, MVNO, net adds, churn, Project 624, devices, FirstNet, fiber, FWA, Hispanic market

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss troubles at Boost and how the big personalities at EchoStar might deal with them, plus news about Recon Analytics' device data collection and future projects.00:24 Boost is in trouble 03:22 Funding and vision are needed 05:54 Don's new articles on Trump Mobile and foldable devices 07:26 Recon's advanced device data to be released 11:25 Additional announcements and plans 12:11 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Boost, Charlie Ergen, Peter Adderton, Dish, EchoStar, Verizon, MVNO, Light Reading, Trump Mobile, foldable, devices

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the decline and fall of US Cellular, the future of its assets, as well as Recon Analytics' extensive data collection on rural telco consolidation.00:26 DOJ greenlights US Cellular sale 02:10 The company avoided major competition 03:55 A piecemeal sale of its assets 05:57 Regional carriers are waning 07:06 Recon Analytics' rural data project 11:31 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, US Cellular, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, spectrum, rural, FCC, DOJ, C Spire, copper, fiber, Frontier, NPS

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Eric Watko, CEO of BroadbandOne, to discuss the company's innovative network solutions that are reaching a diverse range of customers all across the nation.00:24 BroadbandOne company profile 03:30 Current and future market operations 04:50 Customer base overview 06:10 Current speeds and use cases 08:16 Unlicensed spectrum use 09:10 Millimeter wave reasoning and hardware configurations 14:20 Meeting different market needs 15:15 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Eric Watko, BroadbandOne, FWA, internet, fiber, spectrum, WISP, MSP, SD-RAN, mmWave, LMDS, MDU

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by CEO of Verizon Consumer Group, Sampath, to discuss the company's cutting-edge customer service strategies and forward-looking vision.00:24 Enhancing customer service through technology 02:58 Proactive problem solving with AI 05:10 My Verizon app features and impact 08:31 Verizon's My Access rewards focus 09:55 Verizon's multi-tiered loyalty strategy 10:29 Long-term customer service goals 11:27 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Sampath, Verizon, customer service, AI, case management, apps, Google, rewards, loyalty, vision

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Peter Adderton, Founder and CEO of MobileX, to discuss the AI-facilitated, customer-centric approach to MVNO service.00:29 MobileX overview 03:30 Breakage and overage vs. churn 05:20 Mobile data usage trends 09:45 Consumers are prioritizing value 11:29 The future of MobileX 14:03 The customer-centric approach 15:55 Consumers are network agnostic 16:36 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Peter Adderton, MobileX, MVNO, Boost, AI, machine learning, carriers, breakage and overage, ARPU, churn, data, FWA, cable, NPS, Verizon, Tracfone, network, T-Mobile

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Iyad Tarazi, CEO of Federated Wireless, to discuss the current landscape and future prospects of CBRS spectrum in the wireless industry.00:25 A career in wireless 01:21 Federated Wireless profile 02:27 The current state of CBRS 06:22 Impact on private wireless 08:32 Competition in the space 11:24 Military impact and the future of CBRS 14:38 Spectrum allocation scenarios 18:29 The spectrum sharing business model 20:12 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Iyad Tarazi, Federated Wireless, software, SaaS, cloud, spectrum, CBRS, GAA, Verizon, fixed wireless, network, military, carriers, sharing

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss policy changes to BEAD and spectrum policy, as well as the launch of Recon's new Spanish-language consumer insights service.00:24 BEAD to become technology agnostic 02:38 Spectrum pipeline changes 04:47 Recon Analytics launches unique Spanish-language product 09:35 Demographic insights for carriers 12:26 Challenges in analytics expansion & episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, BEAD, fiber, FWA, Starlink, spectrum, Spanish, analytics, T-Mobile, NPS, cable, AT&T, Mint, Visible

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss insights gleaned from the most recent round of investor conferences hosted by the leaders in telecom.00:25 AT&T COO speaks about guarantees 01:40 AT&T's slow path to 5G 04:19 AT&T Business segment seeing improvement 05:24 Verizon CRO talks cable 06:07 FWA & cable 09:07 Sampath on churn and overall strategy 12:10 Prepaid is an industry bright spot 14:21 Verizon's convergence numbers 14:54 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, investor conferences, AT&T, Jeff McElfresh, J.P. Morgan, guarantee, 5G, FWA, Verizon, Frank Boulben, cable, Sowmyanarayan Sampath, fiber, DOCSIS 4.0, Comcast, churn, Frontier, convergence, Dennis Strigl, Lifeline, ACP

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Jim Patterson, CEO of CellSite Solutions, to discuss the company's current infrastructure support business as well as recent prominent mergers and acquisitions in the telecom industry.http://sundaybrief.com00:26 Jim's career background 03:22 CellSite's current operations 07:39 Charter and Cox merger discussion 12:44 AT&T's Lumen acquisition discussion 16:18 Merger implications for Gigapower 17:48 Merger implications for fiber 18:55 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Jim Patterson, CellSite Solutions, data centers, sustainability, merger, M&A, Charter, Cox, cable, AT&T, Lumen, Verizon, T-Mobile, divestiture, fiber, Dycom, Gigapower, BEAD

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the new administration's spectrum policy, as well as the details behind Charter's pending purchase of Cox.00:24 Spectrum pipeline proposal may restore FCC authority 04:08 Broadband competition should also benefit 04:56 SpaceX and Dish differ over spectrum use 06:20 Charter's purchase of Cox to shake up cable 09:10 What's in a name? 09:55 Predictions for the new entity 11:54 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, spectrum, FCC, 5G, 6G, FWA, SpaceX, Dish, AWS-4, Charter, Cox, cable, Liberty, John Malone, Chris Winfrey, Comcast, Altice

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the current state of the economy and what it means for wireless and the broader telecom industry.00:24 The current economic situation for wireless 03:47 U.S. vs. European network comparison 06:12 Prepaid may benefit from a recession 10:30 Recessions mainly affect lower income earners 11:56 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, recession, MSO, MobileX, cable, Verizon, inflation, Europe, network, ARPU, net adds, MetroPCS, Lifeline

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the features and potential follies of T-Mobile's three new price plans.00:26 T-Mobile's new plans step back from its Un-carrier ethos 04:00 The plans do have some benefits 05:12 Finances are still sound 05:53 Network comes at the expense of value 06:59 A particularly bad time to raise prices? 10:11 Free upgrades aren't exactly free 11:27 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, T-Mobile, Un-carrier, taxes, 5G, AT&T, Verizon, data, 4K, satellite, network, value, price, churn, upgrades

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss Q1 earnings from the major players in telecom and cable, as well as when impacts from tariffs may start to appear.00:23 Economic headwinds affect Q1 overall 03:16 Verizon Q1 overview 04:32 Free lines are affecting the numbers 06:40 Prepaid growth should not be ignored 07:34 Verizon adjusts reporting on SafeLink and insurance metrics 09:38 T-Mobile shakes up prices 10:39 AT&T Q1 overview 13:32 T-Mobile Q1 overview 15:06 Cable Q1 overview 16:59 Tariffs won't be felt just yet 17:53 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, earnings, Q1, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, net adds, SafeLink, Lifeline, insurance, device protection, FirstNet, fiber, FWA, EBIDTA, convergence, legacy services, T-Priority, cable, Comcast, Charter, NPS, tariffs

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss encouraging developments at Comcast that are likely to benefit internet users, along with Starlink's evolving role in the broadband market.00:25 Comcast announces new price plans and guarantee 05:26 Competition is driving service improvements 07:04 Contracts are unnecessary with quality products 07:37 Guarantees are now commonplace 10:41 Use cases for Starlink 13:10 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Comcast, Xfinity, internet, cable, data caps, router, contracts, guarantee, fiber, FWA, Starlink, customer service, Charter, AT&T, Verizon, Fios, Chris Winfrey, MSO, Elon Musk, BEAD

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss Verizon's new guarantees and free phone offer, as well as the latest news on tariffs and their implications for carriers, consumers, and the nation as a whole.00:53 Verizon's new guarantees may not be enough 3:00 Slowing growth indicates recession 05:16 Tariff implications for smartphones and carriers 10:36 Average Americans are under financial pressure 13:04 Uncertainty is bad for manufacturing and investing 14:55 Nevertheless, telecom remains largely recession-proof17:13 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, tariffs, Verizon, AT&T, guarantee, retention, net adds, churn, gross adds, recession, cable, India, China, iPhone, Apple, carriers, BLS, savings, debt, Walmart, manufacturing, bonds, consumers

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Cory Davis, Vice President ofVerizon Frontline, for a discussion on the company's ongoing commitment topublic safety as well as innovative advancements on the horizon.00:24 Verizon Frontline overview 01:44 5G network redundancy and reliability 02:59 Verizon Frontline's Crisis Response Team 03:36 Growth and innovation in the first responder market 05:18 A purpose-built network 07:19 Deployables for crises 08:53 Recent use cases and future improvements 11:15 Verizon's Frontline-Verified program for manufacturers 12:36 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, DonKellogg, Roger Entner, Cory Davis, Verizon, Verizon Frontline, public safety,first responders, 5G, network, capacity, data, crisis, THOR, fiber,deployables, DoD, Frontline-Verified

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Corey Davis, Vice President ofVerizon Frontline, for a discussion on the company's ongoing commitment topublic safety as well as innovative advancements on the horizon.00:24 Verizon Frontline overview 01:44 5G network redundancy and reliability 02:59 Verizon Frontline's Crisis Response Team 03:36 Growth and innovation in the first responder market 05:18 A purpose-built network 07:19 Deployables for crises 08:53 Recent use cases and future improvements 11:15 Verizon's Frontline-Verified program for manufacturers 12:36 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, DonKellogg, Roger Entner, Corey Davis, Verizon, Verizon Frontline, public safety,first responders, 5G, network, capacity, data, crisis, THOR, fiber,deployables, DoD, Frontline-Verified

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Hermann Frank, CEO of Gigs, todiscuss the company's facilitation of MVNO creation for tech companies.00:24 Gigs platform overview 02:01 How Gigs actually works 04:24 Success stories 06:12 Smoothing the process 06:58 U.S. operating profile 08:04 What MVNO size is best? 09:07 Specialty MVNO cases 09:29 Gigs named as one of the World's Most Innovative Companies 10:05 Episode wrap-upTags:telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, DonKellogg, Roger Entner, Hermann Frank, Gigs, MVNO, MVNE, carrier, tech,product-market fit, Nubank, Twilio, customers, Fast Company

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the latest news in telecom, including theCrown Castle asset sale, spectrum changing hands, and recession indicators andpredictions.00:26 Crown Castle shifts strategy with asset sale to Zayo 02:50 What's in it for Zayo? 03:58 Elusive network economies of scale 04:59 Grain Management acquires spectrum 07:34 The role of private networks 08:29 Recession, or not? 10:57 Can anything replace device sales? 12:46 Government response to crisis is key 14:10 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, DonKellogg, Roger Entner, Crown Castle, towers, fiber, carriers, Zayo, AT&T,Verizon, Dish, multi-tenant, economies of scale, Ericcson, Sprint, T-Mobile,spectrum, Grain Management, private networks, Nextel, recession, cable,economy, handsets, devices, AI, retail, government

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Scott Agnew, President of AT&TFirstNet, to discuss their ongoing commitment to public safety and what firstresponders can expect next.00:24 FirstNet overview 03:58 Partnership with state-level public safety 05:10 How deployables work in emergencies 07:27 FirstNet's all-band approach to spectrum 08:38 What's next for FirstNet? 11:28 Public-private partnership relations 12:28 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, DonKellogg, Roger Entner, Scott Agnew, AT&T, FirstNet, first responders,government, 4G, 5G, public safety, deployables, Band 14, MegaRange, AST,satellite, connectivity, public-private partnership