It’s been a year since the GSMA announced its Open Gateway initiative and the telco industry is working to figure out how to monetize network APIs to their full advantage. For this episode, I talk with McKinsey & Company Partner Ferry Grijpink about the API economy and what operators need to do to capture revenue and build their strategic position. Listen now to hear: Ferry’s advice for telecoms that want to monetize network APIs [03:18];How telcos can leverage established relationships with enterprise customers to attract developers [06:58]; Ferry’s opinion on whether it’s important for telcos to own the developer relationship [09:22]; andThe importance of developing valuable use cases for network APIs to accelerate their adoption [13:22].Links and ResourcesCheck out these resources from McKinsey & Company:Navigating the three horizons of 5G business buildingWhat separates B2B GTM outperformers in tech and telecomRead more about Whoosh! and sign up for a meeting and demo at MWC24.Read more about the GSMA’s Open Gateway initiative and its DevCon event at MWC24 on February 28.Three Brazilian operators—Claro, TIM, and Vivo—just joined Open Gateway, bringing the total to nearly 40 operators on the Open Gateway train. In this video, Ross Ortega, VP product management at Microsoft Azure, weighs in on Open Gateway, Azure Programmable Connectivity Architecture, and the future of network APIsIf you build it, they will come worked in the movie Field of Dreams, but I’m not sure it’s going to work for Network APIs. Not even if you had it to Azure and leverage their developer ecosystem. I think for this one, telcos, you’re going to have to do some work.Ferry is a return guest on the Telco in 20 podcast. Don’t miss our conversation in episode 45, Drumming up ways to increase ARPU with McKinsey. I *still* owe him dinner for disrupting his talk! Maybe I’ll catch him in Barcelona.A rare Ferry and DR sighting in the wild! I got the chance to meet Ferry in person for the first time a few months ago at TM Forum in Copenhagen.You can find the transcript for this episode here.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on X @TelcoIn20Follow DR on X @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won 2023 and 2022 MarCom Awards, a 2022 Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Ferry GrijpinkFerry leads the McKinsey Center for Advanced Connectivity within McKinsey & Company’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications Practice, and advises telecommunications companies on strategy, marketing, and operations, including mobile operators that are launching adjacent businesses in areas such as mobile health and money services. He also co-leads McKinsey’s research on deploying and commercializing next-generation infrastructures, such as fiber, mobile broadband, and 5G networks.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

BT Group started its journey to the public cloud years ago, which has put the company in a strong position to take advantage of the strategic capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI). For this episode, I talk with Josie Smith, chief architect, digital, at BT Group, about the company's efforts to reduce its applications from thousands to hundreds, bring AI into the organization, and drive monumental change across its employee base. Listen now to hear:How BT Group’s transformation program, Simplify, is poised save the company £3 billion by 2025 [02:53]; The details of its massive effort to slash technical debt and increase agility [05:29];How BT Group’s workforce is responding to its digital transformation [08:57]; andWhat the company is doing to unleash AI’s potential [12:24];Links and ResourcesLearn more about BT Group.Check out this Light Reading article, BT eyes 100% shift to public cloud, not “pretend mist” of private, by Iain Morris.Another great read is Raconteur’s piece featuring BT Group’s chief digital and innovation officer, Harmeen Mehta, who isn’t afraid to call out industry’s fear as a roadblock to innovation and growth. AI productivity improvements are real. Journalists like to sensationalize job cuts but if you’re worried about your job being affected by AI, I have one piece of advice: learn AI and be the best at it. Companies need leaders and contributors who know how to transform work with AI.Josie is such a Star Trek fan that she actually walked down the aisle to the theme song from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Check it out! I like Star Trek, but I’m more of a Star Wars fan. My favorite Yoda quote? “Do, or do not. There is no try.” Watch the famous clip from the Empire Strikes Back. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on X @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2023 MarCom Award, a 2022 Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Josie SmithJosie Smith is leading and driving the re-architecture of BT Group’s digital landscape from 2400 applications down to 500, taking BT Group from a telco to a techco, and from monolithic to modular, agile, and flexible. She is guiding a future for BT Group that connects for good and creates an exceptional experience for customers. Josie is a leader who engages with energy, creativity and fun, and a pioneer of outcome-based approaches as a method of truly linking strategy and execution at pace. She is an ambassador for women in tech/engineering and advocates for inspirational learning in the sciences across all ages to increase diversity within the STEM industries. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

It’s time to announce our top episode of 2023! It’s been an incredible journey for the Telco in 20 podcast—now clocking in with well over 100,000 total listens. We’ve had some great guests this year, like Mats Granryd from the GSMA, McKinsey & Company Partner Ferry Grijpink, and Microsoft’s Rick Lievano. There were tons of popular episodes, which made it a race to the finish line to name our Best of 2023. In the end, none topped my conversation with Mobi CEO Justen Burdette. He joined me in April to talk about the Hawaiian MVNO’s public-cloud-native mobile core, its collaboration with Working Group Two, and the benefits of embracing the public cloud. Listen now to hear: What makes Mobi unique from traditional MVNOs [3:51];How having its own mobile core benefits its customers [08:03];Why having a cloud-first mindset changes the game [12:25]; andWhat makes Working Group Two's APIs so powerful [14:59].Links and ResourcesWhat does it take to be a top 10% podcast? Or even a top 1%? Top 10% podcasts get 50,000 listens per year, while the top 1% get more than 2 million! In 2023, the Telco in 20 podcast moved into the top 5% in annual listens. Yay!Telco in 20 has now turned in 81 episodes. Eighty-one! I still remember recording the first one with Jim Abolt. I never dreamed I’d make it to 81! Did you know that only 50% of podcasts make it past episode 25? For 2024, we’ll pass 100! Yikes!Wanna know what our top episodes of the year were? Including Justen’s episode, these were the other top episodes pulling in a combined 19,000+ listens:Ep 62 - Running your network on the public cloud with Juniper NetworksEp 71 - Save bookoo bucks with CloudFixEp 76 - Into the Nexus of GenAI with MicrosoftEp 77 - Why do subscribers churn: network coverage or price?Visit the Mobi website.Learn more about Mobi’s work with Working Group Two.Justen talked about the beauty of APIs—learn more about Totogi’s Churn Prediction Service, Charging as a Service, and Whoosh!Read about Mobi’s deal with T-Mobile US to expand into the continental US 5G marketYou can find the transcript of this episode here.Listen to this conversation on our TelcoDR YouTube channel.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on X @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won 2023 and 2022 MarCom Awards, a 2022 Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Justen BurdetteJusten Burdette serves as the chief executive officer for Mobi, the regional wireless provider for Hawaiʻi. He previously served as vice president of products at Tucows, where he helped lead the growth of its Ting Mobile wireless brand to over $90 million in annual revenue before its acquisition by Dish (Nasdaq: DISH), at the time making it the fifth largest independent MVNO in the country including its Ting IoT business. He also led the launch of its Ting Internet fiber-to-the-home ISP in several regional markets, and helped manage the development of its in-house CRM, BSS, and OSS platform, which has since become a standalone SaaS startup, Wavelo.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Today’s telcos have all but given up on monetizing the insatiable growth of mobile data usage, instead settling for one-size-fits-all pricing plans. But rather than give up the fight, Totogi is using the public cloud, AI, and data-driven algorithms to help the industry adopt dynamic, personalized pricing that maximizes the bottom line.In this episode, Totogi’s Chief Operating Officer Cyrus Mistry joins me to talk about how Totogi’s AI-powered charging is revolutionizing the industry, how it stands out from the other legacy chargers, and why Totogi’s optimized approach presents a huge opportunity for telcos. Listen now to hear: Why revenue optimization in telco is such a big idea [04:21];How public cloud and AI provide the one-two punch needed to enhance telco charging systems [05:05];What separates Totogi’s future-focused, multi-tenant, SaaS solutions from on-prem chargers [06:10];How having one model for all customers is actually a GOOD thing [09:33];Listen to our conversation by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform – see the links in the right column above. Links and ResourcesCheck out the Totogi website and find us on AWS Marketplace.This episode is dropping while the Totogi team is at AWS re:Invent in Las Vegas. Are you here too? Book a time to meet!Amazon’s method of optimizing revenue, backed by a pricing team of 16 experts and a whopping 1,400 developers, wields two acres of underground servers operating with machine learning. Read this McKinsey article from 2017 that talks about how airlines can take revenue optimization to the next level. Now that’s what I’m talking about!Check out Cyrus’ Ted Talk about his simple process for optimizing all areas of our lives, from health to wealth to relationships.Cyrus and I have known each other for decades. In the 1990s, we appeared together on the PBS show Livelihood, which focused an episode on our work lives at Trilogy. That’s where our hard work started and pretty much never stopped. If you want to see what I was like in 1998, give it a gander.Watch the inspiration behind our Totogi music, Saturday Night Live’s fan-favorite skit, What’s up with that. Keenan Thompson kills it!You can find the transcript for this episode here. Listen to this conversation on our TelcoDR YouTube channel. [LINK]Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring. Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on X @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won 2023 and 2022 MarCom Awards, a 2022 Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Cyrus MistryCyrus is the chief operating officer at TelcoDR and Totogi. He was previously chief operating officer at GoGuardian, one of the largest EdTech software companies in the world, and director of product management at Google, where he was responsible for the commercial Chromebook hardware and software business worldwide. Cyrus managed the enterprise, education and consumer sides of several products at Google including Android, Chrome, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Tasks, and the Google Search Appliance business. He has over 25 years of hardware and software experience with roles in product management, program management, business development, marketing, consulting, and software development. Cyrus has four degrees from Johns Hopkins, with post-graduate work in natural language processing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

When innovative new tech comes along, established software vendors face a balancing act between maintaining existing solutions for current customers and adopting disruptive new tools to stay competitive. For this episode, I talk with Bruce McClelland, President and CEO of Ribbon Communications, about his billion-dollar company’s efforts to juggle both priorities, its adoption of cloud-native software, and what it sees happening with telcos’ public cloud deployments. Listen now to hear:The mix of hardware and software in the business [04:26];Where Ribbon sees demand for the public cloud in telco and what’s driving it [08:17];Why the company chooses to remain cloud-agnostic [10:56]; and Bruce’s thoughts on network workloads running in public clouds [14:23]. Links and ResourcesLearn more about Ribbon Communications. Grab a copy of the 1997 best-selling business book, The Innovator’s Dilemma, by  Clayton M. Christensen Bruce and I are fans of the fast-food chain Chick-fil-A. Check out comedian Tim Hawkins’ hysterical take on The Beatles’ classic song, Yesterday, which pays homage to the restaurant, sweet tea, and waffle fries. Let’s meet up at AWS re:Invent in Las Vegas on November 27 – December 1. I’ll be hosting a fantastic hospitality lounge with great food and drinks (and even a sommelier!) and zipping around the HyperLoop in a Tesla. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out this video. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on X @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won 2023 and 2022 MarCom Awards, a 2022 Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Bruce McClellandBruce McClelland is CEO and President of Ribbon Communications (Nasdaq: RBBN), a global communications and network solutions provider to service providers, enterprises, and critical infrastructure sectors. Bruce is a technical business leader with a proven history of developing and growing sustainable, profitable businesses through technology and business cycles. Before joining Ribbon, Bruce was CEO at ARRIS and led its sale to CommScope, where he served as COO. During his tenure at ARRIS, Bruce held multiple leadership positions and had a key role in the successful acquisition and integration of multiple companies including Ruckus, Pace and the Motorola Home Business. Bruce began his career at Bell Northern Research and held several leadership roles at Nortel. He has served on the boards of ARRIS and Benu Networks, and actively supports the Georgia Cystic Fibrosis chapter. Bruce holds a BS in Electrical Engineering (Great Distinction) from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Telcos are finally heading to the public cloud and industry leaders are excited about its potential. But at the same time, old-fashioned thinking and technology are slowing them down. For this episode, I talk with Andrew Walker, communications and media industry lead at Accenture, about why the move is challenging, the transformative power of GenAI, and what telcos can do to get the right talent in place to help with the journey. Listen now to hear:How Accenture advises clients to start their move to the public cloud [03:46];Why legacy vendors spread FUD—fear, uncertainly, and doubt—about telco and the public cloud [06:22];Where Accenture sees AI taking hold in telco [11:11], and How telcos can compete for highly skilled cloud talent [15:05]. Links and ResourcesRead Accenture’s recent reports, Start at the center: Network-led transformation for growth and Technology Vision 2023: When Atoms meet Bits.Don’t fall for legacy vendors’ SaaS-washing. Read my blog about five questions to ask to help you spot fake SaaS.Need a use case on how the public cloud can help your telco? Listen to episode 68, giffgaff is 1,000 faster with AWS.Andy likes skiing at Snowbird; I love Deer Valley. Snowbird is known primarily for its deep-powder skiing and snowboarding, whereas Deer Valley is known for its beautiful, sunny weather on fresh, powdery snow (and no snowboarders!). I like to attack the mountain by working all blue and groomed black runs, from left to right. I ski with a map and a pen so I can mark off the runs as I go!Think you’re a great skier? Check out one of the most insane ski runs you’ve ever seen that even goes through a cave. It’s bad ass. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on X @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won 2023 and 2022 MarCom Awards, a 2022 Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Andrew WalkerAs Communications and Media Industry Leader, Andy is responsible for the strategy, offerings, and business, as well as the network of professionals who serve Accenture’s Media and Communications clients around the world. Andy has consulted with communications, media and high tech clients for more than 20 years, and has advised leaders across the industry on issues ranging from their fiber strategy, to the profitability of their customers and products, to margin improvement efforts. Andy has been an advisor on multiple mergers, acquisitions and divestitures across the industry, and has helped a number of clients launch new businesses, including new wireless, technology services, and segment-specific businesses.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

There are more than 30,000 mobile phone plans available globally. That’s a staggering number, and one that at least partially explains why up to 90% of consumers are on plans that aren’t a good fit for their needs. For this episode, I sit down with Stetson Doggett, founder of BestPhonePlans.net and co-founder of CoverageMap.com. His mission is to help U.S. consumers cut through the noise to find the best cell phone plans and network coverage for their location and budget. He’s got insights into why subscribers churn that telco execs need to know. Listen now to hear:The number one reason customers shop for a new phone plan [04:12];The biggest tradeoffs between MNO vs MVNO plans [09:07];Whether or not consumers know how much data they use [11:32]; andThe idea behind the crowd-sourced CoverageMap.com and how it helps consumers [13:25].Links and ResourcesLearn more about BestPhonePlans.net and CoverageMap.comCheck out Stetson’s YouTube channel with more than 100,000 subscribers, and while you’re at it, subscribe to mine! Help a girl out!Listen to Telco in 20 episodes with MobileX’s Peter Adderton and Ahmed Khattak from US Mobile, then go check out their barbs on X.Ready to hear more great stuff about GenAI and telco’s future with the public cloud? Catch my keynote at MVNO Nation Live, running October 23 - 25 in Valencia, Spain.Remember the crazy lengths we used to go through to save money on our phone bills? Check out this old school advertisement from AT&T reminding us to save money by making long distance calls on nights and weekends. How crazy is that?You can find the transcript for this episode here.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on X @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won 2023 and 2022 MarCom Awards, a 2022 Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Stetson DoggettStetson Doggett reviews and explains cell phone plans to an audience of more than 100,000 subscribers on YouTube. He also runs the website BestPhonePlans.net to help consumers compare cell phone plans. Most recently, he co-founded CoverageMap.com, a project building crowd-sourced maps of the cellular networks to help consumers identify the best network in their area.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Over the last few years, Microsoft has been working overtime to become a carrier-grade hyperscaler for the industry. For this episode, I talk with Microsoft Chief Technology Officer for the Worldwide Telecommunications Industry Rick Lievano about the recent general availability of Azure Operator Nexus, its work with AT&T, and Microsoft’s $13 billion investment in OpenAI. Listen now to hear:Where telcos are today with their move to the public cloud [02:33];How Azure Operator Nexus is poised to change the game [04:02];The latest on Microsoft’s network cloudification work with AT&T [7:17]; andThe company’s big bet on GenAI and how it’s paying off for telco [12:57]. Links and ResourcesCheck out this awesome story in Fast Company, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella is winning Big Tech’s AI war. Here’s how.Learn more about Azure Operator Nexus and read the announcement about it becoming generally available this summer. Listen to Rick’s first time as guest on the Telco in 20 podcast, episode 5, The BFCs: Putting Microsoft Azure to the test for telcosReady to hear more great stuff about GenAI and telco’s future with the public cloud? Catch my keynote at MVNO Nation Live, running October 23 - 25 in Valencia, Spain. Learn about the ninja move of pickleball, the Erne, and learn how to do it yourself!You can find the transcript for this episode here. Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on X @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Rick LievanoRick Lievano is the Worldwide CTO for the Microsoft Telecommunications industry. He works with customers and partners in developing telecommunications industry solutions and reference architectures to address the rapidly changing needs of service providers across the globe. He is an enthusiastic participant and speaker in many industry communities, an advocate of industry frameworks and open standards, and holds TM Forum Open Digital Architecture and Business Development Manager Career Certifications. At TM Forum, he is a member of the Collaboration Sub-Committee, overseeing the effective creation and adoption of pragmatic best practices and standards to deliver value to the membership. Rick currently leads initiatives to help operators achieve more by infusing artificial intelligence across their business. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Nokia revealed a significant rebrand at Mobile World Congress 2023, signally a shift in the company’s focus to enterprise and B2B, which it sees as the future of telecom. For this episode, I talk with Nokia Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Europe Azfar Aslam about Nokia’s new direction, the challenge of refactoring legacy products, and what’s in store as the hyperscalers work to become carrier-grade cloud providers. Listen now to hear about:The balance of hardware and software in Nokia’s portfolio [04:34];How the company is adapting products for a public-cloud-driven future [06:44];How it weighs the benefits of refactoring for the public cloud against maintaining a common software base [10:30]; andAzfar’s thoughts on network workloads running in public clouds [12:51].Links and ResourcesCheck out Nokia’s technology vision for 2030. It talks about the network of the future (a network of networks!) and how open APIs and the monetization of those APIs will be key. Hmm, sound familiar? 🧐Read about Nokia’s super cool rebrand in The Verge.What is cloud native, and how can you be sure that vendors are designing their applications correctly? Watch my hilarious Top 5 List with TelecomTV and Ray LeMaistre where I explain this misused term.Check out Totogi’s Whoosh! offering that can help CSPs pull developers from Twilio’s ecosystem and into an operator’s. You’ll need this for those network APIs.Check out Nokia’s press release about its work on DISH’s 5G standalone core networkLearn about what DISH is doing with the public cloud and then check out my conversation with DISH Wireless EVP and Chief Network Officer Marc Rouanne.You can find the transcript for this episode here.Did we talk about dinosaurs in this episode? WE DID! RAR! 🦖 Sometimes dinosaurs can be cool, like when they’re movie stars and scare common folks. Watch the official trailer from Jurassic Park 2, which was filmed on Asfar’s favorite Hawaiian island, Kuwai.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on X @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Azfar AslamAzfar is passionate about driving customer success and has shaped technology and business strategies for over 60 Communications Service Providers and Large Enterprises globally. His experience spans new technology evaluations and product introductions, from portfolio and investment optimizations to E2E evolution of communications networks and AI-enabled automation. Azfar has also been deeply involved in corporate strategies, including M&A, new market entry, and establishing new lines of business. His current focus includes helping customers chart their journey toward new value creation in industry 4.0 in the high-performance critical networks era.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

The telecom industry agrees that the future of 5G and enterprise telco lies in monetizing network APIs. But communications platform-as-a-service (CPaaS) company Twilio has been eating telco’s lunch by not only capturing messaging revenue, but also dominating enterprise IT departments. For this episode, I’m sharing my recent TelecomTV talk about how telcos can beat Twilio and take back what’s theirs. I share a three-step plan for regaining a strategic position within enterprise IT departments, and give a sneak peek at a new Totogi CPaaS product that can help. Click play to hear: What’s happened to telcos’ Application-to-Person (A2P) APIs market share over the last decade [03:51];The big difference Twilio-compatible APIs could make [05:35];How telcos can use owner economics to undercut Twilio pricing [06:38];How Totogi’s latest product, Whoosh!, can help [07:45]; andWhy telcos need to start now [09:26].Links and ResourcesCheck out the video version of my talk, released as part of TelecomTV’s Cloud Native Telco Summit. You know how much I rock a video talk!Learn more about the awesome power of Whoosh!Twilio has been running circles around telco. Read about why it happened in my monster blog, Telco execs: Are you jealous of Twilio?Read about the activist fight over at Twilio in The Information (subscription) and Reuters.Check out Twilio’s Investor Day 2022 deck - tons of great information in this resource.Come meet the Totogi team at TM Forum’s DTW - Ignite in Copenhagen on September 19 - 21. Grab a delicious coffee at the Totogi Supercharged Cafe (plus, we’re donating to Unconnected.org for every cup served), and stop by our stand for a Whoosh! demo.We’re partying in Copenhagen! Don’t miss our launch party on September 19 – DM me on X or LinkedIn for details and an invite.Why all of the sudden interest in Twilio? Learn more about TelcoDR’s purchase of CPaaS company, Kandy.View the transcript for this episode.Did you catch my Mickey Mouse hands at the end of the video? It’s so I can slap Twilio around on behalf of telco. I’m thinking of taking the hands to Copenhagen and wearing them at the conference. Want a pair of your own? Buy them hereWanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on X @TelcoIn20Follow DR on X @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

The Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) market is expected to hit $60 billion by 2030. Telcos deserve a big piece of this revenue—after all, their networks power CPaaS. But up until now, they’ve lost customers and revenue to companies like Twilio that make it easy for developers to add capabilities to products without having to navigate complicated telco organizations. But the landscape is shifting. With the cloud native capabilities of 5G and initiatives like the GSMA’s Open Gateway, there are signs that telcos can take back the CPaaS reins. For this episode, I talk with Yesmean Luk, principle consultant and practice lead at STL Partners, about the future of CPaaS and what telcos need to do to recapture lost enterprise revenue.  Listen now to hear:Why CPaaS is a huge opportunity for telco [04:32];What needs to happen to make Open Gateway work [07:13];Why enterprise developers will be key to recapturing lost revenue [14:49]How having a software mindset can help [16:09].Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. Links and ResourcesDon’t miss my September 5 TelecomTV talk about why now is the time for telcos to take on Twilio. It includes a sneak peek at an awesome new Totogi CPaaS product.The Totogi team will also be demonstrating our CPaaS offering and our game-changing Charging-as-a-Service at TM Forum’s DTW - Ignite in Copenhagen from September 19 - 21. (And of course we’ll be throwing an awesome party. DM me on X or LinkedIn for details and an invite!)Yesmean and I met when we took part in a CPaaS Acceleration Alliance panel. Check out its recent State of CPaaS report.Recent headlines confirm that a lot is happening in the CPaaS space:March 8, 2023: Skyvera Acquired American Virtual Cloud Technology AssetsJuly 17, 2023: Proximus Group acquired a nearly 60% stake in Route MobileJuly 21, 2022: Ericsson completes its $6.2B acquisition of VonageRead my recent blog, Telco execs: Are you jealous of Twilio?You can find the transcript for this episode here.Yesmean and I both think telcos are ready for a CPaaS comeback. Check out this highlight reel from one of the greatest comeback stories in sports history, when the New England Patriots rallied from being down 28 points to beating the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in Super Bowl LI.When you’re done, take a look at this video of LL COOL J’s Mama Said Knock You Out, aka “Don’t call it a comeback!”Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on X @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Yesmean LukYesmean is a principal consultant at STL Partners and leads the Private Networks practice. She has led major strategic growth projects with both operators and technology companies globally. Her focus has been on helping clients figure out how to drive growth in a B2B2X ecosystem, including in domains such as private networks, network slicing, edge computing and network APIs. She has also authored several thought-leadership reports across these areas and is a regular speaker at renowned industry events. Before joining STL, she held various consulting roles at Deloitte and IBM.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

During this year’s Mobile World Congress, the GSMA announced a game-changing initiative called Open Gateway. It aims to revolutionize how operators collaborate with developers and each other, with the goal of opening up new revenue streams beyond traditional rate plans through the use of network APIs. For this episode, I sat down to talk with GSMA Director General Mats Granryd about the Open Gateway initiative and how network APIs may be the future of enterprise telco. Click play to hear our conversation about: How opening networks will help telcos monetize 5G capabilities [03:29];Why telcos are excited about Open Gateway and jumping on board [05:42];The shift that’s needed to make telcos easier for developers to work with [08:59];Strategies to attract enterprise IT developers to use Open Gateway APIs [13:55]; andHow 5G can enable new technical monetization models [16:23].Links and ResourcesI thought my conversation with Mats was so important that I flew across the Atlantic to meet with him in person. We met at The Shard in the center of London and recorded our interview, which you can watch here. Check out that view!Learn more about the GSMA’s Open Gateway initiative.Surely you heard the news that TelcoDR bought Kandy, a CPaaS company, out of bankruptcy in March of this year.Be sure to catch the announcement of a new Totogi’s CPaaS product that will help telcos take on Twilio. I’ll be sharing a video about it on September 5 as part of TelecomTV’s Cloud Native Telco Summit. Don’t miss it—it’s MUST-SEE TV!Come meet with the Totogi team at TM Forum’s DTW - Ignite in Copenhagen on September 19 - 21 so we can give you a demo and snag an invite to the launch party. DM me on X or LinkedIn for details and an invite.Twilio has been running circles around telco, taking the enterprise IT developers and owning the platform. Read this monster blog I wrote about why it happened in Telco execs: Are you jealous of Twilio?View the transcript for this episode.I caught a few Wimbledon matches while I was in the UK. Check out this montage of 2023 highlights.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on X @TelcoIn20Follow DR on X @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Mats GranrydMats Granryd is Director General of the GSMA and a member of its Board. He leads the GSMA in supporting its global membership across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. Under Mats’ leadership, the GSMA has been instrumental in the advent of the 5G Era, advocating for timely and affordable spectrum access, supporting the global rollout of 5G and mobile IoT networks, creating an eSIM solution and providing the world’s largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem and industry verticals at the MWC and M360 series of events.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Cloud migration is on every telco's roadmap these days, but a lot of leaders worry about runaway costs. Today’s guest, Rahul Subramaniam, is the founder and CEO of CloudFix, a cool SaaS platform that automatically optimizes AWS spend. It identifies savings, and after you approve them, implements them automatically without manual effort from your team. Listen now to hear:How CloudFix works and what makes it fast and secure [05:15];The profile of the AWS customer that can benefit the most [07:41];Real-world savings success stories [08:25];Why AWS wants to help customers save money [13:05]; andThe special discount telcos can get on CloudFix from TelcoDR [15:55].Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesRead about TelcoDR’s exclusive partnership agreement with CloudFix that can save telcos moneyListen to Rahul talk more about CloudFix on his AWS Made Easy podcast with co-host Stephen Barr, then check out the AWS Made Easy episode with Jeff Barr, chief evangelist for AWSVisit the CloudFix websiteRead how organizations can reduce compute, networking, and storage costs by up to 66% by migrating workloads to AWS in a report from Enterprise Strategy GroupTo learn more about controlling cloud costs, check out episode 4 of Telco in 20 with cloud economist and consultant Corey Quinn, who talked about how his business, the Duckbill Group, can help you control cloud costs, and episode 39 with Michael Kearns from Virtasant, the maker of business software that helps optimize cloud spend.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Rahul SubramaniamRahul is Founder and CEO of CloudFix, and a board member of the FinOps Foundation. Throughout his career, he has successfully migrated 140+ enterprise software products to AWS and created revolutionary products that transform how users build, manage, and optimize in AWS. Rahul is also the founder and co-host of AWS Insiders, an industry podcast offering a no-holds-barred look at the state and future of AWS and cloud computing.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Almost every telco I talk to is doing some kind of work with Amazon Web Services (AWS). It has the biggest market share of all of the hyperscalers, operates tons of data centers across the globe, and keeps churning out powerful software and custom-built chips that are perfect for operators.For this episode, Chivas Nambiar, director of worldwide solution architecture, AWS for telecom, joins me to talk about how AWS is working with our industry, how cloud software is changing the landscape, and the future of telco in an AI-driven world. Click play to hear our conversation about: What telcos are looking for when they come to AWS [03:08];What holds them back when adopting the public cloud [05:37];How the ability to easily run experiments with the cloud is moving the ball forward [08:38];How SaaS solutions like Totogi are unleashing value and speed [10:49]; andHow GenAI will affect telcos business model and future [15:55]Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesLearn more about AWS for Telecom.Check out Chivas’ recent conversation with RCR Wireless about what it means to be a tech-co and why that's important for operators.Get a demo of Totogi’s cloud-native, SaaS solutions for telco.I first met Chivas outside of my awesome talk at MWC 2022 —The Public Cloud is NOW—which opened with an epic performance by a Taiko drummer. Watch it on demand and learn more about Taiko drums.I’m so impressed that Chivas is learning to swim. Check out this scene from Ice Age where Sid the sloth helps saber-toothed tiger Diego overcome his fear of water.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Chivas NambiarChivas Nambiar is the director of worldwide solutions architecture for the global telecom business unit at Amazon Web Services (AWS), leading a worldwide technical team focused on enabling communication service providers, network equipment providers, and independent software vendors to transform their business by moving to the cloud. Prior to joining AWS in 2020, Chivas spent 17 years in the telecom industry at Verizon Communications Inc. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Hey, look at that—I’m a guest on a podcast! I recently joined host Robert Curran and principal analyst John Abraham on the Appledore Research Podcast, and now I’m bringing that episode to you here. We talk about everything from the state of charging in telecom to CLOUD CITY’s rockstar takeover of Ericsson’s space at MWC21—a takeover that included an ACTUAL rock star. Click play to hear our conversation about: How and when I became a public cloud convert [04:54];The birth of Totogi and what it’s doing today [09:13];The mission behind the $1 billion Telco Transformation Fund [13:37];Why Totogi decided to go all in with AWS [22:19];And one of my favorite topics—how to drive the culture change you need to make your digital transformation a reality [28:30].Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here. [LINK]Links and ResourcesLearn more about Appledore Research and check out the Appledore Research Podcast.Find out more about Totogi’s cloud-native, SaaS solutions and get in touch to set up a demo.Check out my Siebel vs Salesforce talk from TelecomTV’s 2021 DSP Leaders World Forum.We touched briefly on Open Gateway and network exposure function APIs. I wrote two recent blogs about these topics; Is Open Gateway the answer to telco’s Twilio woes? and How to save 50-90% on compute with spot instances. Give them a read!I love talking about change management, and so does my buddy, transformation guru Jim Abolt. He talked about this topic on the very first episode of Telco in 20, and then came back for episode 7 to share even more insights.My favorite Bon Jovi song of all time is Living on a Prayer, which he sang in CLOUD CITY. He doesn’t do it all the time because he told me once that the octave ranges are too tough on his vocal cords, but he did a sweet acoustic version for us that night and it was EPIC. What a magical experience!Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s bioAbout Appledore ResearchAppledore Research is a global research and consulting firm specializing in the telecommunication and software market. It provides market share, forecast, business models, industry trend reports, and custom research in the areas of network automation, 5G, Edge compute, SD-WAN, SDN, AI, and analytics, in the telecommunication and media market segments. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson 

In 2020, award-winning British MVNO giffgaff decided to go all-in on the public cloud with AWS. The bold move sped its software release process by 1000x, allowing it to focus on what matters: its members. Now the company is an all-star player in customer service and cloud innovation. In this episode, giffgaff’s Chief Operating and Technology Officer Steve McDonald shares the inside story about how the courageous move happened, the challenges giffgaff faced along the way, and lessons learned that other telcos should know. Click play to hear our conversation about: How technical debt was strangling the business [02:20];How long it took to see release success and code improving [07:37];What prompted giffgaff to speed its move to AWS [09:18];What it did reel in cloud costs [12:17]; andWhat Steve would do differently if he did it all over again [15:35].Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesLearn more about giffgaff.Watch my talk from MWC23’s MVNO Summit, SUPERCHARGE your MVNO with personalization. I feature giffgaff’s journey to the public cloud prominently.Keep up with the company’s IT evolution on its tech blog.Read the 2020 announcement about giffgaff’s plan to go all-in on the public cloud with AWS.Read how pundits said the move was a bad idea. Boy, were they wrong!Get blown away by the performance of Yunchan Lim, the 2022 Cliburn gold medalist, audience award winner, and winner of the award for best performance of a new workSteve McDonald loves Chopin. You know which piano piece I can’t resist? Linus and Lucy by Vince Guaraldi, better known as The Peanuts Song. Which character are you in this clip? I’ve always identified with the twin dancing near Pigpen.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Steve McDonaldSteve McDonald is Chief Operating and Technology Officer at giffgaff. Having joined the company in 2017, he is driving significant change and innovation throughout the company. In 2020, he led the network’s milestone move as the first MVNO in Europe to move to Amazon Web Services. He is a motivational and inspirational leader, known for building high performing, agile teams. He uses technology to meet business ambitions by engaging teams across all verticals to apply cutting edge software solutions. Before giffgaff, Steve spearheaded the software development at major brands including Tesco, Sage Pay, and Deutsche Bank.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Telco stocks used to be Wall Street darlings, but in recent years have become stable dividend plays for grandpa investors. Can they return to their former glory? Today’s guest, Recurve Capital Founder Aaron Chan, has well-informed thoughts on what the industry needs to do to restore its shine. He’s at the forefront of investment strategies and market trends in telecom, and not surprisingly, he sees its future linked to the public cloud. Before you listen, it’s important to note that the thoughts Aaron shares in this podcast are his opinion, and do not constitute investment advice. Now, hit play to hear our conversation about: What needs to happen to bring telco stocks back into the spotlight [04:02];The opportunity the metaverse presents for the industry [06:28]; How the public cloud and hyperscalers can help telcos get back in the game [11:21];How Starlink changes the equation for the rural broadband market [15:37].Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesLearn more about Recurve Capital.Hear more from Aaron on Greg Bryan’s TeleGeography Explains the Internet podcast.Want to read a book about creating outsized shareholder returns by taking calculated risks? Then pick up The Outsiders, by William Thorndike, which focuses on eight unconventional CEOs like John Malone of Liberty Media. He focused on generating cash flow, using leverage to create value, and investing in businesses with strong competitive advantages.I’m running a vertical SaaS enterprise software company called Totogi. In a nutshell, we’re trying to run this thing using the Rule of 40. Software is soooooo much easier than telco; maybe after reading about Rule of 40 some telco execs will want to join me?Aaron compared Elon Musk’s Starlink to The Avengers’ Thanos. Check out this video clip of Thanos snapping his fingers to destroy half the universe, so the other half could survive.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Aaron ChanAaron Chan is the Founder and Managing Partner of Recurve Capital. He has 20 years of long/short investing experience. Prior to founding Recurve Capital, he spent more than six years at MIG Capital, a long/short equity hedge fund. Before MIG he was a Sector Manager at Facet Capital Management, where he oversaw investments in Media and Telecom sectors. From 2011 to 2013, he was a Portfolio Manager at QM Capital, and began his career at Criterion Capital Management, a long/short equity fund focused on Technology, Media and Telecom sectors. He earned his B.S. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University in 2004.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Telcos make it hard for enterprise customers to negotiate deals for affordable connectivity. A few innovative tech firms are building their businesses around making things easier. One of them is Gigs, which buys pre-negotiated connectivity and offers easy APIs to allow enterprise software developers to create and sell their own voice and data plans. In this episode, Hermann Frank, co-founder and CEO of Gigs, tells us how the idea for the company was born, why customers love it, and how the public cloud makes it all possible.How GIGS simplifies the process of buying and selling data plans [04:09];The problems it solves for its customers [05:14];How Gigs reduced a process that took 15 months down to 15 minutes [06:18];Why public cloud, API-based solutions are the future [09:40].Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesLearn more about GigsTechCrunch wrote an article on Gigs and how it recently raised $20MTake a look at Totogi’s public cloud-native, API-based solutionsCheck out Gigs emoji mascot—don’t you just love it? Hermann has a pair of sneakers with the mascot.I love sneakers too—I have a 5+ pair collection of Golden Goose Mid-Stars. They’re made for skateboarding, or in my case, delivering MWC keynotes. My most recent pair has a pink sole! Love it.As a foodie, I just love the idea of Gig’s Table. It makes me think of that great dining scene from the 1996 movie, Big Night.And this is not a cooking scene, but it’s a hilarious sketch from Saturday Night Live about ordering lobster in a diner. If you love Les Miserables, you’ll love this sketch!Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Hermann Frank Hermann Frank is the co-founder and CEO of Gigs, the world's first telecom-as-a-service platform that enables companies to quickly and easily launch their own mobile service while retaining full control over branding and pricing. Prior to Gigs, Frank worked as a startup entrepreneur, consultant and for the Fraunhofer Institute, among others. Hermann Frank studied business administration at Maastricht University (Netherlands) and at the Luigi Bocconi University of Economics in Milan, Italy. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Forward thinking, innovative companies are using the public cloud to deliver easy-to-use telco software that reduces costs and speeds deployments. Today’s guest, Erlend Prestgard, is the CEO and co-founder of one of these visionary businesses, Working Group Two. His team has built a multi-tenant, public-cloud-native, mobile core running on AWS—something naysayers have said today’s tech couldn’t support. Click play to hear our conversation about: Why building a mobile core network on AWS is revolutionary [03:03];What business value it delivers [04:11];How the telco industry is responding, and the outdated perceptions some leaders are still hanging onto [11:34]; andThe most important lessons Working Group Two has learned about the best ways for telcos to get to the public cloud [15:18].Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here. Links and ResourcesLearn more about Working Group TwoWatch my talk about monetizing private enterprise networks with Ray LeMaistre on TelecomTVFind out how Working Group Two helped Hutchison reduce its mobile core stack from 22 different vendors down to just one serving multiple countriesListen to my podcast conversation with Justen Burdette, CEO of Mobi, a Working Group Two customerRead about Totogi’s Charging-as-a-Service, built on AWSTry out orienteering, one of Erlend’s favorite hobbies and a great analogy for what he and I are doing to get telcos to the public cloudYou’re going to need more than a map to navigate the public cloud. Just like in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, you’ll need to do your research on the best services, pricing, and operational playbooks to get it working just right.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Erlend PrestgardErlend Prestgard is CEO and co-founder at Working Group Two. He has worked at the intersection of business development and technology with telecom operators, internet companies, and industry advisors. Before leading and co-founding Working Group Two, Erlend worked with the Telenor Group, Aspiro (including the music service now named Tidal), McKinsey & Company, and UBS Investment Bank. He is on a mission to radically enhance innovation in the mobile industry. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

In 2015, Hawaii-based MVNO Mobi decided to give up managing the radio components of its network in favor of focusing on creating awesome services for subscribers. To accomplish this, it needed to become a thick MVNO with its own mobile core, so it started working with Working Group Two to implement a public-cloud-native, mobile core running on AWS.For this episode, Mobi CEO Justen Burdette joins me to talk about why the MVNO chose this path, the benefits it gained by teaming with Working Group Two, and why it’s so great to work with the public cloud. Click play to hear our conversation about: What makes Mobi different than a traditional MVNO [02:50]; How it benefits from having its own mobile core [07:06]; The advantages of working with cloud-first solutions [10:47]; andHow Working Group Two’s APIs bring value to the business [13:04]. Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesVisit the Mobi websiteLearn more about Mobi’s work with Working Group TwoRead about Mobi’s deal with with T-Mobile US to expand into the continental US 5G marketJusten talked about the beauty of APIs—learn more about Totogi’s Churn Prediction Service, instantly available via an API call, and Totogi’s Charging as a Service, too!Brokerage founder Charles Schwab is as enchanted with the Big Island as I am. He and billionaire investor George Roberts founded their own golf course, Nanea, on the slopes of Mount Hualalai in 2003. Rumor has it that its creation was a billion-dollar way to thumb his nose at the Four Seasons. Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Justen BurdetteJusten Burdette serves as the chief executive officer for Mobi, the regional wireless provider for Hawaiʻi. He previously served as vice president for product at Tucows, where he helped lead the growth of its Ting Mobile wireless brand to over $90 million in annual revenue before its acquisition by Dish (Nasdaq: DISH), at the time making it the fifth largest independent MVNO in the country including its Ting IoT business. He also led the launch of its Ting Internet fiber-to-the-home ISP in several regional markets, and helped manage the development of its in-house CRM, BSS, and OSS platform, which has since become a standalone SaaS startup, Wavelo.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

The amount the hyperscalers spend on the public cloud is staggering. It requires a $100-billion+ buy-in to be considered a serious player. Today’s guest, Charles Fitzgerald, tracks hyperscaler CapEx spending each quarter on his Platformonomics blog.  He parses earning reports to gain insight into who’s putting their money where their mouth is. Charles recently published his annual 2022 retrospective on the cloud players. In this episode, we get his thoughts on the Big Three, the other guys, and the telco clouds. Click play to hear our conversation about: Why he started tracking the hyperscaler CapEx [01:57];How the Big Three rank in spending and where telcos sit in the mix [04:02];His insightful take on AWS’, Azure’s, and Google Cloud’s positions in the market [09:19]; andWhy he thinks IBM and Oracle are out of the race [15:45].Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesRead Charles Fitzgerald’s 2022 retrospective on public cloud CapEx spendingIBM thinks “$1 BILLION DOLLARS” is impressive. It reminded me of this hysterical scene from Austin Powers when Dr. Evil wants to hold the world ransom—for $1 million dollarsIf you want fair share from the techCo’s, be ready to pay for their content budget, as noted in this Mobile World Live write up of Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters’ comments at MWCTake a look at TelcoDR’s hyperscaler region tracker to see where all the 3 “BIGS” have been putting their regionsLook inside Barack Obama’s head — or at least what he read last summer — by checking out his 2022 summer reading listIt took me some practice to say “Platformonomics” for Charles’ intro. It reminded of this epic Muppet skits — Mahna MahnaWanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Have an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!About Charles FitzgeraldCharles Fitzgerald is a Seattle-based angel investor, with a focus on developer platforms and infrastructure. Previously, he spent 20+ years working on platform businesses at Microsoft and VMware. He can see the cloud from his house. Follow him on Twitter @charlesfitz. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson   

So much has changed with the public cloud and telco since I created CLOUD CITY at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2021. Back then, most industry folks said that the public cloud might be a good fit for enterprise IT and BSS workloads, but considering it for network workloads was an entirely different matter. Fast-forward two years, and now my question for the industry is, “are there any telco workloads that can't move?”In this episode, I talk with Ben Baker from Juniper Networks about where we are in telco's network journey to the public cloud and which workloads the hyperscalers are ready to support. Click play to hear our conversation about: The most important strategic decision for telcos [05:02];Why the network is more important than ever [06:57];Can telcos technically run network workloads on the public cloud [09:38]; andHow and why telcos should be using the public cloud [13:41].Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesVisit the Juniper Networks website.Read about AWS Telco Network Builder.Watch my EPIC keynote from MWC 2021, The paradox of the public cloud.Dracyrus! Watch Danyres Targarian utter the famous DRAGONFIRE command as she takes over the Unsullied Army in this unforgettable scene from Game of Thrones, Season 3!I’ve been nominated for Silverlining’s March Madness poll to name the most influential person in cloud. I'm up against some heavy hitters, so help a girl out and cast your vote here.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Ben Baker Ben Baker is a Senior Director, Cloud and Data Center Marketing & Business Analysis, at Juniper Networks. Ben has been working with cloud and service providers around the world for more than 20 years, developing business cases for a variety of product concepts and new ventures. Ben holds a BS & MS in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from MIT.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

On March 1, I presented a keynote— my third in a row!— at MWC’s inaugural MVNO Summit. It was standing-room-only with leaders from digital brands, MVNOs, and MVNEs who were eager to learn how intelligent, SaaS software (like Totogi!) can help them delight customers and grow ARPU. We captured the talk on video, and I’ve turned it into this podcast. Listen now to hear about: Why MVNOs need to start acting like internet companies [04:02];How Totogi’s multi-tenant SaaS software is changing the game [05:29];Why MVNOs should stop using pricing to win subscribers, and start using their crown jewel – the network! [12:52]; andThe supercharged power of Totogi Auto Plan [14:42].Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesCheck out the video version of my MVNO Summit talk.Learn more about Totogi and sign up (for one penny!) on AWS Marketplace.Read my blog about machine learning - what it is, how it works, and why you need the public cloud to make your models greatRead my blog about why MVNOs need to stop differentiating on price and start personalizing the customer experience.Everyone is still talking about my CLOUD CITY 2021! I’ll bet Ericsson would like to forget it. It was AMAZING.Watch my 2021 MWC keynote, The Paradox of the Public Cloud.Then check out my 2022 MWC talk, The Public Cloud is NOW!No doubt you heard about the EPIC party Totogi put on after the Summit at Luce de Gas. One of the highlights was a performance by Cyberflamenco, which blends a laser show and traditional Spanish flamenco dancing.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

I spend a lot of time talking to telcos about how public cloud technology can help them delight subscribers and boost ARPU. Ahmed Khattak, founder and CEO of US Mobile, knows exactly what I’m talking about. He built the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) natively on the public cloud from day one. In this episode, we talk about his vision for the company and how it benefits from its public-cloud-first design. Click play to hear our conversation about: How Ahmed’s experience coming to the United States from Pakistan shaped his vision for US Mobile [01:50];What sets the company apart from other US-based MVNOs [02:28];The benefits of building in the public cloud  [04:12]; andThe key public cloud attribute that Ahmed thinks is underrated by telcos [09:54].Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesVisit the US Mobile website.Learn more about the upcoming MVNO Summit at Mobile World Congress 2023. Totogi is a gold sponsor—let’s meet while we’re there!Check out MongoDB, US Mobile’s database of choice. It’s a single-table database like DynamoDB, which is what Totogi uses.[google cloud/US mobile announcement / blog]Don’t build your own charger! Instead try out Totogi’s Charging a ServiceRead this March 2021 white paper about how US Mobile built pooled plans.Ahmed has been an entrepreneur to watch for most of his career, like when he was included in Under30CEO’s list of the 30 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs in 2011 and featured in Entrepreneur Magazine in 2012.Check out my high-five photo with former U.S. President Barack Obama. Amazing!Remember the 1988 movie Coming to America with Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall?Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Ahmed KhattakAhmed Khattak is the CEO and founder of US Mobile, a fast-growing Hybrid Network Operator that’s disrupting the wireless industry with more than 400 customizable plans, cutting-edge features, and world-class customer service. With a wealth of experience in the telecommunications industry, Ahmed is on a mission to democratize connectivity. He has been recognized as Bloomberg Businessweek’s “Top 25 Entrepreneurs under 25,” Under30CEO’s “Top 30 Most Influential Entrepreneurs under 30,” and a finalist for Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Entrepreneur of the Year.”Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Mobile World Congress 2023 is right around the corner, running from February 27 through March 2. This is the biggest event of the year for the telco industry, a place where the movers and shakers come together to discuss policy, see innovative ideas from exhibitors, and get deals done.In this episode, I talk with Lara Dewar, chief marketing officer for the GSMA, which puts together MWC each year. Click play to hear our conversation about: What’s in store for this year’s event [01:58];The inside scoop on the GSMA’s ministerial program, which gathers policy makers from more than 160 countries to discuss and shape industry policies and regulations [07:45]; andThe down low on this year’s inaugural MVNO Summit, where Totogi is the gold sponsor [10:01].Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesMake your plan to attend MWC 23!Read the latest news release from the GSMA about speakers, event features, and more.Find out why Totogi, where I’m acting CEO, is perfect for MVNOs and digital brands, and then come find me at MWC23 to learn more. I’ll be giving a talk at the MVNO Summit and hanging out at the Totogi booth between Halls 3 and 5.Read what Mike Dano from Light Reading says you should expect from this year’s event. His prediction? 80,000 attendees.CLOUD CITY at MWC 2021 was unforgettable! Here’s a reminder of just how awesome it was.If you’re traveling with me, you better not plan on checking a bag. Our podcast producer learned quickly when we started traveling together; this was her previous approach to packing—OMG! Buy some life-changing packing cubes and never check a bag again.In honor of Lara’s love of dinner parties, I dug up this fabulous scene from the movie My Best Friend's Wedding. Lara wouldn’t approve of the rectangular dinner table, but who wouldn’t love a dinner guest with enough charisma to lead an entire restaurant in a sing-along?I agree with Lara that specialty cocktails make a party shine. Here’s a list of the cloudy cocktails we created for our afterparty at MVNO Nation Live in November 2022 (with a splash of dry ice, of course!).Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Lara DewarLara Dewar is responsible for driving the GSMA’s global marketing and communications strategy to support and enable business success for the organization and its members. She is a global leader with more than 20 years of knowledge in industries shaping our world. Since joining the GSMA in January 2020 as Global Head of Communications, Lara has successfully shaped its communication strategy during a tumultuous time. From financial services and energy to charity and telecoms, Lara has applied her strategic and collaborative approach to leadership to drive transformation in its truest sense. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Telcos have a ton of subscriber data at their fingertips, yet most never tap its value. MobileX is ready to show them the way. It’s using AI and subscriber usage insights to price personalized plans with transparency, and hoping to build trust between telco and customers in the process.In this episode, I talk to MobileX CEO and serial entrepreneur, Peter Adderton. He’s going to tell us what MobileX is up to and how it’s filling an unmet need. Click play to hear our conversation about: Why Peter started MobileX [03:10]; Why customer trust is key to its brand [06:23]; How the company benefits from being a digital first, app-driven business [08:38]; andThe economics behind MVNO success [13:57]. Listen now by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform—see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesVisit the MobileX website to learn more about the company. Follow @peter_adderton on Twitter—he’s constantly commenting on the industry!Learn more about the upcoming MVNO Summit at Mobile World Congress 2023. Totogi is a gold sponsor—let’s meet while we’re there!Learn about Stetson Doggett’s Best Phone Plans.Check out Totogi, my company that’s building software to generate the perfect plan for every subscriber.Peter is from the land down under and now lives in California. Check out the trailer from Crocodile Dundee, the 1986 movie about another Australian making his way in the States.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast.  If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson 

Telcos around the world are signing strategic deals with hyperscalers, setting big goals for public cloud transformation, and finding ways to cross the finish line. A great example is TELUS, which signed a 10-year strategic agreement with Google Cloud and is on a path to become a cloud-native organization. For this episode, I talk with Hesham Fahmy, chief information officer at TELUS, about how the telecom built momentum for its cloud journey, what happened along the way, and what it learned that other telcos should know. Hit play to hear our conversation about: TELUS’ plan to move 80% of workloads to the cloud by 2025 [03:56];Where and how it decided to start its move [06:16];How TELUS brought its team along on its public cloud journey [08:42].Refactoring applications for the public cloud [12:18].Listen to the episode by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform. You can find the transcript for this episode here. Links and ResourcesRead the announcement of TELUS’ 10-year strategic alliance with Google Cloud.Hear about another digital transformation in episode 52, featuring Nathan Bell, former chief digital officer of M1 Singapore, and now digital practice partner at Kearney.Listen to my Telco in 20 conversation with change-management guru Jim Abolt about driving workplace transformation.Read my blog about the importance of setting Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs). Don’t forget to publicize and celebrate the wins to align your team and build momentum towards the cloud.Check out Hesham’s helmet-cam footage, captured while he was racing his motorcycle, and then find out what makes Turn 1 at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas so special.Once you get moving to the cloud, you’ll want to keep your trains running smoothly. Learn how Tokyo runs one of the world’s best subway systems to get ideas on how to keep your organization on track.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback!This week’s guest About Hesham FahmyAs Chief Information Officer at TELUS, Hesham Fahmy leads the team responsible for spearheading TELUS’ transformation to a fully-digital, software-centric and cloud-enabled organization. The CIO team brings humanized, digital-first experiences to life for customers, and champions technology to improve capabilities, efficiency and scalability across all current and future lines of business. With a bachelor of computer engineering from McMaster University and a master of software engineering from the University of Toronto, Hesham has innovated software products and solutions for 25 years, including 19 in senior leadership roles. He has a track record of launching disruptive products and platforms in retail, IoT, fintech and development tooling.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingAudio Editing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson 

I had some amazing conversations this year, but none grabbed more ears than my in-person interview with DISH Wireless Executive Vice President and Chief Network Officer Marc Rouanne. He offered a behind-the-scenes look at DISH’s new 5G network, its work with AWS, and more. The original episode went live in June, and since then it’s been listened to thousands of times. Hit play to hear: How hyperscaler investments made DISH’s project possible [02:34];What Marc would change about the AWS platform [04:20]; His experience working with software vendors’ cloud-native solutions [05:46]; How building on AWS changed the economics of network operations [07:26]; andMarc’s vision for using open APIs to grow the business [9:55].A few weeks ago at AWS re:Invent 2022, DISH released its first batch of Network APIs, just as Marc envisioned. It’s so exciting to watch it unfold! Listen to our conversation by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform. You can find the transcript for this episode here. Links and ResourcesWatch the video of my conversation with Marc on the TelcoDR YouTube channelDISH’s network APIs were huge news at this year’s AWS re:Invent. Don’t miss these headlines from Light Reading, Fierce Wireless and TelecomTV. Even McKinsey & Company Partner Ferry Grijpink chimed in. (Oh, and ICYMI, check out Ferry’s Telco in 20 episode—the second most popular of the year!)Check out the DISH Wireless Developer Hub and read TelcoDR’s blog about it Read about how Totogi joined DISH at AWS re:Invent to showcase its capabilitiesWatch the fun holiday interview I did with Ray LeMaistre from TelecomTV about why the DISH project is a gamechanger for telcoFind out what happened to the mini computer vendors that didn’t see innovation coming until it was too late.The best way to spread telco cheer is singing loud for all to hear. My favorite holiday song? Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” of course! Put it on full blast and sing it the top of your lungs! Telco execs, wanna talk public cloud? Set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback!This week’s guest About Marc Rouanne As Executive Vice President and Chief Network Officer for DISH’s wireless business, Marc is responsible for network architecture, RF network and strategy, core network architecture and strategy, cloud and edge strategy, security, transport, 5G lab management and interoperability testing. He brings to DISH more than 20 years of international management experience in the telecommunications industry, having held executive positions in R&D, customer operations and product management in the U.S., France and Finland. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDR Senior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo Media Editor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingAudio Editing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Last week I gave a keynote at the first-ever in-person MVNO Nation Live conference in beautiful Valencia, Spain. It was thrilling to talk to all of the entrepreneurial leaders at this event. They clearly see the huge upside of embracing public cloud technology and are poised to use it to become some of the world’s greatest brands. I’ve turned my keynote into this podcast episode. Listen now to hear: Examples of how telcos and MVNOs are benefiting from public cloud technology [02:48];How cloud-native telco tools (like Totogi!) can help MVNOs streamline work, increase speed to market, and lower costs [05:21];Why giffgaff put data at the heart of its business [12:53]; andHow MVNOs can boost their NPS and ARPU by delivering an amazing, personalized customer experience [13:55].When you’re done listening, check out the links to Totogi and the AWS Marketplace below, and contact us for a demo. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesRead my blog about why MVNOs need to stop differentiating on price and start personalizing the customer experienceWatch the video version of my MVNO Nation Live keynoteCheck out this great article about digital-attacker strategies from McKinsey & CompanyRead my op-ed in Vanilla Plus about why MVNOs should be all-in on the public cloudRead the original AWS press release on the giffgaff relationshipLearn more about Totogi and sign up (for one penny!) on AWS MarketplaceFind out how MVNOs can super-charge their BSS with Totogi’s BSS enhancement platform, starting with our Charging-as-a-ServiceYou KNOW that we rocked an awesome party at MVNO Nation Live. Check out the cloudy drinks and our dance moves on the 360 spinner!Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Every telco leader, consultant, and analyst I talk to these days says the telecom industry’s move to the public cloud is in full swing. Today’s guest, Davide Bellini, agrees. As Accenture Applied Intelligence lead for the communications and media industry, he has his finger on the pulse of telcos around the world—what they’re thinking about, how they’re navigating challenges, and their vision for a future powered by the public cloud. Click play to hear Davide’s thoughts on: Public cloud adoption trends around the globe [03:40];What’s changed to make telcos more open to cloud transformation [11:28];Their greatest hurdles to migration success [13:56]; andWhy freeing data from siloed databases has become a business imperative [19:29].You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesRead the TelcoDR blog Think twice before building your own public cloudListen to an early Telco in 20 podcast episode featuring Forrest Brazeal, Lift Off: Telcos moving to the public cloud – beware of lift and shift. (This is the one I rap in – seriously!)Want to know if there’s a hyperscaler region available in your neighborhood? Check out our handy spreadsheet of hyperscaler data centers (it changes by the week!)Which hyperscaler is winning? This Light Reading article quotes TelcoDR as saying that it’s probably AWS, followed by Azure, and then Google Cloud. For a more in depth look, read the Informa report (subscription required).Davide and his team recently released two reports on growth opportunities that small- and medium-size businesses are bringing to CSPsThe SMB Opportunity for CSPs: A New Path for Growth (Part 1)The SMB Opportunity for CSPs: A New Path for Growth (Part 2)The Great Telco Public Cloud Migration is on! Watch this video of the world’s great animal migration - the Wildebeest migration - that happens each year in East Africa.Davide lives in Italy and shares his last name with the drink made famous by Harry’s bar in Venice, the Bellini. Learn the history behind the drink and how to make it in this video.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Platinum MarComm Award, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Davide BelliniDavide is an Accenture Managing Director with more than 23 years of consulting experience with Tier 1 Communications and Media industry clients across the world. He is the Global Lead for Communications, Media and Entertainment Industry in Applied Intelligence, Accenture’s division focused on transforming clients' business with Data and AI at the core. Davide is also leading the Accenture SMB Growth offering for the Comms Industry globally, a transformational portfolio of end-to-end services to help CSPs generate value for the small- and medium-business segment with industry-specific, highly personalized, and sustainable communication and technology services. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

The signs are everywhere—the MVNO segment of telco is picking up steam. On November 16-17, 2022, MVNO leaders from around the world will gather at the inaugural MVNO Nation Live conference in Valencia, Spain, while 800-pound gorilla GSMA has plans to host its first MVNO Summit as part of the big show at next year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. This makes it a great time to explore the ins and outs of launching a successful MVNO or digital brand. In this episode, I’m talking with Scott Venuti, General Manager at Plum, a mobile virtual network aggregator (MVNA). He helps MVNOs get their businesses launched and ready for success. Click play to hear our conversation about: How long it takes to get an MVNO set up [07:47];Why being nimble is key [09:28];Why getting plans to market is so important for successful MVNOs [10:51];The importance of making the right decisions at the beginning of the journey [13:23];Thoughts on MVNO profitability and margins [15:16].Links and ResourcesRead about Plum’s exclusive collaboration with T-MobileMVNOs and digital brands are great ways to experiment with new software. Those smarty pants over at McKinsey & Company agree and even wrote an article about their cool ideasFind out how MVNOs can super-charge their BSS with Totogi’s BSS enhancement platform, starting with our Charging-as-a-Service!Learn more about MVNO Nation Live, happening November 16-17 in Valencia, Spain. Totogi is the event’s Principal Sponsor—let’s meet while we’re there! And check out all the great reasons Totogi is a perfect fit for MVNOsNext time you’re in the US state of Massachusetts, check out Scott’s family business, Bedford Farms Ice CreamHow many scoops of ice cream can you balance on an ice cream cone? Watch the record being set, complete with a cameo from the guy who holds the Guinness Book of World Records for “Longest Tongue,” which might come in handy with 125 (!) scoopsWanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Gold Hermes Award and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Scott VenutiAs the General Manager of Plum, the wholesale division of UVNV, Scott brings more than 25 years of experience in the telecommunications space. He joined UVNV in 2019 as VP of Channel Development for UVNV's Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile brands before launching the Plum wholesale business in 2020. He is an industry veteran with expertise in carrier-side and MVNO-side wireless wholesale sales and operations, as well as consumer and business distribution and channel management. His wireless experience includes time at Sprint, Clearwire, and others while working with many of North America's top telecom providers, national retailers, and distributors.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

A couple of years ago, I learned that M1, a Singapore-based MNO, was doing exactly what I had been evangelizing about—going ALL IN on the public cloud. Leading the charge was then-Chief Digital Officer Nathan Bell. I’ve been hoping to have him on the podcast ever since I heard about what he was doing. Today, my wish comes true. In this episode, he joins me to talk about: How Nathan and M1 got the idea—in 2019!— to go all-in on the public cloud [03:47];The moment they knew they were going to be successful [14:41];How they brought the team along on the transformation journey [16:11]; andWhat Nathan would do differently if he had to do it all over again [19:01].A quick side note: Nathan recently shared exciting news – a few weeks ago he accepted the role of Digital Practice Partner at Kearney. Congratulations, Nathan! Links and ResourcesTake a look at M1’s February 2021 news release about its digital transformationWatch the TM Forum panel where Nathan and I first met, CSPs should run toward public cloudListen to The Cloud Strategy panel from Asia Pacific Telecom Summit 2022, where Nathan talked more about M1’s cloud moveLearn more about Kearney’s digital practice, where Nathan recently became a partner.Get Nathan’s take on what bringing people along on a digital transformation has in common with the evolution of F1 racingNathan’s right, “with great power comes great responsibility” – so here’s a mash-up from Spiderman: No Way Home to remind you to watch your team when you give them free rein in the public cloudCheck out Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest Bruce Springsteen songs of all time - Born to Run is #1!Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Gold Hermes Award and was recognized as a Forrester Top 100 Channel Podcast and Feedspot Top 10 Telecom Podcast. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Nathan BellNathan Bell is Digital Practice Partner at Kearney. He is an advisor and mentor to both businesses at scale and startups, helping to guide their journeys as they seek to leverage the value of digital agendas and scale digital offerings. As the Chief Digital Officer for M1, Nathan helped shape the future of M1’s business from how customers choose and consume services, to the experiences of its staff, to engagement with its partners. With more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunication industry, Nathan has held a number of senior leadership and sales positions in Europe and Asia Pacific at companies including AT&T, KPNQwest, BT, TelkomTelstra and Telstra. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

For the last year and a half, I’ve been obsessed with one of the biggest collaborations worldwide between a telco and a hyperscaler: AT&T and Microsoft Azure. In 2021, the CSP sold its network cloud to Azure. Since then, people in the industry have been wondering what’s been going on, who’s doing what, and how things are going. For this episode, Shawn Hakl, Microsoft VP of 5G Strategy, joins me to answer these questions and talk about: Why the partnership made sense for both sides [02:37];The benefit of handing over infrastructure management to a hyperscaler [04:22];How Azure and AT&T collaborate and divide responsibilities [05:52]; andThe challenges of bringing it all together and adopting a new playbook [12:03].Links and ResourcesRead AT&T’s June 2021 announcement about Microsoft’s acquisition of its Network CloudCheck out this Protocol article from July 2021, Why AT&T moved its core tech — but not everything — to Microsoft AzureHere's Shawn’s update on the collaboration from early 2022Listen to other Telco in 20 episodes featuring Microsoft Azure:Ep 5 Rick Lievano: The BFC’s: Putting Microsoft’s Azure to the test for telcosEp 9 Yousef Khalidi: Microsoft’s big moveA big part of the strategy for Azure with its acquisition of AT&T’s Network Cloud is to refactor the code to run natively on Azure and then sell it to other operators. Read my blog on why refactoring for native public cloud is key to really leveraging the power of the public cloud.Shawn is way into making antique furniture by hand, and even made a piece with a SECRET DRAWER. You know what else has a secret drawer? The Resolute Desk, at least according to the movie National Treasure. Watch how Nicolas Cage cracks the code and finds the hidden drawer.Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Gold Hermes Award and was recognized on Forrester’s list of the Top 100 Channel Podcasts and Feedspot’s Top 10 Telecom Podcasts list. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Shawn HaklShawn Hakl is responsible for building and executing the product strategy and partnerships for Microsoft’s Azure for Operators portfolio. His team works across product, engineering, and sales to help operators execute on the digital transformation of the core and edge networks. Prior to Microsoft, Shawn served at Verizon as the Senior Vice President of Business Product, responsible for a $29B portfolio covering services such as enterprise networking, 4G/5G, cyber security, collaboration, and IoT. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson 

India is a fascinating place for telco operators. It’s home to more than a billion subscribers, while also having some of the lowest ARPU on the planet. This means mobile operators there not only need carrier-grade software products, they need to get them for a low, low price. Last week I delivered a keynote at Voice & Data’s “5G and the future of mobile data” conference in Delhi, India. I’ve turned that talk into this podcast episode to share why the public cloud is perfect for India’s unique telco market and how to unlock its full potential. Listen now to hear:Why the public cloud is such a good fit for India’s operators [04:47];Why using cloud native telco software is critical to success [06:40]; andThe simple way to tell if a telco software solution is truly cloud native, and not just “cloud washed.” [07:44]Links and ResourcesRead the article in Voice & Data or on my blog about why the public cloud is perfect for IndiaWatch Voice & Data’s full recording of the conference sessions Check out the Totogi website and buy it on AWS MarketplaceRead this piece by Light Reading about India’s 5G spectrum auctionThis is the 50th episode of Telco in 20 – can you believe it? Did you know that only 4% of active podcasts have more than 10 episodes?Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Gold Hermes Award and was recognized on Forrester’s list of the 100 Channel Podcasts and Feedspot’s Top 10 Telecom Podcasts list. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

When it comes to rolling out enterprise software, no one takes one for the team like the guys and gals in charge of delivery. They’re always on the front line, ready to battle any obstacle to get the system up and providing value to customers. Up until now, rolling out a telco charging engine has been a huge, heavy lift for the delivery folks. But not anymore, because the public cloud-based Totogi Charging System is delivered in a completely different way. For this episode, I’m joined by Totogi’s global head of delivery, Damon Wheaton, to talk about: Why it’s so hard for telcos to deploy a traditional charging system [03:12]; What’s so different about deploying Totogi’s Charging as a Service [08:06]; Why building on the foundation of the public cloud is a total game changer [09:16]; and Why Totogi is PERFECT for telcos in India [15:14].Links and ResourcesCheck out the Totogi website and find us on AWS MarketplaceRead this piece by Light Reading about India’s 5G spectrum auctionThen check out this article in the Wall Street Journal about Reliance Group emerging as the big winnerListen to the last episode of What’s Up with Totogi, The Future of Charging with Totogi CMO Hakan Dursan where we talk about the differentiation of the plan design system – built by marketers, for marketersYears ago, when I worked at Trilogy, we gave out the Han Solo in Carbonite award to someone who went above and beyond to take one for the team, just like the delivery folks do every day. I mean, who doesn’t want a life-size figure of Hans Solo, the ultimate team player, in their office?Enterprise software is NO-NO-NO-NOTORIOUS for being over promised and under delivered. Reminds me of the 1986 song Notorious by Duran Duran. Watch the original music video and sing along with me!Watch the original “Wassup” Budweiser beer commercial—a true classic—and then check out the revival ad, launched during the pandemicWanna talk public cloud? Telco execs, set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Gold Hermes Award and was recognized on Forrester’s 2021 list of the Top 100 Channel Podcasts and Feedspot’s Top 10 Telecom Podcasts list. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Damon WheatonDamon Wheaton has worked with telecoms for more than 25 years and witnessed the evolution of analogue networks to generations of digital networks. He has extensive experience working for telecom operators, software vendors, network equipment providers, and global consulting and professional service organizations. As the global head of delivery for Totogi, he is instrumental in rolling out Totogi’s cloud-based BSS platform, which empowers operators and breaks legacy software vendor lock-in. He was formerly Global VP for Professional Services at MATRIXX Software, Inc.Podcast Credits●  Executive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDR●  Senior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo Media●  Editor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard Marketing●  Editing: Andrew Condell●  Music: Dyami Wilson

Moving to the public cloud is a major transformation for most telcos. There’s a lot at stake, and failure can spell disaster for an organization and its leaders. But the hard truth is that 70% of big transformation projects fail according to research from McKinsey & Company. In this episode, I sit down with Teena Piccione, a change management expert at Google, to dig into what telcos can do to keep their public cloud journey on track. Click play to hear our conversation about:The reasons big projects fail [03:15]; How to build support for change in your organization [04:14];What to do to get a derailed project back on track [07:59]; andHow to handle resistance to change [12:14].Listen to our conversation by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform – see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesThis episode combines two topics I love – transformation and human resources. Here are other great TelcoDR insights on these topics: The first episode of Telco in 20! It starts with transformational leadershipEpisode 7, Telcos, get ready for workforce transformationLearn how Verizon has navigated its public cloud journeyRead my blog about how to start your move to the cloud Teena and I talked before she left for Alaska – the last of the US states she had left to visit. Here’s a picture from her trip. Check out this trailer from Insomnia, starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hillary Swank. It’s a great movie about a veteran detective sent to a small Alaskan town to investigate the murder of a teenage girl.Watch this fun scene from the 1987 movie, Overboard, with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Gold Hermes Award and was recognized on Forrester’s 2021 list of the Top 100 Channel Podcasts and Feedspot’s Top 10 Telecom Podcasts list. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Teena PiccioneTeena Piccione joined Google's corporate engineering team in February 2022 to lead the Technical Engineering Teams. She previously led Google Cloud’s Telco, Media & Entertainment, Gaming (TMEG) Industry Sales and Customer Engineering teams. She has served as the EVP/CIO for RTI International, a non-profit research institute, and held leadership positions at Fidelity Investments (COO) and AT&T (running the Big Data Center of Excellence startup). Teena sits on advisory committees with NC State University, the Digital Transformation Committee for the Governor of NC, and The Kenan Institute.Podcast Credits●  Executive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDR●  Senior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo●  Editor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard Marketing●  Editing: Andrew Condell●  Music: Dyami Wilson

Let’s be real: shifting workloads to the public cloud is no easy task. I’ve met a bunch of telecom leaders who debate about what is the best approach - should we go in one giant leap, or a series of steps? Their hesitancy to go all-in has left telco vendors designing and supporting multiple solutions—including private and hybrid cloud offerings—to meet them where they are, wherever that may be.If the shortest path between two points is a straight line, and if we all agree that the destination is the public cloud, why take a half measure? I think it’s a waste of time and money. Why spend on interim steps when you could be investing in gaining public cloud know-how and competitive advantages immediately? Everyone knows how much I like to dig into topics like these with people who don’t see eye-to-eye with me. That’s why I’m super psyched to have Shaun Whalon, VP of digital monetization at CSG, on the podcast. There’s a lot Shaun and I agree about—like that the move to the public cloud is inevitable for telco—and a lot we don’t agree on, like the best way to get there. Hit play to hear our conversation about:The difference between CSG’s Ascendon and Encompass products [04:00]; How CSG’s definition of SaaS and cloud native differ from mine [06:30];How the speed at which hyperscalers are rolling out new regions is affecting telecoms’ cloud journey [10:09]; andWhy I don't agree with a hybrid approach, and why Shaun feels it can't be avoided [15:43].Listen to our conversation by clicking play above or subscribe through your favorite podcast platform – see the links in the right column above. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesRead CSG’s press release about EncompassShaun mentioned our episode with BT Chief Architect Neil McRae. Listen to him talk about BT’s multi-cloud approach. I’ll bet you can guess my opinion!Shaun should know about head winds: he comes from the windiest part of Ireland, Donegal. Learn more about it.Heed this ominous warning from a classic scene from the TV show Breaking Bad: “No more half measures, Walter”Don’t miss this Porky Pig Looney Tunes – he gets stuck in a hotel with an expensive bill to pay. He can’t get out – the perfect metaphor for legacy telco software! And finally, here’s a big shoutout to Shaun’s daughters and their YouTube baking channel – mini orange fairy cakes, anyone? Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Gold Hermes Award and was recognized on Forrester’s 2021 list of the Top 100 Channel Podcasts and Feedspot’s Top 10 Telecom Podcasts list. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Shaun WhalonShaun Whalon is a senior executive with 20+ years of experience in the communications industry. He specializes in software and hardware customer service delivery, customer support, outsourced managed services, and baselining and improving customer experience. He has worked in multinational environments including Asia, Australia, Central and South America, Sub-Sahara Africa, and UK/Europe. Podcast Credits●  Executive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDR●  Senior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo Media●  Editor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard Marketing●  Editing: Andrew Condell●  Music: Dyami Wilson 

One thing I’ve learned from talking to telco execs across the globe about the public cloud is that security is top of mind. Another thing I’ve learned is that many of them don’t know a lot about just how secure the public cloud is. So for this episode, I’m joined by Amy Zwarico, director of cybersecurity at AT&T, one of the world's largest and oldest telcos. She’s here to explain why the public cloud is more secure than the way many telcos are doing business today, and how AT&T has been preparing for its transition to use Azure. Hit play to hear our conversation about:What convinced AT&T that the public cloud and Microsoft Azure were the path to the future [02:32];How AT&T shifted operating models to run workloads in the public cloud [04:47];What advice Amy has for teams starting their cloud move [08:23];Why developing security patterns ahead of time is critical [09:11];How AT&T has benefited from its cloud migration [10:40].Fun fact: Amy is our first female guest on Telco in 20! We both want to see more women in tech leadership, so we finish our conversation by talking about how to encourage STEM learning and IT careers for young women. For every listen to this episode in the first 30 days, we’ll donate $1 to the Girls Who Code chapter of my high school!Be sure to subscribe and follow this podcast. You can find the transcript for this episode here.Links and ResourcesRead the June 2021 announcement about AT&T and Microsoft joining forcesCheck out AT&T’s cybersecurity blogDownload  this AT&T Cybersecurity report about securing the edgeLearn more about Girls Who Code, an awesome nonprofit that works to close the gender gap in technologyCheck out pictures of my gorgeous high school alma mater, El Paso HIgh School. Don’t miss the super cool amphitheater football stadium. Famous graduates include F. Murray Abraham, Sandra Day O’Conner, Beto O’Rouke – and yours truly, of course!Amy loves classical music and singing, and has performed with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO) in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Learn more about ASO.I, on the other hand, am NOT a singer – but I did rap (terribly) in an early podcast episode featuring Forrest Brazeal. Check it out!Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Gold Hermes Award and was recognized on Forrester’s 2021 list of the Top 100 Channel Podcasts and Feedspot’s Top 10 Telecom Podcasts list. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!This week’s guestAbout Amy ZwaricoAmy Zwarico is a director in AT&T’s Chief Security office. She’s been involved in Open Network Automation Platform (ONAP) security since the Amsterdam release, and currently serves as vice chair of the ONAP Security Subcommittee. Amy has worked in the telco industry for more than 25 years, focusing for the past 20 years on app sec, cloud security, applied cryptography, mobility security, software supply chain security and policy. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCoEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellMusic: Dyami Wilson

Telco leaders have been scratching their heads about how to monetize their 5G network. One of the world’s top think tanks, McKinsey & Company, has opinions on this topic—and research to back them up. For this episode, I’m joined by McKinsey Partner Ferry Grijpink, founder of the McKinsey Center for Advanced Connectivity. He’s got great insights into how data analytics can help telcos personalize the subscriber experience and boost ARPU. Listen now to hear our conversation about:What McKinsey’s research reveals about monetizing 5G investments [03:19];Why telcos need to un-commoditize their products [04:36];How delivering more personalized offers can boost ARPU [09:30]; andWhy the public cloud, AI, and ML are critical to achieving ARPU growth [16:19].Links and ResourcesCheck out these resources from McKinsey & Company:The value of getting personalization right—or wrong—is multiplyingHow AI is helping revolutionize telco service operationsUnlocking the value of 5G in the B2C marketplaceFind out how the Economic Times looks at personalization in this article: Which way 5G wind blows; significant shift in how telco operators engage with customersRead this piece from Light Reading’s Mike Dano, Could 6G mark a return to usage-based pricing?Telcos are starting to play with personalization. Read this article on Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom’s early experiments on combining their data with personalizing the experience.I owe Ferry dinner BIG TIME, and he can name the place and time whenever he wants to! That’s because I disrupted his talk at MWC22 with my talk, The Public Cloud is NOW (oh, the irony!). Check out those drums at the beginning!If I took Ferry to dinner in Austin, we’d head to my favorite restaurant, Uchi. I know - sushi? In Texas? But it brings in fish daily from Toyosu, Japan, and it might be the best sushi restaurant in the United States. It’s better than Nobu!Wanna talk public cloud? Telco execs set up a meeting with our team to learn how to tap the immense business value it can bring.Follow DRHave an idea for a Telco in 20 podcast guest or topic? Send it in!Want to sponsor a podcast? Let us knowFollow Telco in 20 on Twitter @TelcoIn20Follow DR on Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won a 2022 Gold Hermes Award and was recognized on Forrester’s 2021 list of the Top 100 Channel Podcasts and Feedspot’s Top 10 Telecom Podcasts list. If you enjoy the podcast, would you leave us a short review? It takes you seconds to do in your app and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. And I love reading your feedback and reviews!About Ferry GrijpinkFerry leads the McKinsey Center for Advanced Connectivity within McKinsey & Company’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications Practice, and advises telecommunications companies on strategy, marketing, and operations, including mobile operators that are launching adjacent businesses in areas such as mobile health and money services. He also co-leads McKinsey’s research on deploying and commercializing next-generation infrastructures, such as fiber, mobile broadband, and 5G networks. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellMusic: Dyami Wilson

DISH Wireless EVP and Chief Network Officer Marc Rouanne talks about DISH’s cloud-native 5G network, its partnership with AWS, and more.

BT Chief Architect Neil McRae talks about the company's digital transformation and strategies for working with hyperscalers ... and pinball, of course!

Amol Phadke, Google Cloud's MD & GM for the Global Telecom Industry, talks about what the hyperscaler is doing in the telco space.

When it comes to charging, the database you use is critical. Database expert Alex DeBrie talks about the pros and cons of database options.

Telcos need to hire a gazillion people with cloud skills. How can CSPs cultivate the talented teams they need? Good news – there are new workforce management strategies and AI tools that can help.

A cottage industry has popped up to help companies optimize their cloud environment and spending. Find out what you can do to hack cloud costs.

Nothing new has happened in charging in decades – until now. Find out why Totogi’s API-based, pay-by-the-use system is a game changer for telcos.

I had a great conversation with Claus Verner from AWS at MWC22. We talk about how the public cloud is helping to build innovative telco software companies, the launch of TelcoDR, and more.

Listen to the most exciting talk from MWC 2022 to learn how to turn the public cloud into a competitive advantage.

Microsoft Azure’s private network offering unites 5G, edge computing, and a robust partner network to deliver private networks to enterprises. Shriraj Gaglani, GM, Azure Private MEC, tells us what this means for telco.

CLOUD CITY is back, baby! And 100% in the cloud this year. Find out what we’ve done to bring an in-person experience to our virtual platform, and what you’ll find during the event.

Amazon Chime SDK general manager Sid Rao shares insights into what this set of real-time communication tools can do for telcos.

In this special episode, we take a look at telco and public cloud trends to watch in 2022. Tune in to find out what you need to know.

Nanda Kumar, executive director of cloud engineering at Verizon, has helped pilot the company’s successful digital transformation. He tells us about the journey, which started back in 2016.

Totogi APIs can help CSPs bring new features to market fast, and boost customer satisfaction and ARPU in the process.

In our most popular episode from 2021, transformation leader Juha Korhonen shares his experience with the successful launch of Yaqoot, a digital mobile operator in the Middle East.

Telco in 20 sits down with Mats Granryd, Director General for GSMA, to talk about the future of the public cloud and telco.

Telco in 20 sits down with Scott Bicheno and Iain Morris of the Telecoms.com podcast to have an awesome conversation about the public cloud and telco.

TM Forum’s Open APIs are giving telcos a way to build IT solutions that are easier and cheaper to deploy, integrate, and upgrade. It’s time to change your thinking about the best way to build applications.

Former Roshan CFO Imtiaz Esmail and his team refused to be sidelined by two devastating attacks on the Afghan telecom. Instead, they guided the company through a successful digital transformation.

Here's the latest on Totogi, the telco software darling built specifically for the public cloud – 80% lower TCO, anyone?

AWS' Rick Houlihan tells us why flexible and scalable NoSQL databases are a great fit for telco.

Jonas Wallenius, Strategic Product Manager at Digital Route, has a clear view of the public cloud's potential for telco, and ideas about how the industry can get there.

CLOUD CITY shifted the spotlight to the public cloud for telco for the first time in MWC history.

There are massive upsides to the public cloud for telcos, but that’s not the whole story. TelcoDR CEO Danielle Royston tells it all in her MWC21 keynote.

Switching from being network-centric to customer-centric is not only necessary, but also the best thing you’ll ever do for your bottom line.

Transformation leader Juha Korhonen shares his experience with the successful launch of Yaqoot, a digital mobile operator in the Middle East.

LastMileXchange’s cloud-based access quoting solution shines a spotlight on how the public cloud can transform telecom.

The rumors are true... Public cloud is taking center stage in Barcelona and TelcoDR is leading the way!

Remember the David-and-Goliath business story of Siebel vs Salesforce? There’s a new public cloud startup in Telco that will change everything – webscale charging engine Totogi.

Andriy Zhylenko, CEO of PortaOne, talks about leading a pivot to the public cloud via Oracle Cloud.

Jon Fagan, Senior Principal Cloud Architect at CSG, talks about what the billion-dollar company is doing with the public cloud.

Telcos are making huge investments in 5G. Will ROI follow? Pete Bernard, Senior Director of Azure Edge Devices, Platforms and Services, talks about how 5G, IoT, AI and the edge can work together to help monetize the network.

The Software Series, Part 1: MATRIXX Software CTO Marc Price talks 5G, designing for the public cloud, and why customizations will be the death of vendors AND telcos.

In this special episode, we take a look at 2020’s big headlines and trends to watch in the coming year. Tune in to find out who will be in the winner’s circle at the end of 2021.

Microsoft wants to be THE hyperscaler for the telecom industry. Yousef Khalidi, corporate VP for Azure for Operators, shares exactly what Azure is up to and why telcos need to pay attention.

The HR Series, Part 2: What has two heads, two keyboards and two monitors and can help you squash the competition? It’s time to adopt pair programming.

The HR Series, Part 1: If telecoms are going to survive the inevitable move to the public cloud, they need to start focusing on people - retraining, hiring, and yes, letting some workers go.

Neil Bunn, Head of Customer Engineering, Media and Telco, for Google Cloud Canada, reviews the coolest features of Google cloud technology and offers an unexpected reason why GCP should be at the top of telcos’ list (hint: think, Anthos).

Rick Lievano, Worldwide Director of Technology Strategy at Microsoft, builds a good case for why Azure should be telecom’s cloud platform of choice, not the least of which is Azure for Operators -- a game changer in the quest for carrier-grade cloud.

Find out how telcos can control public cloud spending and avoid leaving money on the table. Featuring cloud economist and snark-master Corey Quinn.

Using a lift and shift strategy for public cloud migration demands clear vision around what’s waiting on the other side. Cloud architect Forrest Brazeal explains what you need to know and why.

Telcos need to start moving to the public cloud, like, yesterday. Migration specialist Troy O’Brien offers his advice on smart planning for a smooth journey.

Telco needs disruptive leaders with the courage to drive change. Find out what sets these trailblazers apart and why it takes big changes to big things to succeed.

You’ve found my podcast! Telco in 20 presents my vision for where the telco industry will be in 20 years and how savvy leaders will get there. New episodes, specifically for telco executives, drop every two weeks. Get the latest insights and best practices – and enjoy a few laughs!