I've spent the last four years championing the game-changing benefits of the public cloud for telcos, from cost savings to faster innovation. While some operators are embracing the cloud (like the O2 Telefonica Germany deal that was announced last week to run their 5G network 100% on AWS), others are doubling down on building their own private cloud—but all signs point to a turning tide. To get an honest take on where telcos stand, I’m talking with Iain Morris, international editor at Light Reading. He connects regularly with the industry’s top leaders to talk about their strategic priorities and technology plans, and writes regularly about where telcos are on their cloud journeys. Listen now to hear:How telcos' perspectives on the public cloud have shifted since 2018 [03:50];Where the line is for moving network workloads to the public cloud [08:39];How DISH Network, AT&T and e& are moving things forward by jumping on the public cloud train [10:00]; andHow generative AI is influencing telcos’ interest in the public cloud [14:30].Links and ResourcesRead my blog, Telco’s shift to the public cloud gets real, about O2 Telefónica Germany and other telcos that are making big cloud moves.Read O2 Telefónica’s recent announcement about launching a new 5G core network built entirely in the cloud.Check out some of Iain’s  articles in Light Reading:Telefónica Germany turns to AWS, Nokia in cloud core threat to Ericsson (5/14/24)The public cloud has failed to crack telecom (1/19/24)Telco cloudification poses a huge systemic risk (10/13/23)Read what Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has to say about Bedrock in his 2023 Letter to ShareholdersListen to my 2021 conversation with Iain and his podcast co-host Scott Bicheno in Telco in 20 episode 27, Talking public cloud with Telecoms.com.Read AT&T’s June 2021 announcement about moving its 5G mobile network to Microsoft Cloud.Check out this February 2023 article from Fierce Network’s Linda Hardesty about Microsoft reworking 5G core software from AT&T for sale to other carriers.Iain’s son is a proud member of the University of Denver’s men’s tennis team. Read about their awesome 2024 season.Check out this episode on our YouTube channel.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. Or better yet, come find me at TM Forum’s DTW-Ignite in Copenhagen on June 18 - 20. Send me a DM on Linkedin or X @TelcoDR and we can set up a time to meet. Team Totogi will be in the AWS stand as a Featured Partner, so stop by to catch a demo of Totogi’s BSS Magic. 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 2024 and 2022 Hermes Awards, 2023 and 2022 MarComm Awards, and was recognized as a TeckNexus Top 12 Telco and Tech Podcast, 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 guestIain Morris is the International Editor at Light Reading, having joined the team as News Editor at the start of 2015. Prior to boosting Light Reading's UK-based editorial team numbers, he was a successful freelance writer and editor covering the telecom sector for 15 years. His work has appeared in The Economist and The Observer, and a variety of trade and business journals. He was previously the lead telecom analyst for the Economist Intelligence Unit, and before that worked as features editor at Telecommunications magazine. Iain started in telecom as an editor at consulting and market-research company Analysys (now Analysys Mason).Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Rios Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaSenior Editor/Brand Manager: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingAudio Editor: Andrew CondellSupervising Producer: Amanda AveryAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Microsoft has been quick to pick up the GenAI reins, making huge investments in OpenAI and strategic acquisitions like Inflection AI. Now, the hyperscaler wants to help telcos bring AI into their organizations in meaningful ways. For this episode, I spoke with Jason Hogg, GM for AIOps within Azure for Operators, about where telcos are on their AI journey, how Microsoft is helping them prepare data for AI workloads, and how CSPs can steer their organizations to make the most of the AI revolution. Listen now to hear:How Microsoft is helping telcos manage siloed data to support AI, both in the cloud and at the edge [03:21];How AI tools like Azure OpenAI and Azure Operator Insights are being used in operations, fraud detection, and more [05:20];The importance of moving beyond AI experimentation to putting AI models to work in the business [09:22]; andWhy telcos need to redesign their organizations to be AI-first [13:10].Links and ResourcesJason talked about Microsoft’s work with 3UK to use Azure Operator Insights to break down silos and generate new insights. Check out this video overview here. Read my recent blog on how to transform your customer support with AIAt last year’s TelecomTV AI-Native Telco Summit, I took part in a panel on Using AIOps for operational efficiencies. Watch the on-demand recording.Check out Frederick Winslow Taylor’s best-selling organizational design book, Shop Management.Learn more about Totogi’s BSS MagicCheck out Accelerating telco transformation in the era of AI, a blog from Microsoft’s Jason Zandor.In late March, the Telecoms.com Podcast welcomed former Telco in 20 guest Shawn Hakl, Microsoft’s VP of 5G strategy, to talk about the public cloud and 5G. Listen to the conversation. Take a look at this video of “Extreme Buddy Skiing.” It takes a lot of fear, anxiety, and planning to get to the moment where you can drop in on a face like the one they ski. It reminds me of what it takes to make big moves to use the public cloud and AI the right way! Check out this episode on our YouTube channel.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 a 2024 Gold Hermes Award, 2023 and 2022 MarComm Awards, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a TeckNexus Top 12 Telco and Tech Podcast, 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 guestJason Hogg is a General Manager responsible for the Azure for Operators (AfO) AIOps program, which includes Azure Operator Insights and Azure Operator Service Manager. Prior to AfO, Jason led the creation of the Azure Data Lake Storage platform and Azure Media Services’ AI based Video Analytics service. Jason has 30+ years of experience in software development, having spent the last 21 years at Microsoft where he has also worked in Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Research, and Developer Division. Jason holds a MSc (Comp Sci) from University of Washington.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Rios Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellSupervising Producer: Amanda AveryAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Last week at the NOVACOM 1-to-1 Telco Summit in Kenya, I connected with fellow podcaster Ali Hussein Kassim, host of Ali Talks Tech, which focuses on Africa’s changing tech landscape. We decided to record a joint episode about Totogi’s recent work with Zain to restore critical mobile services in Sudan after they were knocked out due to the ongoing civil war. Abdalla Hamid, Director of IT at Zain Sudan, joined us to talk about how Totogi got Zain back up and running in just 18 days thanks to the power of the public cloud. Listen now to hear:The dire situation Zain Sudan faced when it suffered a 40-day outage of essential services, and how Totogi helped it get back online [06:14];The way Totogi's Charging-as-a-Service revolutionizes telco charging, lowering TCO by up to 80% and deploying in weeks instead of 6-18 months [16:07];Why I’m supercharged about Totogi’s ability to transform the telco industry and help the world's unconnected [20:40].How Totogi and Zain plan to move forward together, leveraging the latest AI tech in Africa—even on 2G networks! [23:39].Links and ResourcesRead the announcement of Totogi’s exciting partnership with ZainCheck out my recent blog and episode 89 to find out why the public cloud is PERFECT for Africa.Watch the video of our conversation on YouTube.Read McKinsey & Company’s recent report, Africa’s leap ahead into cloud: Opportunities and barriersCheck out the Ali Talks Tech podcast for insights on Africa's rapidly changing tech landscape.See the graph showing the networks going down in Sudan in early February.Everyone at the conference got a delicious local welcome gift: Mocha Bombs in dark chocolate. Delicious! Give them a try if you ever get a chance!Check out this episode on our YouTube channel.Read 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 Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won 2022 and 2023 MarComm Awards, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a TeckNexus Top 12 Telco and Tech Podcast, 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 Ali Hussein Kassim, Ali Talks Tech founder and hostAli is a serial entrepreneur and a regular commentator and contributor on all things tech and the policy and regulatory landscape across Africa and beyond. He consults on digital transformation, and serves in leadership roles on public and private sector boards including Africa Fintech Network, Association of Fintechs in Kenya, and Kenya ICT Action Network. He enjoys mentoring and investing in tech entrepreneurs across Africa. About Abdalla Hamid, Director of IT, Zain, SudanAbdalla Isamaldin Abdalla Hamid is a results-driven professional with 15+ years of experience in project management, business analysis, and digital transformation. As Director of Information Technology (IT), he aligns IT strategy with business goals and oversees IT operations. Abdalla's expertise encompasses BSS, project and program management, software development, automation, IT infrastructure and digital transformation. He holds an MBA and certifications in project management and service engineering. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Rios Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

The hyperscalers are spending billions to build regions in Africa, setting the stage for the public cloud to revolutionize the continent’s telcos. With regulations easing and the number of affordable SaaS solutions growing, African telecoms are poised for an era of growth and success. Are the continent’s telcos ready to make the most of all the public cloud offers? In this episode, I talk with Shay Assaraf, Totogi's chief marketing officer, about their progress with public cloud adoption and Totogi’s groundbreaking deal with Zain Sudan, a Tier 1 mobile network operator (MNO) in the region. Listen now to hear:How all of the Big 3 hyperscalers are expanding their African footprint [04:57];Examples of partnerships between African telcos and hyperscalers for connectivity, AI/ML, cloud computing and more [06:27];Advice for navigating the continent’s data regulations and security concerns when adopting the public cloud [09:24]; andHow Totogi helped Zain Sudan to move off of its Ericsson charger in 18 days [15:03].Links and ResourcesRead the announcement of Totogi’s exciting partnership with ZainRead DR’s blog on why the public cloud is perfect for AfricaCheck out McKinsey & Company’s recent report, Africa’s leap ahead into cloud: Opportunities and barriersDownload a copy of the TelcoDR Data Regulations whitepaperRead about these exciting partnerships between telcos and the hyperscalers!Vodafone and Google Cloud boost data analytics by consolidating data Vodafone and Microsoft bring GenAI, digital services, and the cloud to 300 million +  businesses and consumersVodafone and Amazon to extend connectivity in Africa and Europe through Project KuiperTomorrow.io and MTN Group work with Microsoft to deliver lifesaving weather early warnings in Africa MTN Group and Google CLoud join foces to improve customer experiences with AI/ML-powered insightsAWS partners with Kenya’s Safaricom on cloud and consulting servicesSafaricom partners with Google Cloud to bring economic growth the KenyaNext week find me at Novacom’s 1-to-1 Telco Summit in Diani Beach, Kenya, running April 23 - 25. If you’ll be there too, shoot me a DM on Linkedin or X @TelcoDR so we can meet! I can’t wait to show you our game-changing Totogi platform.As a sponsor of the Summit and in honor of the telco execs attending, Totogi has adopted the Kakuma Vocational Centre in a refugee camp in Kenya as part of our work with Unconnected.org. We’re funding a computer lab for students of all ages with localized learning software, safety training, and free internet access for two years.Wanna see what’s going on with hyperscaler regions in Africa? Take a look at our Hyperscaler Regions Tracker, which tracks live and planned regions across the globe.Check out this episode on our YouTube channel.Read 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 Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won 2022 and 2023 MarComm Awards, a 2022 Gold Hermes Award, and was recognized as a TeckNexus Top 12 Telco and Tech Podcast, 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 Shay AssarafShay is a seasoned tech B2B marketing executive with nearly 20 years of experience, specializing in positioning, go-to-market, product marketing and building growth marketing programs for disruptive technologies and practices. He currently serves as a CMO in Totogi where he is part of a leadership team aiming to help telcos monetize their networks through AI and the public cloud. He previously served as a CMO in Gentrack, Sapiens and Optiva, where he played a pivotal role in steering a significant strategic product and go-to-market shifts to enable growth through delivering value to customers and leveraging disruptive technologies and practices. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Rios Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

If you’re partnering with one or more of the hyperscalers, their roadmap is your roadmap. It’s important to know where they’re steering their ships, and a great way to gain insight into this is to follow their CAPEX spending. For this episode, I talk with Charles Fitzgerald, managing director at Platformonomics. His annual Follow the CAPEX report tracks spending by the Big 3 hyperscalers—Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud—and includes crystal-ball insights into their strategic plans and priorities. Listen now to hear: How the hyperscalers spent money in 2023 and how their paths are diverging [02:10];How AI strategy is affecting CAPEX spending [05:47];The last word on whether cloud repatriation is really a trend [11:36]; andWhy it’s time for "clown providers" like IBM and Oracle to ante up or get out of the big top [16:59].Links and ResourcesRead Charles Fitzgerald’s 2023 retrospective on public cloud CapEx spending and check out his Q1 2023 Repatriation IndexTM Take a look at TelcoDR’s Hyperscaler Region Tracker to see where the three “BIGS” have been putting their regions.Check out this Bloomberg article about Amazon’s AI-focused data center investments, which includes quotes from Charles.Charles is all about following the money—great inspiration for a $-inspired playlist:Money by Pink FloydCan't Buy Me Love by The BeatlesMoney, Money, Money by ABBAMoney for Nothing by Dire StraitsShe Works Hard for the Money by Donna SummerI can’t wait to pounce on telco execs while I’m in Diani Beach, Kenya, just like my favorite Winnie-the-Pooh character Tigger would do. Check out this episode on our YouTube channel.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 Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won 2022 and 2023 MarComm Awards, 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 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.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Rios Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Despite having "as a service" in its name, traditional Unified Communications-as-a-Service (UCaaS) deployments often fail to deliver on the promise of a true SaaS platform. One company, Alianza, has figured out a way to move UCaaS to AWS, offering a genuine SaaS solution that leverages the scalability and resilience of the public cloud.I sat down with Brian Beutler, founder and CEO of Alianza, to discuss how his company is working to revolutionize the UCaaS landscape. Listen now to hear:The challenges Alianza faced in moving UCaaS to the public cloud and how it overcame them [05:14];How telcos’ mindset needs to shift to stay competitive with the evolving landscape [08:11];The impact of Alianza's recent strategic collaboration with AWS on the future of enterprise communications [09:41]; andJimmy Chin’s advice for telco executives [16:55].Links and ResourcesVisit the Alianza website to learn more about the company.Read the press release about Alianza’s partnership with AWS.Did you know that I bought a UCaaS company, too? TelcoDR affiliate Skyvera bought Kandy Communications in March 2023 and we’re modernizing the product suite for the public cloud.Check out findings from Alianza’s recent research report with Omdia, Reinventing Core Communications: Strategic Imperatives for Growth.In 2019, Jimmy Chin won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for "Free Solo.” Here’s the trailer for that movie, which is about how Alex Honnold climbed El Capitan, the famous 3,200 ft rock face in Yosemite National Park, without a rope.Check out this episode on our YouTube channel.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 Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won 2022 and 2023 MarComm Awards, 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 Brian BeutlerBrian Beutler is the founder and CEO of Alianza, the leading cloud communications platform for telco service providers. He is passionate about transforming the telecommunications industry by empowering service providers to deliver modernized, cloud-native core communications solutions to supercharge growth, simplify operations and reduce costs. Under Beutler’s leadership, Utah-based Alianza has forged a strategic collaboration agreement with AWS and counts Lumen Technologies, Brightspeed, Viasat and Xplore among its tier-one and nationwide customers. Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Rios Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Last week I gave my FOURTH keynote talk at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 when I opened the second annual MVNO Summit to a standing-room-only crowd of industry leaders. Most were from MNOs, MVNOs, and digital brands that want to be at the forefront of an AI-powered revolution in telco business support systems (BSS). In my talk, I introduced a new AI-first, fully customized BSS solution that blends speed, scalability, and affordability to deliver a next-gen experience that streamlines operations and lowers costs. In the middle of it, I chatted with an avatar and created a BSS right on stage!We captured the talk on video, and I’ve turned it into this podcast. Listen now to learn: Why the emergence of two major innovations—AI and the public cloud—is disrupting incumbent vendors, leveling the playing field, and making this the perfect time for BSS innovation [03:13];How the killer demo in my presentation demonstrates the power of an AI-first BSS solution [08:50]; andWhy Totogi’s BSS Magic is the future of telco BSS [16:57].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 ResourcesCheck out the video version of my MVNO Summit talk. It’s the best way to see the Totogi avatar in action and get a sense of just how easy BSS Magic is to use!Learn more about BSS Magic and Totogi.Read my blog about why now is the time for telco to have the perfect BSS, all because of generative AI.I still get questions about taking over Ericsson’s space at MWC 2021 and creating CLOUD CITY! It was AMAZING. I made the call about the public cloud coming to telco, and for the same reasons, generative AI is coming to telco, too.Watch all my MWC talks! Start with the talk that began it all, my 2021 MWC keynote, The Paradox of the Public Cloud. Then check out my 2023 MWC talk, SUPERCHARGE your MVNO with personalization, and my 2022 MWC talk, The Public Cloud is NOW!Generative AI is MAGIC. To celebrate the launch of BSS Magic, I put together this playlist of magic songs. Can you tell I love music from the 80s?Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic by The PoliceYou Can Do Magic by AmericaMagic Man by HeartAbracadabra by Steve Miller BandShe Blinded Me With Science by Thomas DolbyMagic, by The CarsWanna 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 2022 and 2023 MarComm 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!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

New Zealand Mobile Network Operator (MNO) 2degrees is taking a fresh approach to its wholesale business and relationships with MVNOs. Instead of struggling with sharing its tech stack or setting up expensive separate stacks for MVNOs, the company is tapping Totogi's multi-tenant charger to streamline their onboarding and support, and to capture additional revenue. In this episode, 2degrees Head of Architecture Chris Bradley joins me to talk about why the company selected Totogi and how Totogi’s AI- and public cloud-driven vision is helping it prepare for the future. Listen now to hear: How Totogi is helping 2degrees achieve its business goals [04:47];Why buying a SaaS platform made sense for the company [07:39];How easy it was for 2degrees to try out Totogi Charging-as-a-Service [14:18]; andHow 2degrees will use Totogi’s AI-driven features to stay ahead [17:32].If you’ll be at MWC 2024, stop by Totogi’s stand in Hall 2 at the Fira to see the product demos that made it easy for 2degrees to choose Totogi as a partner. Even better, book a meeting with the Totogi team!Links and ResourcesRead the press release announcing this customer win.Check out the Totogi website and find us on AWS Marketplace.Visit the 2degrees website to learn more about the company.Will you be in Barcelona for MWC 2024? Don’t forget to grab a seat for my talk at the second annual MVNO Summit. Totogi is a Platinum sponsor!After the Summit wraps, join me at Totogi’s AI-CONIC afterparty. DM me on LinkedIn or X @TelcoDR for an invite.There are a lot of great movies filmed in New Zealand; the most famous being the ones that make up The Lord of Rings trilogy. But my favorite (not surprisingly) is Whale Rider. From IMDB: “Set on the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their presence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. From then on, Whangara chiefs, always the first-born, always male, have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.” Sounds like me, in telco.Check out this episode on our YouTube channel.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 Twitter @TelcoDRThe Telco in 20 podcast won 2022 and 2023 MarComm Awards, 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 Chris BradleyChris Bradley, head of digital architecture at 2degrees, is driving 2degrees' shift to becoming a software-defined company. With more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry across New Zealand and Europe, Chris has extensive knowledge in creating exceptional customer experiences. As a leader, he strives for innovation and fosters a people-first culture that embraces change. Chris has a passion for using AI and technology, and he and his team are part of the core group at 2degrees driving the adoption of emerging and public cloud technology for telco.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Rios Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

Startup MVNO MobileX is going after the US market with the belief that most mobile subscribers don’t know how much data they need. Instead of pushing unlimited plans, the company offers an AI-based tool that analyzes each subscriber’s usage and creates personalized plans for them. I spoke with MobileX CEO Peter Adderton last year, and now he’s spilling the beans on what’s been happening with MobileX, its plans for 2024, and the company’s exciting new deal with Walmart. Listen now to hear:    How MobileX's AI-based data forecaster tool debunks the idea that consumers understand their data needs [02:18];Strategies for using two SIMs, a primary and secondary, to lower costs while maintaining coverage [06:20];The impact of MobileX's new agreement with Walmart [10:04];What’s next for the company’s technology and marketing [12:35].Links and ResourcesVisit the MobileX website to learn more about the company.Listen to my conversation with Peter in 2023 in Telco in 20 episode 58, Live and Learn: A new MVNO approach with Peter Adderton.Learn about Totogi’s PlanAI product—and how to get your hands on our ML model that can predict churn 6 weeks in advance!Follow @peter_adderton on X—he’s a great person to follow and is constantly dropping great insights about how to build a great MVNO.The best part about following Peter? When he shares his real life-struggles with building MobileX or his wins with how people are swapping to MobileX.Learn more about the upcoming MVNO Summit at Mobile World Congress 2024. Totogi is a Platinum sponsor, along with Amdocs (of all companies—can you believe it?). Let’s meet while we’re there!Peter and I have strong opinions on whether or not mobile phones should be allowed in schools. Check out these letters to the New York Times on school cell phone bans:Should Schools Ban Cellphones?When Students’ Cellphones ‘Colonize Their MindsLast year, Peter and US Mobile CEO Ahmed Khattak exchanged words after their Telco in 20 episodes ran. They have different views about whether consumers know how much data they use, and they took their disagreement to Twitter. It reminds me of the Netflix show Beef, which just won a bunch of Golden Globes and Emmys!Check out this episode on our YouTube channel.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 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 Peter AddertonPeter Adderton is founder and CEO of MobileX, a wireless brand positioned to disrupt the wireless industry. He is the driving force behind two of the most successful youth brands established in the mobile industry—Boost Mobile and Amp’d Mobile. Peter catapulted the Boost brand to become one of the fastest growing wireless brands in its category in all markets with annual revenues over $500M and more than five million subscribers.Podcast CreditsExecutive Producer and Host: Danielle Rios Royston, TelcoDRSenior Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo MediaEditor/Marketing: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard MarketingEditing: Andrew CondellAssociate Producer: Kriselda DionisioMusic: Dyami Wilson

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