Telco in 20

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

Gigs simplifies buying and selling data plans, reducing the process from 15 months to 15 minutes. They discuss how the public cloud and API-based solutions are the future of the industry. The podcast also touches on the advantages of leveraging existing solutions and the benefits of using technology provided by cloud providers.

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

In this podcast, the founder and CEO of US Mobile discusses his vision for the company and how it benefits from its public-cloud-first design. Topics include Ahmed's experience coming to the United States, what sets US Mobile apart from other MVNOs, the benefits of building in the public cloud, and the key public cloud attribute that Ahmed thinks is underrated by telcos.

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