Podcast
The Week with Roger
Hosted by Roger Entner · EN
Each week, join Roger Entner and the Recon Analytics team for an analysts perspective on the world of telecom.
24episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
This Week: 5 Gig Cable, BEAD Shakeups, and the Starlink Opportunity
1w ago00:09:22Tap to summarizeAnalysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner examine the key domestic telecom developments of the week, including rural cable upgrades, recent BEAD turbulence, the buzz surrounding the Starlink IPO, and more. 00:00 Episode intro 00:25 Mediacom Next-Gen network upgrades 02:07 Cable is steadily improving its reputation 02:54 Speed and reliability are both crucial 03:59 Several BEAD providers are stepping back 05:03 Satellite may swoop in on the market 05:49 New research on consumer choice dynamics 07:29 Upcoming reports on Starlink's future 08:59 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Mediacom, spectrum, DOCSIS 4.0, cable, fiber, Comcast, Charter, FWA, BEAD, rural, satellite, Starlink, Leo, New Street Research, IPO
Transcribe →This Week: Modular Pricing, Network Strain, and California's Copper Standoff
2w ago00:13:33Tap to summarizeAnalysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner unveil insights from Fiber Connect 2026 on data centers and material shortages, and discuss AT&T's new Build-A-Plan rollout as well as their legal fight to sunset legacy copper networks in California. 00:00 Episode intro 00:25 Fiber Connect data center insights 02:51 AI video is driving network requirements 04:41 AT&T's new Build-A-Plan rollout and implications 07:40 Will the plan expand in the future? 08:27 AT&T sues California to sunset copper and DSL 11:00 Satellite has become a reliable backup 12:28 Regulators should embrace the future 13:16 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Fiber Connect, AI, network, data centers, BEAD, fiber, data, video, DOCSIS 4.0, AT&T, Build-A-Plan, Mint, multi-line, convergence, DSL, California, copper, FCC, satellite, Starlink, T-Mobile, regulation
Transcribe →This Week: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile Join Forces on Satellite Connectivity
3w ago00:10:37Tap to summarizeAnalysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the new satellite joint venture agreement in principle between Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, exploring its massive implications for satellite providers and consumers alike.00:00 Episode intro 00:25 Details of the potential joint venture 02:23 Universal connectivity is on the horizon 03:36 Implications for Starlink 05:37 The U.S. may set the global standard 06:18 Are the coverage wars over? 08:22 Future satellite tech upgrades 09:23 Intent does not always materialize 10:13 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, D2D, device-to-device, spectrum, satellite, rural, dead zones, AST, Leo, Starlink, Elon Musk, coverage, urban, 5G, VoLTE, video
Transcribe →This Week: Promises, Promises, Promises - Price Locks and the Cost of Predictability
4w ago00:14:28Tap to summarizeAnalysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner dive into the current state of carrier price locks as well as consumer sentiment, exploring the findings from Roger’s new report on the subject, "Promises, Promises, Promises."00:00 Episode intro 00:25 Overview of the price lock landscape 01:34 Verizon's price lock landscape 02:56 T-Mobile's price lock landscape 03:09 Carrier price plans are innumerable 04:41 AT&T's price lock landscape 05:22 Charter's price lock landscape 06:06 Comcast's price lock landscape 06:47 Consumers prefer straightforward pricing 07:58 Cable equipment fees as a pain point 09:22 Carrier strategies differ overall 10:07 AT&T OneConnect's pricing 10:54 Fiber vs. satellite 12:03 Carrier reporting frequency 13:14 Report overview and episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, price locks, AT&T, Verizon, churn, net adds, T-Mobile, data, Charter, cable, Comcast, inflation, Verizon FiOS, routers, AT&T OneConnect, fiber, FWA, satellite, Starlink, reporting
Transcribe →This Week: Q1 '26 Earnings - Verizon, T-Mobile, and Key Takeaways from Deutsche Telekom
May 400:19:12Tap to summarizeAnalysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner break down Q1 earnings for Verizon and T-Mobile, alongside key strategic takeaways from the Deutsche Telekom B2B Conference in Bonn, Germany.00:00 Episode intro 00:26 Verizon's Q1 overview 01:59 Reporting metric changes 04:10 Verizon's future outlook 05:02 T-Mobile's reporting metrics 05:52 T-Mobile's Q1 overview 09:41 Industry-wide fiber net adds 12:10 Charter's stock and acquisition prospects 12:37 Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile combination rumors 15:28 Conference insights and European sovereign cloud 17:17 Europe's superior system integration business 17:55 Roger's conference plans and episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Verizon, T-Mobile, earnings, Deutsche Telekom, net adds, AT&T, John Stankey, fiber, FWA, broadband, U.S. Cellular, Srini Gopalan, churn, Charter, Comcast, sovereign cloud, AI, B2B, conference
Transcribe →This Week: Q1 '26 Earnings - AT&T, Comcast, and Charter and the Rise of Fiber Castles
Apr 2700:11:40Tap to summarizeAnalysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner dive into Q1 earnings from AT&T, Comcast, and Charter, the importance of fiber castles, and future predictions for Verizon and T-Mobile.00:00 Episode intro 00:25 AT&T Q1 overview 01:19 Fiber castle strategies 04:50 Are cable customers becoming more satisfied? 07:16 Comcast Q1 overview 07:57 Charter Q1 overview 08:32 T-Mobile may struggle with fiber 09:14 Research report details 09:36 Verizon and T-Mobile future predictions 10:43 Deutsche Telekom merger rumors 11:18 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, earnings, AT&T, Comcast, Charter, convergence, fiber, Verizon, Kinetic, Frontier, Lumen, T-Mobile, FWA, cable, NPS, bundling, Srini Gopalan, Deutsche Telekom
Transcribe →This Week: What Comes Next When All Networks Are Good Enough?
Apr 2000:07:12Tap to summarizeAnalysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the current state of networks, why carriers must shift their strategic focus, and the challenge of truly prioritizing the customer.00:00 Episode intro 00:43 All networks are now “good enough” 02:04 Shifting focus from speed to capabilities 03:20 Meeting consumer needs is paramount 05:50 What follows network emphasis? 06:56 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, network, Dan Schulman, FWA, 5G, Speedtest, 4K, Verizon, T-Mobile, T-Satellite, value, Consumer Cellular, video, AT&T, reliability
Transcribe →This Week: Churn and the Future of Loyalty with Jay Cary and Dave Whetstone
Apr 1300:16:04Tap to summarizeAnalysts Brett Clark and Roger Entner are joined by TLC Worldwide CEO Jay Cary and Connex Studio CEO Dave Whetstone to discuss current customer retention challenges and the strategic solutions companies can implement to solve them.00:00 Episode intro 00:26 Why is churn still rising? 02:47 Loyalty plans remain focused on acquisitions 04:36 How to improve loyalty plans 07:00 T-Mobile's positive interaction goal 07:51 Customer appreciation is underrated 08:35 The business case for loyalty plans 11:03 Visible and the MVNO landscape 14:04 Marketing strategy suggestions 15:38 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Brett Clark, Roger Entner, Jay Cary, Dave Whetstone, TLC Worldwide, Connex Studio, AT&T, 5G, network, loyalty plans, switching, Comcast, T-Mobile, churn, Ronan Dunne, Verizon, prices, Visible, MVNO, NPS, MNO, Mint, CRM, RCS, marketing
Transcribe →This Week: AT&T’s OneConnect Plan
Apr 600:08:50Tap to summarizeAnalysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner evaluate AT&T’s new OneConnect plan, examining its impact on both consumer value and the competitive landscape, as well as new price increases for existing subscribers.00:00 Episode intro 00:26 New OneConnect plan overview 04:01 ARPU is waning as a metric 04:30 AT&T's strategy with the plan 05:23 Price increases on existing customers 06:21 Will price hikes backfire? 07:54 The company remains focused on the long term 08:33 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, AT&T, OneConnect, convergence, fiber, cable, FWA, ARPU, ARPA, T-Mobile, bundling, price increases, churn, revenue, EBITDA
Transcribe →This Week: The Telecom Value Story, The FCC Router Ban Threatens a New Digital Divide
Mar 3000:05:55Tap to summarizeAnalysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner unpack this week’s top telecom news, including the FCC’s new foreign router ban, the digital divide in switching, and how telecom delivers value amid an inflationary environment.00:00 Episode intro 00:26 Effects of the foreign router ban 02:21 Router ownership may represent a new digital divide 03:34 Telecom has bucked the affordability crisis 05:00 Value has increased regardless of price 05:38 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, routers, FCC, chips, China, supply chain, FWA, switching, AT&T, rural, affordability, hot spots, data, value
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