Shows
Staying Connected2025 U.S. Wireless Fees and TrendsTaxes, fees, and government surcharges on enterprise wireless services are at a record high, comprising upwards of 30% of the average taxable portion of a typical monthly bill. In this 8-minute podcast, Frank Zagrodnik and Tony Mangino from TC2 do a deep dive on the fine print of your wireless bill to discuss the taxes, surcharges, and fees that have a material impact on your enterprise mobility budget, and what you can do to get a true picture of your wireless total cost of ownership. If you would like to learn more about our experience in t...
2025-08-2508 minStaying Connected2025 Preparing for Verizon’s Legacy Service SunsetsIf your organization still has legacy Verizon voice, non-IP IVR, or access services in your inventory, changes are coming — and they’re coming on a fixed timetable. Verizon has put out formal notice that these services are being retired, and customers need to move to alternatives well before the withdrawal date. In this 7-minute podcast, Bryan Carriker and Tony Mangino from TC2 discuss the recent notice from Verizon, the important milestone dates to track and how this move fits into the broader industry shift to all IP based networks. If you would like to learn more...
2025-08-2507 minStaying ConnectedWhat Arista’s Acquisition of VeloCloud Means for the Enterprise Arista’s VeloCloud SD-WAN acquisition marks a major shift in the enterprise networking space, giving Arista a mature and cloud-native SD-WAN platform to complement its strengths in data center and cloud networking. For enterprise customers, the move could mean faster innovation, improved support, and stronger WAN-to-cloud integration. However, customers should be aware of potential risks with the acquisition including hardware changes, licensing shifts, and short-term integration hiccups. In this 7-minute podcast, Larry York and Tony Mangino from TC2 break down why the deal matters — and the potential impact on competition in the SD-WAN marketplace from the likes of Cisc...
2025-08-0106 minStaying ConnectedThe Regulatory Reckoning for ESG Regulatory pressure related to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is growing. While federal ESG rules in the U.S. remain fragmented, states like California are pushing forward with tough climate disclosure laws. Meanwhile, the EU is advancing sweeping directives like CSRD and CS3D, imposing new reporting and due diligence requirements across global supply chains. In this 10-minute podcast, Deb Boehling, a senior lawyer at LB3, and Tony Mangino discuss how procurement teams can reduce ESG compliance risks by building key obligations into vendor contracts, such as adherence to laws, third-party audits, and remediation for non-compliance. The s...
2025-08-0109 minStaying ConnectedEffective Negotiations When You Don’t Have Any CompetitionInevitably, many negotiations are not part of a competitive process and are simply a negotiation with a single vendor. And often that vendor is fully aware that it’s not facing any true competition for the services and products under negotiation. In this 11-minute podcast, TC2 Managing Director Ben Fox and Tony Mangino discuss tactics and approaches to conduct an effective sole-source negotiation when you don’t have any competition. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit TC2’s Strategic Sourcing webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 &
2025-06-2511 minStaying ConnectedFrom Complexity to Clarity: Negotiating Enterprise-Grade Cisco ContractsUnderstanding Cisco Enterprise Agreements can be complex but with the right approach, enterprises can navigate these contracts effectively. Key strategies involve mapping the contract landscape and ensuring financial protections against underperformance. In this 7-minute podcast, LB3 partner Marc Lindsey and Tony Mangino discuss how enterprises can move from complexity to clarity when negotiating with Cisco, and how they can avoid the “value trap” of bundled software, support, and services. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit TC2’s Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development and LB3’s Inform...
2025-06-0906 minStaying ConnectedCharter to Acquire Cox Communications In mid-May, two of the largest cable companies in the US, Charter and Cox, entered into an agreement to merge in a deal valued at over $34 billion. Pending regulatory approval, the deal is expected to close sometime in the latter half of 2026. In this 5-minute podcast, TC2’s Keith Cook joins Tony Mangino to discuss the merger and potential impact on enterprise customers. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Internet First & Broadband Services and Strategic Sourcing webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3
2025-06-0305 minStaying ConnectedWill AT&T’s Latest Service Guide Change Force You Into a Technology Migration? In mid-April AT&T updated the General Terms and Conditions in their online Service Guide, which apply to pretty much all its wireline services, to allow them much broader leeway to migrate services as part of what they call a “Technology Migration”. This is on top of an earlier AT&T Service Guide change that resulted in material cost increases on certain key components of their SIP Trunking service. In this 10-minute podcast, LB3’s Laura McDonald joins Tony Mangino to discuss these changes and how to effectively manage your deal in the face of supplier service guides...
2025-05-2210 minStaying ConnectedGrowth of Private 5G Recent technology advancements and changes in the regulatory environment have made Private 5G a more attractive technology for enterprise applications, including “Wi-Fi” for industrial, educational, and corporate campuses and numerous IoT (Internet of Things) applications. In this 8-minute podcast, David Lee of TC2 and Steve Rosen of LB3 join Tony Mangino to discuss the state of the market for Private 5G, CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) and FWA (Fixed Wireless) and how these services should feature prominently in the strategic plan for your enterprise. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this...
2025-04-0408 minStaying ConnectedSustainability Requirements in your Network Service RFP? The commitment to sustainability initiatives, such as net-zero emissions targets and renewable energy consumption measures, is moving from the corporate boardroom into the decision-making process for selecting strategic ICT service suppliers. In this 8-minute podcast, TC2 Director Tony Mangino joins LB3 Partner Deb Boehling to discuss the challenges of quantifying and evaluating the "soft benefits" of sustainability from an ICT procurement perspective and whether these benefits are translating into real cost savings for enterprise customers. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology...
2025-04-0307 minStaying ConnectedAre Your Cisco Negotiations Becoming Increasingly Challenging? As Cisco has grown from a network device OEM to a multifaceted software supplier across networking, UC, security services, observability tools, and a plethora of other products, enterprises' relationships with Cisco have become correspondingly complex. Add to this, a deep-rooted pattern at Cisco of targeting price increases, and any negotiation with Cisco quickly becomes very challenging. In this 10-minute podcast, TC2 Managing Director Ben Fox joins Tony Mangino to discuss the layers of complexity involved when engaging with Cisco and how to best prepare for and succeed in your next Cisco negotiation. If y...
2025-04-0209 minStaying ConnectedThe Evolving Landscape for CCaaS Services in 2025 In 2025, we anticipate the continued enterprise migration to Contact Center as a Service (“CCaaS”) solutions. Customers are facing the difficulty of keeping good contact center agents, the end-of-life status of existing equipment and software, and the shift by providers from on-prem to cloud-based offerings with effective AI use cases. In this 8-minute episode of Staying Connected, Julie Gardner of TC2 and Laura McDonald of LB3 join Tony Mangino to discuss the state of the CCaaS market, and how savvy customers are utilizing RFPs and pilots to select best in class solutions that align with business and technical requi...
2025-03-2008 minStaying Connected2025 Regulatory Outlook and the Impact of Tariffs on ICT Services Big changes in Washington have created big changes in the regulatory environment for ICT services—which may impact the ICT products and services that enterprise customers buy to run their businesses and, importantly, how much they must pay for them. What are the impacts of big, proposed tariffs on the costs of ICT? What’s going to happen to USF and how much will enterprise customers have to pay for it? And, did enterprise customers get regulatory protection from net neutrality rules or did the ISPs effectively quash their implementation? In this 11-minute episode of Staying Connected, Andrew...
2025-03-1410 minStaying ConnectedCan Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) Be What You Want it to Be? In this 7-minute episode of Staying Connected, Ben Fox joins Tony Mangino to demystify NaaS and related “as-a-service,” utility-based, network service and pricing models. They discuss the confusing marketing suppliers use for NaaS, what customers want from a true NaaS proposition, and the reality of translating network infrastructure into utility-based service and pricing models. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting and Strategy Development webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3
2025-02-2007 minStaying ConnectedWired No More - The Growth of LEO Solutions On this episode of Staying Connected we continue our discussion on the evolution of the LEO satellite market and the enterprise use case for these solutions. In this 9-minute podcast, David Lee and Steve Rosen join Tony Mangino to discuss the technical and regulatory factors that make LEOs a viable competitor to traditional terrestrial Internet service and point to increased enterprise adoption. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting and Strategy Development webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2
2025-02-1008 minStaying ConnectedBulk Messaging Charges – Will Ofcom Come to the Rescue?Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has recognized that the market for mobile termination charges for bulk messaging isn’t working. With significant market power, some providers have increased these charges by 70% since 2021 and there’s no end in sight. On January 28th, Ofcom proposed a price cap on mobile termination charges for messaging. In this 5-minute podcast, Deb Boehling, a partner at LB3, joins Tony Mangino to describe the proposal and consider what enterprise customers can do to take advantage of the potential savings. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this spa...
2025-01-3104 minStaying ConnectedAT&T Increases the Property Tax Allotment Surcharge Non-FCC mandated surcharges on ICT services have increased threefold over the last ten years, and AT&T’s recent increase in its Property Tax Surcharge is just the latest installment. In this 7-minute podcast, Deb Boehling, a partner at LB3, joins Tony Mangino to unpack the surcharge regimes and discuss what enterprise customers can do to address, or at a minimum be prepared for, these material service cost uplifts. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Network Services Transactions webpages. Follow us on...
2025-01-2706 minStaying ConnectedTransacting for a Successful ERP Transformation ERP systems have been around for many years, but there is now a significant focus on modernizing ERP systems by shifting them to the cloud. In this 8-minute podcast, Marc Lindsey, a partner at LB3, joins Tony Mangino to discuss the risks and opportunities companies face when transacting for and adopting ERP SaaS, including: vendor lock-in, ERP implementations, and strategies for controlling costs. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Network Services Transactions and Information Technology Advisory Services webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3
2025-01-2207 minStaying ConnectedCurrent Trends in IT Outsourcing and the Rise of XLA’s At TC2 we continue to see IT outsourcing as an important and growing space for enterprise customers. Recent engagements confirm the shift away from "factory" style managed services toward dedicated staffing models as well as the evolution of IT tooling approaches and the rise of the experience level agreement (XLA). In this 11-minute podcast, TC2 Managing Director Ben Fox and Senior Consultant Bryan Carriker join Tony Mangino to discuss current trends in IT outsourcing deals and the role of XLAs that measure end-user satisfaction and overall experience rather than just technical metrics. If you would like...
2025-01-0211 minStaying Connected“EULA’s and AUP’s and Hidden Terms …Oh My!” – Finding and Fixing ICT Online Terms What do all the telcos including AT&T, Lumen and Verizon have in common? That’s right, they all rely on service guides and online terms. Not to be outdone, you’ll now also find these shadow provisions in your deals with Avaya, Cisco, Nice, Palo Alto, Z-Scaler…the list goes on. In this 14-minute podcast, LB3 partners Laura McDonald and Deb Boehling join Tony Mangino to provide an update on the ever-changing world of service guides and online terms. Listen as Laura and Deb reveal key insights on how these online publications are making their way into most...
2024-12-1914 minStaying ConnectedUnpacking Gartner’s 2024 TEM Market Guide The latest Market Guide for Telecom Expense Management Services from Gartner is out and includes market trends and customer feedback on the major providers in the Telecom Expense Management (“TEM”) services space. In this 12-minute podcast, Theresa Knutson and Julie Gardner join Tony Mangino to discuss the latest from Gartner and provide their unique perspective on the TEM marketplace. Listen as Theresa and Julie reveal key insights on sourcing and implementing TEM services and how to extract maximum value from your TEM supplier by conducting a “health check” review. If you would like to learn more about...
2024-11-2612 minStaying ConnectedRunning Effective RFPs in an Evolving Market The rapid pace of technology change coupled with a corresponding shift in the supplier landscape is driving the need for a fresh look at how to leverage RFPs to achieve improved ROI. In this 9-minute podcast, Larry York joins Tony Mangino to discuss this new sourcing paradigm and how to maximize the outcome of your next RFP. Stay tuned for a follow-up episode where we’ll discuss key pre-RFP activities you need to take to deliver a market-leading result. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Str...
2024-11-1909 minStaying ConnectedSourcing & Contracting for CCaaS Solutions in the Age of AI Contact Center as a Service (or CCaaS) solutions are evolving in step with developments in the AI space. AI is impacting both the pricing construct and contractual framework for CCaaS solutions. In this 10-minute podcast, Laura MacDonald and Julie Gardner join Tony Mangino to share key insights into developing sourcing strategies and contracts for AI enabled CCaaS services and how to secure the right solution at the right price with the necessary terms and conditions. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Network Se...
2024-10-1710 minStaying ConnectedT-Mobile and AT&T Data Breach Settlements at the FCC On September 30th, T-Mobile and the FCC reached a settlement that includes over $30 million in penalties and mandatory cybersecurity spending resulting from significant data breaches in 2021, 2022, and 2023. In this 8-minute podcast, Steve Rosen joins Tony Mangino to discuss the recent T-Mobile Consent Decree and a similar settlement with AT&T related to a data breach in 2023. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Mobile Services and Information Technology Advisory Services webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3
2024-10-0408 minStaying ConnectedBroadband Technology is Transforming the Enterprise WAN Broadband technologies are at the heart of the transformation of the enterprise WAN. Wired broadband, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Non-Terrestrial Networks (or satellite) are now being leveraged as a strategic WAN connectivity solution in enterprise networks, globally. In this 10-minute podcast, David Lee and Brent Knight join Tony Mangino to discuss the broadband technologies being deployed to deliver enterprise-grade solutions that are high bandwidth, low cost, and resilient. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpages. F...
2024-10-0210 minStaying ConnectedThe Evolving Commercial Model for Broadband Service The commercial model and supplier landscape for broadband service is evolving as the rate of enterprise adoption accelerates. In this 8-minute podcast, Keith Cook joins Tony Mangino to discuss the challenge of identifying the optimal balance between available broadband technologies, suppliers, and financial outcomes. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3
2024-09-1807 minStaying ConnectedAnother Data Breach May Put Enterprise and Individual Data at RiskAn entity called National Public Data was recently victimized by what may be the second-largest data breach in history, impacting both individuals and enterprises. As data breaches seem only to increase in frequency, enterprise customers cannot rely on service providers alone to keep their data safe—they must be proactive about security, which includes negotiating appropriately protective contract terms, limiting unnecessary data exchange, and enforcing internal security practices. In this 7-minute podcast, Deb Boehling joins Sara Crifasi to discuss how enterprises can negotiate appropriate terms in their IT and telecom agreements for necessary protections related to data bre...
2024-08-2206 minStaying ConnectedThe Evolving Business Case for Broadband in the Enterprise WANAt LB3 and TC2 we are continuing to cover the strategic shift in enterprise networking toward broadband. In this 7-minute episode, Tony Mangino joins Sara Crifasi to break down the business case for broadband and discuss how enterprise customers can leverage the opportunity for cost savings and enhanced connectivity. With appropriate planning, enterprises can weigh the practicalities and potential challenges of integrating broadband into their network strategies, gaining necessary foresight prior to engaging procurement. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpag...
2024-08-2207 minStaying ConnectedRisky Business – AI in Your Contact Center AI continues to drive innovation in the Contact-Center-as-a-Service (CCaaS) space, significantly improving agent efficiency and customer experience. However, the use of AI in CCaaS solutions, while almost ubiquitous, is not without potential risk to the enterprise. In this 10-minute podcast, Laura McDonald joins Tony Mangino to discuss pending legal actions related to AI and CCaaS service and strategies to mitigate the legal risks inherent in the technology. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Network Services Transactions and Information Technology Advisory Services webpages. Follow us on...
2024-08-1910 minStaying ConnectedSupreme Court Decisions Curtail Agency Powers and Could Impact the FCCTwo recent Supreme Court decisions may shake things up at the FCC when it comes to rulemakings and enforcement authority. In this 7-minute podcast, Steve Rosen joins Sara Crifasi to talk about how the Supreme Court rulings in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and SEC v. Jarkesy could lead to a slowdown in the FCC’s implementation of new rules. If you would like to learn more about our experience in the regulatory space, please visit our Communications Regulatory Advice & Advocacy webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 &TC2
2024-07-1906 minStaying ConnectedAT&T Suffers Yet Another Major Data BreachAT&T recently revealed that it suffered a major data breach affecting nearly all of its wireless subscribers, making this one of the largest communications data breaches in recent history. While data breaches are all too common today, enterprise customers shouldn’t let their frequency desensitize them from maintaining best practices in contracting for security. In this 8-minute podcast, Deb Boehling joins Sara Crifasi to discuss how enterprises can negotiate appropriate terms in their IT and telecom agreements for appropriate protections related to service providers’ breaches. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2
2024-07-1708 minStaying ConnectedThe Time has Come for BroadbandAt TC2 we continue to observe a strategic shift in enterprise networking toward broadband, and the rate of adoption is accelerating. In this 7-minute podcast, Keith Cook and Brent Knight join Tony Mangino to discuss why customers are more willing than ever to leverage broadband service in their networks and key considerations for developing your broadband strategy. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Technology Consulting & Strategy Development webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3
2024-07-0207 minStaying ConnectedTC2’s Takeaways from the 2024 Enterprise Connect ConferenceThis year, several LB3 and TC2 colleagues attended the annual Enterprise Connect conference – a massive event focused on communications, collaboration and CX for enterprise customers. Enterprise Connect provides a venue for customers, service providers, and subject matter experts to explore new service offerings and network with others in the ICT space. In this 8-minute podcast, TC2’s Theresa Knutson, Julie Gardner, and Frank Zagrodnik joined Sara Crifasi to discuss their conference takeaways, including exploring incorporation of AI into UCaaS and CCaaS offerings and attending sessions focused on supporting legacy services while undertaking transformational technologies. Follow us on...
2024-06-2008 minStaying ConnectedAnnouncing TC2’s IT Cost Management PracticeTC2 is pleased to announce the launch of our IT Cost Management (ITCM) practice that consolidates key service lines focused on rapidly delivering and sustaining IT cost savings for our clients. In this 9-minute podcast, ITCM practice lead Theresa Knutson joins Tony Mangino to discuss core competencies and specific focus areas of the practice including Technology Expense Management, Cost Optimization and Billing Audits, and Lifecycle Services. If you would like to learn more about the ITCM practice, please visit our IT Cost Management webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3
2024-06-1909 minStaying ConnectedThe Search for Innovation in Outsourcing ServicesAt the core of most, if not all, outsourcing initiatives is the desire for innovation that will deliver radical change and improvement in the delivery of IT services and support. The reality is that this outcome becomes aspirational when confronted with the need to simply “keep the lights on”. In this 8-minute podcast, TC2 Managing Director Ben Fox joins Tony Mangino to explore this outsourcing conundrum and how both the customer and the supplier can approach these opportunities to drive successful innovation and truly transformational change in the end user experience. If you would like to lea...
2024-06-1308 minStaying ConnectedNet Neutrality and the Open InternetOn the telecom regulatory front, the FCC is formally reinstating a new set of net neutrality rules that reignites what is a highly controversial, on-again/off-again debate regarding the regulation of broadband Internet access services (BIAS). In this 10-minute podcast, Steve Rosen and Sara Crifasi join Tony Mangino to explain the FCC's latest action and why enterprise customers of ICT services should be paying attention. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Communications Regulatory Advice & Advocacy webpage. Follow us on LinkedIn: LB3 & TC2
2024-05-3110 minStaying ConnectedCoping with COLA in your Outsourcing Deal NegotiationsCost of living adjustments, or COLA, are always a key topic in outsourcing contracts, and their presence in negotiations has only been exacerbated with COVID and recent general inflationary pressures. In this 7-minute podcast, Ben Fox joins Sara Crifasi to discuss service providers’ recent struggles with COLA and how enterprise customers can manage their negotiations to avoid unnecessary cost increases. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development Services and Strategic Sourcing webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: TC2 & LB3
2024-05-2907 minStaying ConnectedLumen’s Recent Layoff AnnouncementAs enterprise customers know, layoffs and downsizing are a constant part of the ICT provider business lifecycle. Recently, Lumen announced that it will be reducing its staff by approximately 7%, and enterprises may feel the impact of the provider’s decreased headcount. In this 5-minute podcast, TC2’s Brent Knight joins Sara Crifasi to examine Lumen’s latest cost-cutting measure and what it means for the competitive landscape for ICT services. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Contract Compliance and Optimization and Strategic Sourcing webpages. Follow us on Link...
2024-05-1305 minStaying ConnectedFarewell to AT&T Corp. AT&T is quietly proceeding with a corporate restructuring that will, in AT&T’s words, involve a series of internal transactions that “merges AT&T Corp. out of existence”. AT&T has not made any flashy announcements about this change. Instead, they have added one line to relevant invoices telling customers that “effective May 1, 2024, any services provided by AT&T Corp. will be provided by AT&T Enterprises, LLC.” In this 11-minute podcast, Laura McDonald joins Tony Mangino to discuss the restructuring, what happens to client contracts and deals, and what enterprise customers that purchase services from AT&T Co...
2024-04-1810 minStaying ConnectedLook Out for Upcoming Changes to Lumen Account SupportWhile companies should always be on the lookout for unexpected hikes in their ICT spend, in today’s uncertain environment it is more important than ever to maintain vigilance. Just last month Lumen notified its customers of an upcoming change to their operational and technical support structure that may leave enterprises footing a steeper bill. In this 5-minute podcast, TC2’s Theresa Knutson and Frank Zagrodnik join Sara Crifasi to discuss Lumen’s forthcoming shift in support and what enterprises can do to alleviate the corresponding unanticipated cost increase. If you would like to learn more abo...
2024-04-0804 minStaying ConnectedDeal Integration – Headache or Opportunity? Merger and acquisition activity can be beneficial to the business, but it can also lead to complications when it comes to integrating ICT deals of the two entities. Harmonizing disparate commercial terms, service schedules and pricing from legacy contracts can be a headache. In this 7-minute podcast, Keith Cook and Tony Mangino discuss how, when approached strategically, deal integration presents a unique opportunity to both reduce costs and increase commercial flexibility across a broader portfolio of services. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing an...
2024-04-0407 minStaying ConnectedExamining AT&T’s Recent Data Breach: Does it Put Enterprise Information at Risk? On Saturday, March 30th, AT&T announced a significant data breach that exposed the sensitive personal information of millions of its current and former customers. As data breaches seem only to increase in frequency, enterprise customers can’t rely on service providers alone to keep their data safe—they must be proactive about security, which includes negotiating appropriately protective contract terms, limiting unnecessary data exchange, and enforcing internal security practices. On our latest 11-minute podcast, Laura McDonald and Deb Boehling join Sara Crifasi to discuss what enterprise customers should know about AT&T’s latest breach and what the...
2024-04-0311 minStaying ConnectedFixed Wireless Access 5G was in the doldrums, but 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is a success story – it is growing and we predict more adoption by enterprise customers in 2024. In certain industries, particularly those with more remote or ex-suburban presences, 5G FWA tempts enterprise customers as an alternative to fixed broadband. Investments by providers, fueled by the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program and other available funds (e.g., Connect America Fund), will make 5G FWA more available and affordable. In 2024, we also predict the accelerated adoption of 5G and Wi-Fi 6E and 7 technologies as enterprises prioritize wireless conn...
2024-03-1409 minStaying ConnectedContract Guardrails to Prevent AI Mishaps This is the season of AI, and it should be no surprise that we predict that AI will continue to have a significant (and growing) impact on the ICT market and day-to-day use of information, communications, and network deals. Three areas in which AI-driven change will directly impact ICT in 2024: (1) the backend processes for vendors, including NOCs and staffing, (2) the refined use of AI in enterprises’ management of their services and customer relationships, and (3) security – with both improvements and new threat factors accelerating. In the face of these changes, Kevin DiLallo and Sara Crifasi join Tony...
2024-03-0613 minStaying ConnectedPendulum Swings for Managed Services2024 is a year of customer/user experience. In this 12-minute podcast, Frank Zagrodnik and Bryan Carriker join Sara Crifasi to discuss how enterprises continue to evolve their use of outsourced managed network service (MNS) arrangements, including co-management models – where the customer and provider collaborate on delivering certain functions deemed critical to the business. Changes in the provider landscape will accelerate this review, and combined with ever-evolving automation, machine learning and AI tools will provide ample opportunity for enterprises to examine their needs and obtain the savings and the end user experience they require from their MNS provider and solution. If...
2024-03-0112 minStaying ConnectedEnterprise Customers Diversify Away from Cisco When rethinking their ICT infrastructure strategy, enterprise customers will demonstrate an increased willingness to diversify away from Cisco, focusing on the continued transformation to cost-effective, secure, easy-to-manage, cloud-first architectures. Equipment providers including Juniper, Palo Alto, Arista Networks, and HPE/Aruba are positioned favorably to benefit from the diversification. Odds are that the Gartner quadrants will look very different at the end of 2024 than at the beginning of this year. In this 8-minute podcast, David Lee joins Tony Mangino to discuss how Cisco’s competitors are successfully exploiting some of its weaknesses to capture market share, and where Cisco ma...
2024-02-1607 minStaying ConnectedContact Centers as a Service: Our Predictions for 2024Looking forward into 2024, we expect an upsurge in migrations from on-premise solutions to cloud and hybrid cloud deployments. While enterprises often engage third-party help for implementation support and optimization as they move from legacy to cloud-based solutions, once implemented, enterprises will continue to bring more of the day-to-day management in-house. Listen to this 9-minute podcast as LB3’s Laura McDonald and TC2’s Julie Gardner join Sara Crifasi to discuss the maturation and development of the CCaaS provider market and solution capabilities. Effective integration and adoption of AI in CaaS solutions is expected to improve both customer and age...
2024-02-1309 minStaying ConnectedICT Regulatory OutlookLaws and regulations related to technology issues can have direct (and sometimes indirect) impacts on the cost and delivery of the products and services that enterprise customers must purchase to keep their businesses running. In 2024, information and communications technology policy developments coming out of the Federal Communications Commission – including updates on net neutrality, SIM swapping and port-out fraud, robocalling and robotexting, USF reform, and 911 requirements – will certainly influence enterprises’ procurement decisions, operations, and customer outreach behaviors. In this 9-minute podcast, Andrew Brown and Sara Crifasi join Tony Mangino to discuss the forthcoming ICT regulatory developments that enterprise customers...
2024-02-0109 minStaying ConnectedEmerging TechnologiesSatellite networks, low-earth orbit (LEO) constellations, and edge computing solutions will play a more prominent role in WAN connectivity for remote locations and latency-sensitive applications. LEO providers will begin trialing technologies such as optical inter-satellite links (OISL) that create mesh networks in space with the ability to transport data 30% faster than terrestrial fiber optical cables. In addition, we see terrestrial wave service deployments growing as enterprises continue to seek more bandwidth and lower latency WAN solutions that Internet and MPLS services cannot deliver. In this 10-minute podcast, David Lee joins Sara Crifasi to discuss the latest news on...
2024-01-1909 minStaying ConnectedPredictions and Hot Topics for 2024In this special New Year’s installment of Staying Connected, we identify trends and share predictions in the ICT market and how we think they will impact enterprises in 2024. This 12-minute podcast features Laura McDonald, a Partner at LB3, and Tony Mangino, Director at TC2, to give you a preview of TC2 and LB3’s predictions and hot topics for 2024. Be sure to stay tuned to Staying Connected for a forthcoming special series of podcasts where we’ll take a deeper dive into these trends that we see as likely shaping the ICT marketplace in 2024.
2024-01-0411 minStaying ConnectedAmazon and Enterprise Private 5G Private 5G has drawn little media attention compared to consumer-oriented 5G from the big 3 wireless providers. However, Private 5G is gaining traction in the enterprise space with specific business and use cases. In this 14-minute podcast, TC2’s Technology Director David Lee and Steve Rosen, Partner at LB3, join Tony Mangino to discuss the technical elements and regulatory considerations of the service and how Amazon’s recent move into this market may end up an overall boost to the uptake of Private 5G in the enterprise community. If you would like to learn more about our e...
2023-12-1514 minStaying ConnectedNegotiating ICT Contract Renewals in an Evolving Market On this episode of Staying Connected, we discuss how customers can effectively negotiate a contract renewal with an incumbent provider in the absence of a full-blown competitive RFP process. Why might a customer choose the alternative of a negotiated renewal rather than running an RFP? Larry York, TC2’s Executive Director and Tony Mangino, a Director at TC2, join Sara Crifasi in this 11-minute podcast, to answer this question and provide current insight on strategies necessary when negotiating ICT contract renewals in an ever-evolving market. If you would like to learn more about our experience in...
2023-10-2010 minStaying ConnectedThe FCC Acts to Reinstate Net Neutrality Rules (Again!)This week, the Federal Communications Commission began a rulemaking proceeding to consider re-adoption of the net neutrality rules. This contentious, long-fought proceeding examines changing the regulatory classification of broadband internet access service, and imposing safeguards to prevent internet service providers from exploiting the access monopoly they control between their customers, and every person or business trying to transmit content to their customers, by engaging in tactics like blocking, throttling, or employing paid prioritization of content. Andrew Brown, Managing Partner of LB3 and Chair of TC2, joins Sara Crifasi on Staying Connected on this 11-minute podcast to explain t...
2023-10-2011 minStaying ConnectedThe Accelerated Pace of Technology Evolution: NYC – October 24, 2023Every fall, LB3 and TC2 host a full-day conference in New York City to discuss the latest trends and best practices in Information and Communications Technology. This year, our New York event centers on “The Accelerated Pace of Technology Evolution.” If you have any responsibility for networking or technology sourcing at your company, you should plan to join us in New York. On this 10-minute podcast, Ben Fox, Managing Director of TC2, and Andrew Brown, the Managing Partner of LB3 and the Chairman of TC2, join Sara Crifasi to discuss what we’ll cover at the conference. Fo...
2023-10-0508 minStaying ConnectedPlanning for Success with Good ICT Document Retention PracticesNo matter what type of ICT deal you’re negotiating, understanding the full scope of facts and documents underlying your contract can be challenging, but is critical. In this 8-minute podcast, LB3 Partner Deb Boehling, and TC2 Director Keith Cook join Sara Crifasi to offer tips on what enterprises should consider in developing document retention policies, when its necessary to make reasonable assumptions, and how to strategically prioritize information to formulate short-term and long-term strategies. Proactive planning for initiatives by organizing and maintaining contract documents, training employees, and developing strategies early on can save you valuable time for your curr...
2023-07-2107 minStaying ConnectedReflections on Twenty Years of ChangeAhead of his retirement from TC2 at the end of this month, Joe Schmidt talks to Ben Fox about how the communications industry that we work in has evolved over his 21+ years with TC2, and how we’ve evolved with it – from the network services that preceded MPLS, through huge change in UC technologies and adoption, the rise of SD-WAN, IT outsourcing, and the latest in SaaS and cloud services. And to finish off, Joe also shares a few thoughts on what might be coming next.
2023-07-1708 minStaying Connected5G Deployment and Radio Altimeters – A Clash of Industries and Regulators – Summer 2023 UpdateBack in November of 2021, we began recording a series of podcasts that described the ongoing dispute between the FCC and the FAA over the use of C-Band spectrum to deliver new 5G services. Much has changed since we first warned about the consequences of this issue but, unfortunately, there are still unresolved matters that could have a major impact on both the communication and aviation industries. In this 11-minute podcast, Steve Rosen, a Partner at LB3, and David Lee, TC2’s Technical Director discuss with Joe Schmidt the ongoing dispute and highlight key actions that need to be...
2023-06-0610 minStaying ConnectedFive Pain Points to Address in Your Next ICT DealIf you have an ICT contract that hasn’t been scrutinized in the past four to five years, it is time to pull out that contract and take a good look at all the clauses. As a result of your review, you’ll likely find that there are several important provisions in the contract – some that might be daily pain points for you – that were not focused on during your last negotiation. In this 12-minute podcast, Laura McDonald, a Partner at LB3, and TC2’s Joe Schmidt highlight five key provisions that every enterprise needs to be aware of and...
2023-05-1812 minStaying ConnectedThe Importance of a Coordinated Deal Handoff from Business to LegalWhen your negotiations have concluded, the commercial deal can be handed over to the lawyers for drafting. But how can you be sure that the terms, conditions and pricing that you fought so hard for will actually make it into the final contract as intended? In this 10-minute podcast, Larry York, TC2’s Executive Director and Sara Crifasi, Counsel at LB3 discuss with Tony Mangino how planning for the complexity of transitioning your deal from commercial agreement to final contracts is key to a successful outcome. If you would like to learn more about our exper...
2023-04-2510 minStaying ConnectedFive ICT Money Moves You Need to Make Saving money is always a top priority for enterprise buyers of information communication technology (ICT). Sometimes you must competitively source your services in order to achieve meaningful cost reductions, but sometimes just a few simple moves can add up to big savings. In this 10-minute podcast, LB3’s Laura McDonald and TC2’s Joe Schmidt give you five moves you can make right now that will deliver savings to your company. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Network Services Transactions and Success Stories webpages.
2023-04-0709 minStaying ConnectedNew FCC Rules Target Spam Text Messages Text messaging is an increasingly popular way for businesses to communicate with their customers, but its ease of use and attention-grabbing alerts have made it a prime target for scammers. The recent rise in text message “spam” – texts that are sent without the recipient’s consent and usually for a nefarious purpose – poses risks to both consumers and businesses, leading the Federal Communications Commission to address the growing problem of illegal robotexts with an order attempting to curb the nefarious behavior. In this 10-minute podcast with Sara Crifasi, LB3 Of Counsel, and LB3’s Managing Partner Andrew Brown, enter...
2023-04-0509 minStaying ConnectedMAD Events Will Impact ICT Deals in 2023There is a lot happening in the world right now and it’s making a lot of people and companies a little anxious. This uneasiness with the economy, regulatory environment, and general business climate will impact company mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures (MAD). In this 9-minute podcast, Deb Boehling, a Partner at LB3, and TC2’s Joe Schmidt look at some of the more noteworthy MAD transactions announced in 2022 and so far in 2023 and outline what enterprises can do if they’re affected. If you’d like to learn more about our experience in this space, please vis...
2023-04-0408 minStaying ConnectedNegotiating Cloud CommitmentsEnterprise use of cloud services has grown exponentially over the past several years, and as the size of cloud deals increases, enterprise customers must carefully assess the scope of any commitment agreed to in return for discounts and other benefits. In this 9-minute podcast with LB3’s Sara Crifasi, TC2 Managing Director Ben Fox lays out the considerations that enterprise customers should bear in mind when negotiating commitments in cloud services deals. Listen in as Ben highlights approaches that the cloud services providers use to lock-in enterprise customers—from commitments that increase annually to a push for bigger...
2023-03-2309 minStaying ConnectedGridlock in Washington, DC: The Consequences of Regulatory InactionWashington, DC continues to be a hotbed of partisanship which has led to gridlock with a downstream effect on the market for ICT services. Paralyzed government regulation and decision-making impacts the competitive choices of services and providers available to enterprises, it slows down the cycle of innovation that leads to technological advancements, and it hits the bottom-line prices that end users ultimately pay for their services. Listen to this 10-minute podcast as LB3’s Andrew Brown and Sara Crifasi discuss the current environment in Washington, DC with TC2’s Joe Schmidt and explain how it affects the produc...
2023-03-1010 minStaying ConnectedDealing With Avaya’s Bankruptcy: Back and Forth … and Back AgainAvaya filed for bankruptcy protection on February 14, its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in six years. This is a big deal because Avaya is a big company with lots of enterprise customers. Listen to this 15-minute podcast as Laura McDonald, a Senior Partner at LB3, and Mark Sheard, TC2’s UK Managing Director discuss the implications of Avaya’s bankruptcy with Joe Schmidt. Laura and Mark provide background on the situation and offer guidance on what enterprises need to do. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strateg...
2023-03-0614 minStaying ConnectedMistakes to Avoid in a Global Cloud MigrationLarge scale migrations of network services to cloud-based solutions require a carefully orchestrated sourcing and migration plan to ensure a seamless transition of your company’s mission critical services. If you are a large enterprise with a big national or global network footprint, you have to make sure that your internal stakeholders are aligned, your vendor is in synch with your company’s expectations, and your migration plan accounts for “unexpected” delays if you want these migrations to go well. In this 9-minute podcast, Andrew Brown, Managing Partner of LB3 and Chairman of TC2, talks with Joe Schmidt...
2023-03-0609 minStaying ConnectedWhat a Recession Could Mean for Enterprise DealsMany economic pundits believe a global recession in 2023 is likely, and that includes the U.S. While a down economy could impact you personally, what does it mean for buyers and sellers of technology? In this 10-minute podcast Deb Boehling, a Senior Partner at LB3, and TC2’s Joe Schmidt look at how ICT vendor and enterprise expense and revenue interests are diametrically opposed, and why understanding this dynamic will help you weather the impact of a recession, if one lands. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please vis...
2023-02-1510 minStaying ConnectedNIST’s BYOD Best Practices Will Become De Facto Standard of Care for Enterprises When a company permits employees to use personal mobile devices to conduct company business on those devices, they usually have some type of corporate bring your own device, or BYOD, program. Flexibility, employee choice and satisfaction, cost savings … these are all good reasons for allowing BYOD, but is it safe for the enterprise? In this 8-minute podcast, LB3 attorneys Kevin DiLallo and Sara Crifasi talk to TC2’s Joe Schmidt about the draft BYOD document developed by the National Institute for Standards & Technology (NIST) and surmise why this may become the de facto standard of care for enter...
2023-02-0307 minStaying ConnectedVendors Have a Surcharge AddictionThe introduction of new technologies and lower cost alternatives to legacy telecom has been great for enterprise buyers of ICT, but not so great for the incumbent vendors, because these changes cut into their profits. To counter the declining revenue stream, vendors have created new, more lucrative sources of revenue by assessing surcharges, sometimes on top of surcharges. Listen to this 13-minute podcast as LB3 Partner Laura McDonald and TC2 Directors Theresa Knutson and Joe Schmidt take a look at how these fees are assessed and offer some advice to help you plan for these budget busting c...
2023-02-0313 minStaying ConnectedFixed Wireless Access – A Technology Whose Time Has ComeFixed Wireless Access, or FWA, has attracted a lot of attention from residential and commercial users recently, and for good reason. As speeds have increased, latency has reduced, and the service has become more reliable, wireless broadband service is becoming a viable alternative to wired last-mile connections to the Internet. Listen to this 8-minute podcast as Kevin DiLallo, a Senior Partner at LB3, and TC2 Director Keith Cook talk to Joe Schmidt about why FWA will make great strides in the year ahead. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this sp...
2023-02-0107 minStaying ConnectedOnline Guides – The Trojan Horse of ICT ContractsMost enterprise telecommunication contracts contain terms that are quite unfriendly to the customer. That’s because these unfavorable terms are hidden in the carrier’s online terms known as service guides, guides, service publications, and other benign terms. Listen to this 12-minute podcast as Laura McDonald, a Senior Partner at LB3, and TC2’s Joe Schmidt provide a brief history of how telecom services have moved from tariffs to today’s negotiated deals, how the carriers’ online terms work, and what you can do to mitigate some of the risk the online guides pose to your contract. If yo...
2023-01-1112 minStaying ConnectedMobile Privacy Invasions ContinuePersonal information generates considerable revenue for companies who collect it. Google has users’ location information that it offers to advertisers for targeted ad placements, and it delivers massive profits to Google. The practice, however, has landed Google in some hot water. Listen to this 8-minute podcast as Kevin DiLallo, an LB3 Senior Partner, and TC2’s Joe Schmidt discuss Google’s recent $400 million settlement with state AGs and highlight how other trusted companies are playing fast and loose with user personal information. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please v...
2022-11-2807 minStaying ConnectedWhat You Need to Know About CBRSThe Citizens Broadband Radio Service, also known as CBRS, has drawn little media attention compared to 5G cellular, but it is starting to get some traction with carriers, ISPs, and enterprise customers. There are a number of legal and technical issues that a user needs to consider before committing to CBRS, but the benefits of CBRS can be significant. Listen to this 10-minute podcast as Steve Rosen, a Partner at LB3, TC2’s Technology Director, David Lee, and Joe Schmidt discuss this “other” wireless technology and provide you with what you need to know about CBRS. If yo...
2022-11-1410 minStaying ConnectedAnnual New York City Conference ReturnsOn November 3, 2022, the annual LB3 and TC2 NYC Conference returns to New York City after a three-year pandemic hiatus! Join Andrew and Joe as they walk through the agenda of topics planned for discussion, including: how to successfully source and deploy Unified Communications, how to structure and execute Network Transport RFPs and contract negotiations for SD-WAN and Internet First initiatives (as well as legacy services like MPLS), what you need to know about Public Cloud, Managed Services/Outsourcing, and hardware/equipment deals, as well as a critical look at sourcing and managing Telecom Expense Management platforms and W...
2022-10-1907 minStaying ConnectedT-Mobile Makes a Cogent Wireline DealAs we covered in previous podcasts, T-Mobile has conveyed to customers that wireline services are not part of their long-term strategic service portfolio. However, last week’s announcement that T-Mobile is selling its wireline data services to Cogent caught many by surprise. Listen to this 6-minute podcast as Jack Deal, one of TC2’s Managing Directors, and Mark Sheard, Managing Director of TC2 UK, discuss with Joe Schmidt what this transaction means for enterprise customers of legacy Sprint wireline services. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our...
2022-09-1505 minStaying ConnectedService Provider Network Changes Could Impact Enterprise ServiceService providers often make changes to their core network infrastructure to introduce new technology or to retire legacy equipment and these changes, while well-intentioned, can and often do adversely affect enterprise service and resilient network designs. Listen to this 13-minute podcast as Laura McDonald, a Senior Partner at LB3, and Bryan Carriker, a Senior Consultant at TC2, discuss with Joe Schmidt how enterprises are notified of these provider changes and what can be done to minimize their impact on enterprise network architectures and service delivery. If you would like to learn more about our experience...
2022-09-1212 minStaying ConnectedBig Telco Financial Results Reveal Some SurprisesRecent Q2 2022 financial results from some of the big telcos tell a much different story from a few years ago, and certainly from 8-10 years ago. AT&T and Verizon both had a weak 2nd quarter and the headline for both is that they had declines in the wireline enterprise market. Listen to this 12-minute podcast as Laura McDonald, a Senior Partner at LB3, and Tony Mangino, a Director at TC2, talk to Joe Schmidt about why the carriers saw a decline in wireline revenue and offer tips for navigating the changing enterprise market. If you...
2022-08-0512 minStaying ConnectedHigh-Profile Investigations by SEC, CFTC & Congress Target Mismanagement of Text MessagesWhat do the U.S. Secret Service and the nation’s largest financial institutions have in common? Tune in to hear about two high-profile investigations involving these institutions that highlight the enormous risks created by lax management of employees’ text messages, apps, and personal mobile devices in the workplace. In this 8-minute podcast, Kevin DiLallo, a Senior Partner at LB3, discusses with TC2’s Joe Schmidt how failure to comply with recordkeeping laws and regulations have gotten the Secret Service and some big banks into hot water and offer some useful tips for controlling the risks that misuse o...
2022-07-2508 minStaying Connected5G Deployment and Radio Altimeters: A Clash of Industries & Regulators – UpdateThere is an ongoing dispute between the FCC and the FAA that revolves around wireless carriers’ use of C-Band spectrum to deliver new 5G services, and the aviation industry’s use of nearby spectrum for a critical safety system – the radio altimeter. Listen to this 8-minute podcast as Steve Rosen, a Partner at LB3, David Lee, TC2’s Technical Director, and Joe Schmidt provide another important update on this dispute. Failure by the communications industry and aviation industry to come to agreeable terms soon will almost certainly result in more flight cancellations and delays … something no one wants or nee...
2022-07-1408 minStaying ConnectedICT Vendor Inflation Problems are Becoming Enterprise Inflation ProblemsRecord inflation is having some impact on everyone’s personal lives. It is also taking its toll on enterprise ICT budgets, and telecom and other IT companies are working hard to make their inflation problems your inflation problems. On this 10-minute podcast TC2’s Larry York, TC2’s Executive Director, Brent Knight, a Senior Consultant at TC2, and Joe Schmidt look at how ICT vendors pass on their increased costs to you and offer advice on specific steps that you can take to mitigate – or even stop – these expenses. If you would like to learn more about o...
2022-07-1210 minStaying ConnectedVerizon Juices Its Bottom Line by Imposing Economic Adjustment ChargeTelecom vendors love to pile on charges that fall outside the rates for services that enterprise customers work hard to negotiate and lock down in their agreements. Vendors give these add-on charges official-sounding names, the latest being Verizon’s Economic Adjustment Charge which will start hitting enterprise wireless bills any day. In this 10-minute podcast, Jack Deal, a Managing Director at TC2 and Andrew Brown, the Managing Partner of LB3 and the Chairman of TC2 discuss with TC2’s Joe Schmidt how Verizon’s made-up fee will be assessed and what it means for enterprise customers. If you...
2022-06-2710 minStaying ConnectedData Center and Colocation Deals Raise Legal and Contracting ConcernsIt may surprise you, but the need for data center space isn’t necessarily reducing for all enterprises as they move apps to the cloud. In fact, many companies are adding space in current data centers to have a presence near the hyperscalers like AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure – one big draw being improved user experience and security. Listen to this 14-minute podcast as LB3 Senior Partners Deb Boehling and Laura McDonald discuss with TC2’s Joe Schmidt the difference between retail and wholesale colocation agreements, key contractual terms and site space details you want to consider in orde...
2022-06-0813 minStaying ConnectedThe Demise of Legacy Sprint Wireline Services - Legal Issues to ConsiderIn a recent Staying Connected podcast, TC2’s Keith Cook and Joe Schmidt highlighted the business impact of T-Mobile’s decision to focus more on wireless services and less on fixed line services provided by legacy Sprint. What do you do if you have legacy Sprint wireline services? Should you stay or go, and why or how? In this 15-minute podcast, LB3 Senior Partners Laura McDonald and Deb Boehling talk with Joe Schmidt about this topic from a legal and contracting perspective. Laura and Deb also offer advice on what enterprises need to do now in order not to...
2022-05-1214 minStaying ConnectedThe TDM Pain is RealBack in 2020, TC2’s Jack Deal and Mark Sheard published an article and recorded a podcast entitled “TDM: It’s Time to Decommission and Move” warning of the risks associated with failing to plan the move away from legacy time division multiplexing (TDM) service. Companies that failed to heed their advice are now quite literally paying the price for staying with TDM. Listen to this 9-minute podcast as Jack and Mark talk with TC2’s Joe Schmidt about the TDM landscape and explain why enterprises are experiencing operational and commercial pain by remaining with TDM services. If you wo...
2022-05-0609 minStaying ConnectedTap the Untapped Gold Mine in Your Vendor AccountsWhen you work with ICT billing, you deal with credits paid for events like circuit disconnects or the resolution of a billing error. This sounds like guaranteed money in the bank … but it’s not. In this 8-minute podcast, TC2 Directors Julie Gardner and Theresa Knutson talk with Joe Schmidt and discuss the billing gold mine of credits and the potential pitfalls, such as it taking years to use credits that were applied to the wrong account – if you’re able to use them at all. Julie and Theresa provide the tips and tools for helping you tap this u...
2022-04-0808 minStaying ConnectedManaging IT Contracts Through a DivestitureWhen an enterprise divests a business unit, much work is needed to ensure that vendor IT contracts will appropriately support the divestiture. This can be a difficult process because vendors don’t normally let their customers just copy and paste a contract into a brand new “carbon copy” for the divested company. Listen to this 10-minute podcast as Ben Fox, one of TC2’s Managing Directors, and Marc Lindsey, a Senior Partner at LB3 and President of Avenue4, discuss with Joe Schmidt the two main approaches companies often use when divesting a business unit and how you can put t...
2022-04-0510 minStaying ConnectedHow to Benefit from Custom Payment Terms in Your ICT ContractPayment terms have become a major focus for large enterprises when negotiating ICT contracts. Fewer companies are accepting the historic standard “due within 30 days of invoice date” and are instead negotiating payment terms ranging from 60 to 90 days. Listen to this 9-minute podcast as TC2 Directors Theresa Knutson, Julie Gardner, and Joe Schmidt discuss how payment terms can make or break a deal, provide insight into how suppliers struggle to bill for these special arrangements, and what you can do to realize the benefit of your negotiated payment terms. If you would like to learn more about...
2022-03-1709 minStaying ConnectedISPs and Mobile Apps: Prying “Eyes” Are Watching You - Part 2In the second part of this two-part podcast, LB3’s Of Counsel Sara Crifasi and Kevin DiLallo, a Senior Partner, take a closer look with TC2’s Joe Schmidt at how data privacy concerns impact enterprises. The amount of data collected by ISPs is mind boggling, and in the wrong hands can pose serious harm to an enterprise. In this podcast, you’ll receive practical tips to prevent unknown operators from collecting and sharing sensitive information about your company and its employees. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please...
2022-03-1107 minStaying ConnectedISPs and Mobile Apps: Prying “Eyes” Are Watching You - Part 1It may not surprise you that your ISP is collecting large amounts of data about you and selling it to third parties. However, after listening to this two-part podcast, you’ll probably think twice about blindly accepting the terms of use of that “must have” app. In this part one, LB3’s Of Counsel Sara Crifasi and Kevin DiLallo, a Senior Partner, talk to TC2’s Joe Schmidt about the findings of a recently released FTC report revealing that ISPs are collecting enormous amounts of data from their customers and turning around and sharing that data with undisclosed...
2022-03-1108 minStaying ConnectedHow the Great Resignation is Impacting Network Lifecycle ManagementThe last couple of years have been challenging for enterprises and their employees; the world has seen dramatic societal changes. Now, companies are dealing with the Great Resignation, losing some of their most seasoned staff and revealing a huge knowledge vacuum in many areas. In this 8-minute podcast, TC2 Directors Theresa Knutson and Joe Schmidt look at how network lifecycle management is being impacted and reveal how losing even a single key employee can set a company back, but also explain how TC2 can fill the gap. If you would like to learn more about o...
2022-03-0407 minStaying ConnectedNetwork as a Service Could Deliver Real Value to EnterprisesNetwork as a Service (“NaaS”) is an interesting concept. Who wouldn’t want to buy network services like a water utility – pay only for what you use? Unfortunately, NaaS often encompasses a wide range of commercial and technical aspirations, rather than discrete vendor service offerings. In this 9-minute podcast, Ben Fox, one of TC2’s Managing Directors, and Joe Schmidt discuss what they think the key attributes of NaaS are and how vendors could develop solutions that offer real value to enterprise buyers. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, pleas...
2022-02-2508 minStaying ConnectedWhat Enterprises Can Do About Cisco Price IncreasesCisco recently announced a 10% increase in its global list pricing. While the price increase is an average increase across Cisco’s product portfolio, it still stings, and will affect almost every enterprise that runs a network or has networking needs. In this 9-minute podcast, Ben Fox, one of TC2’s Managing Directors, and David Lee, TC2’s Technology Director, talk with Joe Schmidt about why Cisco is increasing its pricing and provide some tips for helping companies keep their networking equipment costs in check. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this sp...
2022-02-0309 minStaying Connected2021: A Year in Review - Part 2On this special two-part podcast, TC2’s Joe Schmidt has assembled six of his favorite guests from past Staying Connected episodes for a rapid-fire review of the important ICT events of 2021. In this part two, TC2’s David Lee focuses on the technical reasons why high-profile hacks were perpetrated and assesses the market for unified communications, LB3’s Kevin DiLallo shares valuable insight about the state of wireless services, including 5G, and the vendors, and TC2’s Ben Fox wraps up the podcast sharing his views on managed services and hypothesizes that cloud deals will increase in importan...
2022-01-2413 minStaying Connected2021: A Year in Review - Part 1On this special two-part podcast, TC2’s Joe Schmidt has assembled six of his favorite guests from past Staying Connected episodes for a rapid-fire review of the important ICT events of 2021. In this part one, LB3’s Andrew Brown looks at the impact of E911 regulation and the continuing saga of USF, Laura McDonald reviews some predictions she made about vendor developments and security issues, and TC2’s Theresa Knutson closes out the podcast with a discussion of TEM services and how the telecom companies are beginning to sunset technologies like POTS and ISDN.
2022-01-2418 minStaying Connected5G Deployment and Radio Altimeters: A Clash of Industries and Regulators – Important UpdateOn November 29, 2021, we recorded a podcast about a dispute between the FCC and the FAA, the respective regulators for the communications industry, and the aviation industry. The dispute revolves around the wireless carriers’ use of C-Band spectrum to deliver 5G and the aviation industry’s use of nearby spectrum to control aircraft. In this 7-minute podcast Steve Rosen, a Partner at LB3, David Lee, TC2’s Technical Director, and Joe Schmidt provide an important update on this developing situation. A key takeaway is if nothing changes and AT&T and Verizon Wireless keep to their January 19 schedule to turn u...
2022-01-1707 minStaying ConnectedNegotiating Mid-Market Deals Requires a Different PerspectiveWhen negotiating mid-market deals enterprises require a different perspective than they employ in their big business deals. Even though requirements may be just as complex as in those larger deals, the dynamics of the procurement are decidedly different. In this 6 minute podcast TC2 Directors Tony Mangino and Joe Schmidt discuss why scale matters in ICT procurements and offer advice to help mid-market clients realize maximum value from their ICT deals. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Success Stories webpages.
2022-01-0305 minStaying Connected5G Deployment and Radio Altimeters: A Clash of Industries and RegulatorsThere is a fascinating dispute unfolding between the wireless communications industry and the aviation industry, or rather, a dispute between their respective regulators, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The dispute revolves around the wireless carriers’ use of C-Band spectrum to deliver 5G and the aviation industry’s use of nearby spectrum to control aircraft. Listen to this 12-minute podcast as Steve Rosen, a Partner at LB3, David Lee, TC2’s Technology Director, and Joe Schmidt explain this technical and legal conundrum and why it will be a regulatory and economic train wreck i...
2021-11-2911 minStaying ConnectedDon’t Just Hand your Incumbent Carrier your SD-WAN BusinessWhen you buy technology, the easy choice is to buy it from your incumbent supplier, and frankly, if you have a good relationship with that supplier and a contract with competitive pricing, that’s probably the right choice. When you’re looking at new technology like SD-WAN, however, handing the business to your incumbent supplier requires further thought. Listen to this 6-minute podcast as TC2 Directors Keith Cook and Joe Schmidt discuss how doing your due diligence and competitively sourcing your SD-WAN solution will deliver big benefits for your company. If you would like to learn...
2021-11-2306 minStaying ConnectedEnterprises Beware: The Costs of ILEC Local Services are RisingIf you’re a buyer of ICT and network services, you’re probably quite familiar with SIP trunking, MPLS, UC, cloud, and many other go-to solutions used in the enterprise. You may, however, be less familiar with legacy services such as POTS, FX, ISDN, and TDM. These are the technologies that have been in the ground for decades and are being targeted by the ILECs and CLECs for discontinuance. Listen to this 9-minute podcast as TC2 Directors Pat Gilpatrick and Joe Schmidt provide a brief history lesson on these legacy technologies, explain why the carriers want you off of...
2021-11-2209 minStaying ConnectedChanging Needs are Bolstering Demand for UCaaS SolutionsCompanies are increasingly re-evaluating their needs for Unified Communications-as-a-Service (“UCaaS”) solutions, and many are taking steps to address their quickly changing UCaaS requirements. This is particularly important in the age of COVID when the necessity to support work from home and the hybrid office are at the forefront. In this 12-minute podcast, TC2’s Technical Director, David Lee, and Joe Schmidt discuss some of the key inputs for evaluating UCaaS solutions including building a strategy, procuring the solution, and selecting the right provider and feature set to meet your company’s needs. If you’d like to lea...
2021-11-1112 min