The 6G Podcast by Moor Insights & Strategy

Anshel Sag and Mike Dano

A 6G podcast about the latest inside info on what's going on in the 6G industry by two of the industry's leading analysts, Anshel Sag and Mike Dano

  1. MAY 2

    The 6G Podcast - T-Mobile's Super Broadband Launch, Fiber Expansion Moves, Nokia's FWA Sale, Satellite MVNO Talks, Tech Earnings Spotlight, and AI Infrastructure Trends

    T-Mobile Super Broadband, Fiber Acquisitions, Tech Earnings, and Satellite D2D Trends | 6G Podcast Ep. 249 In episode 249 of the 6G Podcast, analysts Anshel Sag and Mike Dano discuss convergence across 5G, fiber, and satellite. They cover T-Mobile’s “Super Broadband,” which bundles 5G with SpaceX Starlink for primary, backup, or load-balanced connectivity using equipment from Ericsson and Inseego, with a $249/month packaged offering. They also review T-Mobile’s moves to expand its fiber footprint through agreements involving regional providers (GoNetSpeed, GreenLight Networks, and i3 Broadband), related pricing changes, and how bundled wireline/wireless can boost market share, alongside speculation about larger M&A. The hosts recap major tech earnings (Google, Microsoft, Meta, Qualcomm, Apple), AI-driven CapEx and memory constraints, preview WIA Connect X with an Ookla analysis of Miami’s busiest cell tower near the airport, discuss Nokia selling its FWA CPE business to Inseego, and note low direct-to-device satellite usage plus US carriers rejecting a Starlink MVNO. 00:00 Welcome and Catch Up 02:08 T-Mobile Super Broadband 07:51 Fiber Expansion and Convergence 14:11 Big Tech Earnings Roundup 20:41 Connect X Preview Miami Tower 24:56 Nokia Sells FWA to Inseego 28:02 Satellite D2D and Starlink MVNO 33:57 Wrap Up and Next Week

    35 min
  2. APR 28

    The 6G Podcast - OpenAI Smartphone Rumors, Charter’s Stock Shock & Telecom M&A, Intel–Tesla 14A, D2D Satellite Benchmarks, Verizon’s Q1 Rebound, and a New Mexico AI Data Center Fight

    OpenAI Smartphone Rumors, Charter’s Stock Plunge, Intel–Tesla Foundry Boost, Direct-to-Device Satellite Benchmarks, Verizon’s Q1 Net Adds, and a Socorro AI Data Center Debate The 6G Podcast hosts discuss rumors that OpenAI may build a smartphone with Qualcomm and MediaTek, potentially launching around 2027 and enabling tighter OS-level AI integration than Android or iOS. They review Q1 telecom earnings, highlighting Charter’s nearly 25% stock drop after losing over 100,000 broadband customers and adding fewer mobile lines than expected, sparking M&A speculation including a possible Verizon or T-Mobile bid and a rumored Deutsche Telekom move to fully acquire T-Mobile. They cover Intel’s earnings surge and Tesla naming Intel’s 14A node for “Terra Fab,” framed as a CHIPS Act-aligned U.S. manufacturing milestone relevant to 6G supply chains. The episode also summarizes a new direct-to-device satellite report showing about 0.5%–1% monthly unique usage across tracked countries, and Verizon’s Q1 return to positive postpaid phone net adds, alongside discussion of an AI data center proposal in Socorro, New Mexico and local opposition over power and water concerns. 00:00 Welcome to Six G 00:21 OpenAI Phone Rumors 03:21 AI OS and Ecosystem 05:35 Smartphone Market Shakeups 06:00 Telecom Earnings Shock 07:05 Charter Selloff Fallout 08:01 M&A Rumors Heat Up 09:48 Cable vs Fiber Reality 13:25 Intel and Tesla Surge 19:00 Direct to Device Satellites 21:27 Satellite Use vs Density 23:28 UK Scan Rate Insights 24:08 Hajj Network Challenges 26:01 Verizon Q1 Turnaround 30:19 Fixed Wireless Limits 32:31 Socorro Data Center Debate 36:47 Data Centers Case by Case 40:16 Wrap Up and Subscribe

    41 min
  3. APR 18

    6G Podcast - Amazon's $11B Acquisition, Verizon & FIFA, AST SpaceMobile Launch, Ericsson's Struggles

    Anshel Sag and Mike Dano open with discussion of watching a recent capsule splashdown and related footage, plus a personal connection to rocket-engine work. They then cover Amazon’s roughly $11B agreement to acquire Globalstar, maintaining Apple’s iPhone satellite emergency texting while planning an Amazon LEO direct-to-device service for mobile operators in 2028, with open questions around Apple’s planned constellation expansion, integration with other Amazon services, and pricing. Next, they discuss Ericsson’s Q1 sales decline and weaker North America outlook amid a broader 5G equipment spending trough before 6G. They review ULA Research findings showing Verizon’s continued millimeter wave expansion and relate it to US spectrum moves including NTIA’s 2.7 GHz release and longer-term 7 GHz interest. They preview AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 launch and debate edge/AI data-center hype, including a proposed Socorro, New Mexico project and backyard micro data centers, before closing on Verizon’s FIFA World Cup 5G partnership featuring private 5G, slicing, small cells, and stadium upgrades. 00:00 Podcast kickoff and intro 00:12 SpaceX splashdown stories 02:33 Rocket engineer bragging rights 03:25 Amazon buys Globalstar 07:37 What it means for Apple 11:28 Ericsson earnings warning 15:11 Verizon mmWave reality check 17:43 NTIA 2.7 GHz spectrum news 19:04 Real World mmWave Limits 20:27 Stadiums and Indoor Coverage 20:59 Why mmWave Still Matters 22:53 Will Verizon Bet Pay Off 23:37 AST SpaceMobile Launch Preview 25:47 Constellation Timelines Reality Check 28:48 Edge Computing Jumped Shark 33:09 Socorro Data Center Motives 34:48 Verizon FIFA World Cup Network 38:40 Wrap Up and Subscribe

    39 min
  4. APR 8

    The 6G Podcast - NASA's Laser Links, Family Plan Fight, Starlink’s Spectrum Hunt, AI's Network Future, In-Depth on 3GPP's 6G Vision, and Space Fab Ventures

    Artemis Optical Links, 3GPP Release 21 Timeline, Bundled Fiber+Wireless Plans, and the Satellite D2D Spectrum Scramble Anshel Sag and Mike Dano discuss Artemis mission connectivity and imagery, including NASA’s Orion optical laser link (O2O) enabling 4K streams, iPhone selfies, and radiation damage to sensors, alongside brand visibility like Omega watches. They then review outcomes from a recent 3GPP meeting in Japan: 6G will begin with Release 21, with a Stage 1 freeze targeted for March 2027, and 5G standalone selected as the architectural baseline, with continued work on non-terrestrial networks. The hosts cover new U.S. convergence bundles, including AT&T’s One Connect (fiber plus wireless with BYOD and deprioritization caveats) and T-Mobile’s Mint-branded 5G Home Internet bundle. They debate AI RAN and base-station GPUs, citing skepticism from AT&T leadership and Nvidia’s push into inference, then note Tesla/SpaceX’s announced chip-fab partnership with Intel. Finally, they examine Grain Management’s plan to potentially lease 800 MHz spectrum for direct-to-device satellite services and question the true scale of the D2D consumer market. 00:00 Podcast Welcome and Weekend Catchup 00:53 Artemis Mission Highlights 01:20 Laser Link 4K Streaming 03:06 Space Selfies and Radiation 05:06 Brands Watches and Hype 06:13 6G Standards Update from Japan 11:39 SA Only Path to 6G 14:02 AT&T One Connect Bundle 16:45 Cable vs Telco Bundle Wars 19:24 AI RAN GPUs at the Edge 23:23 Inference Takes Over 23:49 GPUs in Base Stations 26:00 Carrier Reality Check 27:19 Where Compute Belongs 29:56 Timing the Edge Bet 30:40 Terra Fab Reality 31:46 Fab Timeline and Costs 33:47 Austin Supply Chain Logic 36:01 Space Data Center Skepticism 38:29 D2D Spectrum Leasing 42:19 Airlines and Spectrum Swaps 43:32 D2D Market Limits 45:32 Consolidation and 2030 Outlook 46:06 Wrap Up and Thanks

    47 min
  5. The 6G Podcast - HP Go's European Rollout, Cable Industry Challenges, T-Mobile's 5G Baseball Breakthrough, FCC's Router Ban, Turkey's 5G Launch with Shaq, and Artemis Mission Update

    MAR 28

    The 6G Podcast - HP Go's European Rollout, Cable Industry Challenges, T-Mobile's 5G Baseball Breakthrough, FCC's Router Ban, Turkey's 5G Launch with Shaq, and Artemis Mission Update

    HP Go Expands, Comcast Edge AI Demos, MLB ABS Challenges, FCC Router Crackdown, Turkey 5G Launch, and Artemis II Moon Mission Anshel Sag and Mike Dano discuss six developments: HP’s Imagine 2026 updates expand HP Go cellular service beyond one Qualcomm EliteBook to multiple notebook tiers and add EU activation across 23 countries, alongside a more efficient Wolf Connect modem for out-of-band security/traceability. Mike recaps the shrinking Cable Next Gen event, highlighting Comcast’s Nvidia-enabled edge computing demos (real-time clothing overlays and lip-synced translation) and growing broadband competition from fixed wireless, fiber overbuilders like IQ Fiber, and Starlink. Anshel covers MLB’s commercial rollout of automated balls-and-strikes challenges using Sony Hawk-Eye with T-Mobile 5G. They react to an FCC move requiring waivers for foreign-made consumer Wi-Fi routers, framed as a security response, and debate consequences. Anshel notes Ubiquiti’s new tri-carrier 5G router and Turkey’s planned April 1 nationwide 5G launch with Turkcell. They close on satellite news and NASA’s accelerated lunar base timeline, with Artemis II’s crewed moon flyby mission next week. 00:00 Podcast Kickoff 00:21 HP Go Expands 02:25 Wolf Connect Update 03:41 Do 5G Laptops Matter 06:24 Cable Next Gen Takeaways 08:36 Cable Threats and Fiber 12:49 MLB Robo Ump Challenges 16:31 Fairness Versus Tradition 19:33 FCC Router Ban Shock 21:03 FCC Ruling Backlash 22:42 Router Vendors Impacted 23:32 Payola and Politics 24:26 Security Over Manufacturing 27:51 Ubiquiti 5G Router 28:18 Turkey Finally Gets 5G 30:25 Early Turkey Speed Data 31:59 Satellite Show and Moon Base 34:00 Artemis II Hype 36:24 Starlink Competition Outlook 39:20 Wrap Up and Subscribe

    40 min
  6. MAR 10

    The 6G Podcast - Post-MWC 2026 Analysis, Qualcomm's AI Chip Launch, Nvidia-Nokia Collaboration, LA 2028 6G Predictions, and Lenovo's Innovative Devices

    Post-MWC 2026: Qualcomm’s AI Wearables, Satellite Momentum, Nvidia’s RAN Push, and 6G Signals for LA 2028 In a post–MWC 2026 episode of the 6G Podcast, Anshel Sag and Mike Dano recap show takeaways, including heavy Qualcomm news: Snapdragon Wear Elite for AI wearables (including a future Galaxy Watch), FastConnect 8800 Wi‑Fi 8 with quad radios and 4x4 client throughput, an AI 200 rack-scale data center solution, and the Snapdragon X105 5G-Advanced modem with 6G testing potential. They discuss a turning point for AI wearables and privacy concerns, especially smart glasses. Dano’s main takeaway is accelerating satellite momentum, citing Starlink’s second-gen direct-to-device plans and activity from SES, Viasat/Space42, Eutelsat/OneWeb, AST SpaceMobile/Telus, Amazon Kuiper/Vodafone, Samsung, and Qualcomm satellite demos. Sag outlines Nvidia’s telecom strategy with Nokia and others to improve RAN efficiency, add AI features like ISAC, and later enable edge compute, then flags LA Olympics 2028 as a likely 6G milestone, and closes with MWC device highlights and questions about edge security and sovereign AI. 00:00 MWC Recap Kickoff 00:23 Travel Chaos and Jet Lag 01:55 Qualcomm MWC Blitz 03:59 AI Wearables and Smart Glasses 06:40 Satellite Internet Surge 10:46 Nvidia Enters the RAN 16:07 6G Countdown LA 2028 18:39 MWC Device Roundup 23:52 Edge Compute Security Questions 29:16 Sovereign AI and Operator Clouds 31:06 ISAC and Public Safety Shift 31:39 Wrap Up and Subscribe

    32 min
  7. FEB 21

    The 6G Podcast - Microsoft-Ericsson Windows Integration, Kinetic Tokens Explained, 5G SA Battery Improvements, T-Mobile's Nvidia Partnership, Samsung's 6G Trials, and Data Center Revolution

    Anshel Sag hosts episode 242 of the rebranded 6G Podcast and introduces new co-host Mike Dano (Ookla), noting the industry’s “5G lull” and a shift toward 6G discussions. They discuss 5G Americas shutting down operations after years as a spectrum- and standards-focused trade association, framing the closure as a sign of cooling 5G interest and flat-to-negative RAN sales. Anshel covers Samsung and KT achieving a 3 Gbps downlink in 7 GHz using Keysight 6G test equipment and X-MIMO, noting the unclear bandwidth used and emphasizing that 6G progress is still largely experimental with mixed commercialization timelines (2028–2030). They debate 7 GHz as a key 6G band, propagation challenges (referencing Wi‑Fi 6E/7), the fading focus on terahertz bands, China’s earlier stance on 6 GHz, and potential limited initial 6G deployments. Mike highlights an Ookla report on 5G standalone showing improved battery life versus NSA (EE +22%, O2 +11%) and argues operators under-market SA benefits. Anshel explains T-Mobile’s John Saw concept of “kinetic tokens” for low-latency AI in motion (physical AI) across device/edge/cloud, tying it to use cases like real-time translation (5G Advanced, 50 languages) and ISAC for tracking and supporting drones, plus discussion of NVIDIA-based AI-RAN strategies and skepticism about cost and monetization of GPUs in base stations. Mike raises broader concerns about the AI data center boom, citing a projected $710B hyperscaler investment in 2026, power constraints (natural gas, gas turbines/jet engines), private high-bandwidth inter-data-center traffic, and questions about whether telecoms can capture AI value versus hyperscalers, while noting sovereign AI opportunities in countries with fewer data centers. They close with Microsoft and Ericsson integrating Ericsson Advanced Enterprise Mobility into Windows 11 (piloted on Surface 5G) to simplify secure enterprise 5G laptop management with Intune and eSIM provisioning, and discuss why cellular laptops haven’t broadly taken off (cost, plans, coverage) and how Apple’s modems and multi-carrier services might change adoption. 00:00 Welcome & New Co-Host Mike Dano Joins the 6G Podcast 01:10 Why the Rebrand Now: 5G Lull, MWC & Samsung Unpacked Tease 02:03 5G Americas Shuts Down: What It Says About the Market Cycle 05:41 Samsung + KT Hit 3 Gbps in 7 GHz: Early 6G Trial Reality Check 07:32 Where 6G Spectrum Lands: 7 GHz, Propagation, and Terahertz Hype Fades 12:58 Ookla Report Spotlight: 5G Standalone Boosts Battery Life (and Why It Matters) 17:54 Kinetic Tokens & Physical AI: T-Mobile’s Vision for Low-Latency 6G 22:51 Is T-Mobile’s “GPU in Every Base Station” Plan Actually Viable? 24:16 The Edge Compute Case: Double-Dipping GPUs for AI + XR Graphics 26:29 AI Wearables, AR Glasses, and Why 6G Timing Could Favor T-Mobile 28:27 The $710B Data Center Boom: What Hyperscaler Spend Means for Telecom 30:36 Powering AI: Natural Gas, Turbines, and the Nuclear Buildout Debate 31:25 Neo-Clouds & AI Transport: Private Backbone Links, Akamai GPU Rentals, and Wall Street Doubts 37:40 Microsoft + Ericsson Bring Enterprise 5G Management Natively to Windows 11 40:00 Why 5G Laptops Still Haven’t Taken Off (Cost, Plans, Battery, Coverage) 41:41 What Changes in 6G: Apple Modems, Multi-Carrier Service, and the Road Ahead (Wrap-Up)

    39 min

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A 6G podcast about the latest inside info on what's going on in the 6G industry by two of the industry's leading analysts, Anshel Sag and Mike Dano

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