What's Up with Tech?

Evan Kirstel
  • 5.0 (1)
  • TECHNOLOGY

Tech Transformation with Evan Kirstel: A podcast exploring the latest trends and innovations in the tech industry, and how businesses can leverage them for growth, diving into the world of B2B, discussing strategies, trends, and sharing insights from industry leaders!With over three decades in telecom and IT, I've mastered the art of transforming social media into a dynamic platform for audience engagement, community building, and establishing thought leadership. My approach isn't about personal brand promotion but about delivering educational and informative content to cultivate a sustainable, long-term business presence. I am the leading content creator in areas like Enterprise AI, UCaaS, CPaaS, CCaaS, Cloud, Telecom, 5G and more!

  1. 1D AGO

    Storage Becomes The AI Bottleneck

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com AI feels fast until memory and storage slow everything down. We sit with Michael Wu to unpack a blunt truth: inference is where value happens, and storage now sits on the critical path. Instead of treating SSDs as cold capacity, Phison’s adaptive middleware turns them into a live cache that expands usable memory and keeps models, embeddings, and long context windows close to compute. The payoff is practical and immediate—lean AIPCs and mini workstations run bigger workloads with steadier latency, and teams can scale inference without waiting for DRAM supply to catch up. We trace the story from CES announcements to real-world deployment. Michael breaks down how OEM integrations and consumer upgrade kits bring adaptive caching to both new and existing machines, why developer and education communities are the first winners, and how this bottom-up momentum seeds better software and on-device AI experiences. For enterprise leaders, we map the route from local experiments to global rollouts: consistent performance across distributed teams, lower cloud egress, and a storage layer tuned for retrieval-augmented generation, fine-tuning, and high-concurrency serving. Zooming out, we explore where we are in the AI cycle—early, hungry, and building—and how edge devices and “physical AI” will broaden demand for fast, cache-aware storage. Michael also shares Phison’s fabless strategy, the new Pascari enterprise lineup, and the push toward Gen 6 performance that aligns with next-gen model serving. If you care about real-world AI velocity, this conversation shows how to turn a bottleneck into an advantage by rethinking the memory hierarchy from the ground up. If this helped you think differently about scaling AI, follow the show, share it with a teammate, and leave a quick review so more builders can find it. What’s the first AI workflow you’d speed up with adaptive caching? Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    17 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Telcos Take Charge On AI

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The energy on the MWC floor said it all: AI for telecom has moved past “someday” and into “show me how fast.” We sit down with Broadcom’s Anupama Mahabhashyam to unpack what sovereignty really means for carriers, why local control and continuous compliance matter, and how operators can turn regulated infrastructure and rich datasets into a durable AI advantage. We trace the shift from AI hype to execution, highlighting the operational realities telcos face as they build private and sovereign AI clouds. That includes the unglamorous but essential work of model governance—curating approved catalogs, tracking versions and provenance, and enforcing access policies—so teams stop firefighting model sprawl. We also cover the emerging traffic pattern of AI workloads, why early signals may be invisible on traditional links, and how the rise of voice and video inference changes bandwidth planning and east‑west flows across the network. From there, we dig into the architecture: intelligent orchestration that matches models to GPU capacity, keeps workloads close to data, and prevents oversubscription. Anupama explains how AI as a Service abstractions can remove plumbing while preserving control, letting teams focus on high‑value use cases like anomaly detection, automated triage, and customer care copilots. We emphasize data readiness as the make‑or‑break factor—organizing datasets, enforcing metadata standards, and eliminating silos so generative systems don’t amplify fragmentation. Finally, we connect the dots to outcomes: improved reliability, faster MTTR, better customer experiences, and new revenue streams such as GPU‑as‑a‑Service and compliant enterprise copilots. If you’re a carrier leader, network architect, or product owner mapping a path to sovereign AI, this conversation offers a clear blueprint: build on governed data, enforce model discipline, and invest in an intelligent infrastructure layer that scales with demand. Enjoy the episode, then subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review to help more builders find the show. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    11 min

  3. 5D AGO

    AI And Telcos: From Hype To Revenue

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com AI is loud at MWC, but we wanted signal, not noise. We sat down with Angus CEO from BeyondNow to unpack how telcos can turn hype into real revenue by building an “AI factory” for SMBs, digitizing the front office, and orchestrating partner ecosystems that deliver complete, easy-to-buy solutions. The conversation gets practical fast: what it takes to package connectivity with AI-driven services, why data readiness still gates everything, and how to replace price wars with a disciplined upsell motion that deepens relationships and boosts stickiness. We explore the shift from back-office obsession to front-office acceleration—where CPQ discipline, guided selling, and AI agents create a faster, cleaner path from quote to cash. Angus breaks down why B2B is different from B2C, how standard blueprints cut complexity, and where prompts can and can’t launch new services yet. Instead of betting on magic, the focus is on proven building blocks: structured data, simplified migrations, partner co-selling, and outcome-based offers that customers immediately understand. If you work in telco, MSP, or enterprise networking, you’ll hear a playbook for growth: unify internal stovepipes into coherent bundles, add partners to enrich the solution, automate fulfillment end to end, and use AI to amplify—not replace—sound operations. We also touch on Beyond Now’s 45% growth trajectory, portfolio expansion, and plans to bring AI factories to life across adjacent markets. Ready to connect AI buzz to booked revenue? Follow the show, share this episode with a colleague who needs a better upsell strategy, and leave a review with your biggest AI roadblock—we’ll tackle it next. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    8 min

  4. 5D AGO

    Winning The Wi‑Fi Experience War

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com Ever wonder why your 4K stream freezes even though your plan boasts blazing speeds? We sat down at MWC with Metin from AirTies to unpack the real reason people switch broadband providers—and it’s not the price tag. Drawing on fresh survey data from the US, UK, and Japan, we dig into churn rates, intent to switch, and the number one culprit behind dissatisfaction: inconsistent user experience. From video stutter to choppy video calls, the pain points are surprisingly common, and they point straight at Wi‑Fi as the everyday bottleneck. We break down how AirTies tackles the problem with a lightweight software agent embedded in home and small business routers, feeding real‑time performance data to a cloud platform that troubleshoots and optimizes automatically. Think channel optimization, band steering, client balancing, and policy tweaks that prioritize what people actually feel—smooth video and stable calls—over theoretical peak speeds. When software can’t fix it, the system flags precise next steps for providers, whether that’s an extender, a router swap, or a line investigation, cutting support costs and stopping churn before it happens. The conversation also explores the messy reality inside big ISPs: multi‑vendor fleets, technical debt, and the challenge of deploying at scale. We get into why AI‑driven personalization is the next leap—networks that learn each home’s patterns and adapt on the fly without the user touching a setting. Metin shares a recent US launch of personalized Wi‑Fi with a major provider and the momentum behind smarter networks that measure success by experience, not just Mbps. If you care about reliable streaming, rock‑solid video calls, and a home network that quietly gets out of the way, this one’s for you. Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a friend who battles buffering, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    8 min

  5. MAR 3

    Broadcom’s Telco Cloud Playbook

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com The hallways at MWC were buzzing, but our conversation cut straight to what matters for operators right now: shipping new services faster without getting boxed in. We sat down with Broadcom to unpack VMware Telco Cloud Platform 9 and how it blends cloud-native speed with the reliability telco networks demand. This release pulls previously separate components into a single, horizontal stack, pairing one automation engine for both virtual machines and containers with an embedded Kubernetes runtime. The payoff is simpler operations, shorter launch cycles, and real freedom to choose best-of-breed network functions. We also dive into AI where talk meets traction. Broadcom is rolling out integrated management for NVIDIA GPUs directly in the platform, making it practical to offer GPU-as-a-service and manage accelerator resources with the same tooling operators already trust. That creates a clean path for enterprise AI workloads and sets the stage for the next leap: virtualization of GPUs. By bringing their virtualization heritage to accelerators, Broadcom is targeting higher utilization, better isolation, and elastic scaling for inference and training across the network and at the edge. Vendor lock-in has long slowed telco transformation, so we explore how a true horizontal platform changes the equation. CSPs can run virtualized and containerized network functions from multiple suppliers on the same infrastructure, swap vendors as needs evolve, and rely on a rigorous ecosystem program for pre-qualification and certification. That means less integration risk, fewer surprises in deployment, and faster routes to revenue. We round out the conversation with Europe’s rising demand for sovereign cloud—country-level compliance, data privacy, and security—and how recent national certifications prove the model is working in practice. If you care about open ecosystems, sovereign-ready architectures, and an AI-enabled telco cloud that actually reduces time to market, this conversation is for you. Follow the show, share it with a colleague who’s building next-gen networks, and leave a quick review to tell us what you want covered next. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    11 min

  6. MAR 3

    Global IoT, Anywhere You Need It

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com What happens when connectivity grows from a niche tool into the backbone of modern industry? We sit with Erik Brenneis CEO of Vodafone IoT, to explore how a team that started in the M2M era now supports 230 million connections across 180 countries and 760 networks. From connected cars that update themselves over the air to smart meters reshaping utilities, we trace the systems, standards, and strategy that turned scattered pilots into dependable, planet-scale services. Eric breaks down where the demand is strongest—automotive, energy, industrial equipment, payments—and why connected health is surging with pacemakers, sleep apnea devices, and dialysis machines that need authenticated, encrypted, and reliable links. We go inside the operating model: embedded technical teams near customer R&D centers, direct access to experts, and local solutions for complex markets like Turkey, Brazil, and the UAE to meet data residency and regulatory needs without redesigning products per country. Security takes center stage as we contrast consumer SIM behavior with a closed IoT system that authenticates all traffic and blocks unauthorized access. Then we zoom out to the unexpected: conservation stories from tracking seals, rhinos, and whales, and environmental protection through early forest fire detection. Finally, we look ahead to a major shift—evolving from mobile-only to a hybrid mobile plus satellite network through partnerships with Iridium and Skylo, delivering ubiquitous coverage without new hardware. That leap doesn’t just connect more places; it feeds industrial AI with the steady, trustworthy data it needs to drive real outcomes. If you enjoy conversations that blend real-world deployments with what’s next in connectivity, subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who loves tech that actually ships. What would you connect first? Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    9 min

  7. MAR 3

    Inside Amdocs AOS: How Unified AI Reinvents Telecom

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com What if a telecom could think with one brain? We sit down at MWC with Gil Rosen CMO from Amdocs to unpack how the company is shifting from building point solutions to delivering AOS, an agentic operating system that orchestrates many AI agents as a single, contextual layer across the business. Instead of bolt-on automations, AOS connects decisions end to end—governed, explainable, and secure—so outcomes are consistent and measurable. We walk through why domain expertise matters: telecom-specific ontologies, prebuilt process libraries, and open integration with non-Amdocs BSS, financial, and logistics systems. Gil explains how trust becomes non-negotiable when AI touches money and identity, outlining controls for repeatability, policy adherence, auditability, and scale. Then we go practical. With Market One data across tens of millions of subscriptions, operators can see which OTT bundles trend, how device cycles forecast upgrades, and where local behavior shapes winning offers. The result is smarter pricing, higher ARPU, and faster testing without rip and replace. The conversation takes a human turn with “waiting is gone.” Voice-first agents shift service from taps to talk, powered by two new layers: personality engineering to encode brand tone, and a customer digital twin that aggregates thousands of signals to tailor language, depth, and empathy. A techie hears throughput and latency; a casual user gets plain guidance and reassurance. Early results are striking, with personalized agents showing up to 3x NPS gains versus generic interactions. Beyond speed, customers feel understood—and that feeling moves retention, referrals, and revenue. Change is urgent. Three years ago the story was 5G; now it’s outcomes customers can feel. AOS offers a collaborative path forward, coordinating multi-vendor agents and existing stacks while upgrading the experience layer. If you’re ready to reimagine service, unlock new bundles, and replace hold music with helpful conversation, tune in—and then share your take. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what part of the customer journey AI should transform next. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    12 min

  8. MAR 3

    Trust, Autonomy, And The New Rules Of AI-Driven NetOps

    Interested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.com What if your network could sense a problem, explain it, and fix it before anyone files a ticket? We sit down with Cisco’s to unpack the leap from AIOps and GenAI to true agentic operations—systems that detect, diagnose, and remediate across complex, multi-domain environments where the internet is your backbone and SaaS is your front door. We trace the journey from ThousandEyes’ “Google Maps for the internet” to today’s AI-driven NetOps. You’ll hear how teams move from a find-and-fix mindset to evidence and escalate, using shared telemetry to pinpoint where issues live—whether that’s an ISP interface, a cloud region, or a misconfigured DHCP pool. Joe shares a live example showcased at Cisco Live where a days-long incident class, like DHCP pool exhaustion, is now identified in real time and resolved with guided workflows, shrinking resolution from days to minutes. Then we look ahead. As AI agents proliferate, networks must support machine-to-machine traffic that never sleeps and often surges in bursts. We break down the essentials: identity for agents, least-privilege access, and microsegmentation that aligns with intent. We also explore how an AI canvas brings networking, security, and observability into a multiplayer workspace, replacing giant war rooms with a precise, shared picture and deterministic actions. Trust is the final mile to autonomy, and we detail how deep network models—trained on decades of TAC knowledge—can make automated actions explainable, auditable, and safe for mission-critical environments. By the end, you’ll have a clear playbook: use cross-domain evidence to localize issues, standardize incident response, automate the repeatable, and measure success by tickets avoided rather than just MTTR. If you’re preparing for AI-to-AI traffic, aligning security with agent behavior, and aiming to prevent problems before users ever notice, this conversation is your roadmap. If this resonates, follow, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help more builders find it. Support the show More at https://linktr.ee/EvanKirstel

    20 min
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About

Tech Transformation with Evan Kirstel: A podcast exploring the latest trends and innovations in the tech industry, and how businesses can leverage them for growth, diving into the world of B2B, discussing strategies, trends, and sharing insights from industry leaders!With over three decades in telecom and IT, I've mastered the art of transforming social media into a dynamic platform for audience engagement, community building, and establishing thought leadership. My approach isn't about personal brand promotion but about delivering educational and informative content to cultivate a sustainable, long-term business presence. I am the leading content creator in areas like Enterprise AI, UCaaS, CPaaS, CCaaS, Cloud, Telecom, 5G and more!

Information

  • Creator
    Evan Kirstel
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    606
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 TechInfluencer
  • Show Website
    What's Up with Tech?