Bandwidth

Sonar Software
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Business
  • Updated Biweekly

Bandwidth is the most honest podcast in broadband. Bringing you real stories and practical insights from those who’ve built, operated, and scaled ISP networks across the country. Hosted by Rick Seemann, Georgette Lopez-Aguado, Paul Dasbach, and Larry Weidig, each episode explores the operational, financial, and technical realities of delivering high-speed internet. From BEAD compliance and M&A transitions to rural broadband expansion and reducing customer churn. We dive into what matters, without the spin. Whether you’re leading a team, deploying infrastructure, or navigating broadband policy and funding, Bandwidth delivers unfiltered conversations to help you grow a stronger ISP business and serve your community. No jargon. No pitches. Just people who’ve been there. If you're a broadband leader who wants to think bigger, build smarter, and lead with heart…welcome home.

  1. 3h ago

    What Matters Most at Every Stage of ISP Growth

    Sustainable ISP growth requires different priorities at every stage of the business. The systems, processes, and leadership that support an operator with 500 subscribers may not be enough when that same company reaches 5,000 or 50,000. In this episode of Bandwidth, Georgette Lopez-Aguado, Rick Seemann, and Larry Weidig examine what broadband operators should prioritize as they move from initial infrastructure build-out to network densification, service expansion, and growth through new markets or acquisitions. They discuss why building a successful ISP requires more than deploying a network, when automation begins creating meaningful value, and how unchecked complexity can make a growing company less efficient and less profitable. The conversation also explores the challenges that emerge during expansion, including inconsistent customer experiences, disconnected systems, competing internal priorities, support-team burnout, and cultural differences between markets. The hosts explain why intentional leadership, clean data, repeatable processes, and controlled integration become increasingly important as the business grows. In this episode, you will learn: Why building a strong ISP requires more than deploying infrastructureHow repeatable processes create a foundation for sustainable growthWhen automation helps and when implementing it too early can backfireWhy operational complexity can grow faster than subscriber countHow rapid growth can place pressure on margins, support teams, and cash flowWhy data integrity and customer consistency become critical during expansionHow ISP leadership must evolve at every stage of growthLearn how to align your people, processes, platforms, and priorities with the stage of growth your ISP is navigating. Follow us on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_bandwidth_podcast/ 🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! 📧 Learn more about Sonar → sonar.software

  2. Sep 15

    Add-On Economy and What’s Worth Selling

    ISP add-ons can grow revenue and strengthen customer relationships, but every new service also creates new responsibilities. Managed Wi-Fi, mobile plans, security services, and streaming bundles can make customers' lives easier. They can also add support costs, partner handoffs, and products customers never wanted in the first place. In this episode of Bandwidth, Rick Seemann, Georgette Lopez-Aguado, and Larry Weidig explore how broadband operators can decide what's actually worth selling beyond the internet connection. They discuss the difference between useful convenience and unnecessary complexity, whether ISPs should sell services they cannot support in-house, and why customers still hold the ISP accountable when a partner's product fails. The conversation also challenges the idea that lower churn automatically means stronger loyalty. The hosts debate customer lock-in, the evolution of the traditional internet-TV-phone bundle, and what to do when customers keep paying but become less satisfied. Flexible packages and direct customer feedback may reveal a better offer than a rigid bundle. In this episode, you will learn: How to evaluate whether an add-on makes customers' lives easierWhy new services affect sales, support, billing, and operationsHow partner support and escalation paths affect the customer experience Where customer loyalty ends and lock-in beginsWhy the traditional triple play is being reconsideredHow customer satisfaction can expose problems that churn alone missesLearn how to build an ISP service portfolio that earns trust instead of simply adding more products to the bill. Follow us on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_bandwidth_podcast/ 🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! 📧 Learn more about Sonar → sonar.software

  3. Sep 1

    When Financial Stress Shows Up Before the Metrics Do

    Financial stress often shows up in customer behavior long before it appears in churn or bad debt. A billing-date change, an autopay opt-out, a downgrade request, or even more time spent reviewing cheaper service options can signal that a subscriber is under pressure before a payment is ever missed. In this episode of Bandwidth, Rick Seemann, Georgette Lopez-Aguado, and Larry Weidig explore how broadband operators can recognize those early warning signs and respond before financial stress becomes customer loss. The conversation breaks down how difficult economic conditions change customer priorities, why normal ISP playbooks can stop working when behavior becomes less predictable, and how rigid processes can unintentionally push otherwise loyal customers toward cancellation. The hosts also examine why retention does not always mean protecting ARPU in the short term. Payment arrangements, temporary downgrades, lower-speed options, referral programs, and other structured forms of flexibility can help operators preserve relationships while customers navigate difficult periods. The challenge is designing those options proactively and consistently rather than improvising after churn has already started. In this episode, you will learn: Which customer behaviors can signal financial stress before a missed paymentWhy autopay changes, billing-date requests, and downgrades can be early warning signsHow economic pressure changes what broadband customers valueWhy rigid collection policies can unintentionally accelerate churnHow ISPs can build structured payment and retention options before customers cancelWhy lifetime customer value can matter more than ARPU aloneHow data and automation can help operators identify changing behavior earlierLearn how to spot customer stress before the traditional metrics catch up and build a retention strategy that protects both relationships and long-term revenue. Follow us on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_bandwidth_podcast/ 🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! 📧 Learn more about Sonar → sonar.software

  4. Aug 18

    The Next Stage of AI for Broadband Operators

    AI for broadband operators is moving beyond chatbots. The bigger question now is what happens when AI stops simply answering questions and begins identifying patterns, recommending decisions, and taking action inside an ISP. In this episode of Bandwidth, Larry Weidig, Rick Seemann, and Georgette Lopez-Aguado break down how operators should think about the next stage of AI adoption, from low-risk assistance to systems that can directly affect customers, billing, and network operations. The conversation separates AI, machine learning, and large language models before exploring the different levels of trust required as systems gain more authority. The hosts discuss when deterministic automation may actually be safer than AI, why customer-facing experimentation carries a different risk than internal workflows, where humans should remain in the loop, and why AI should be judged against the error rate of the human process it is replacing rather than an unrealistic standard of perfection. The group also looks beyond the technology itself. Employees and subscribers still have to trust the systems they interact with, organizations have to rethink how work gets done, and operators need to understand the economics of the AI tools becoming embedded in their businesses. As model costs, vendor dependency, and automation increase, the real challenge becomes deciding where AI creates measurable value and where human judgment still matters most. In this episode, you will learn: Why AI, machine learning, and LLMs should not be treated as the same thingHow ISPs can move from AI-generated insights to recommendations and automated actionWhy different broadband workflows require different levels of trust and oversightWhen traditional automation may be safer and more predictable than AIWhy AI mistakes should be compared with human error instead of perfectionHow customer and employee trust can shape successful AI adoptionWhy AI costs and vendor dependency should be part of an operator's long-term strategyMove beyond the AI hype and learn how broadband operators can decide what to automate, what to keep human, and how much control they are actually ready to hand over. Follow us on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_bandwidth_podcast/ 🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! 📧 Learn more about Sonar → sonar.software

  5. Aug 4

    What ISPs Must Become by 2030

    Broadband is becoming essential, increasingly universal, and harder for internet service providers to differentiate. In this episode of Bandwidth, Rick Seemann and Larry Weidig sit down with David Zumwalt, P.E., President and CEO of WISPA, to examine what ISP consolidation, broadband utility regulation, fixed wireless, fiber, automation, and universal coverage could mean for the future of the broadband industry. Drawing from his experience operating and scaling Broadband VI, David explains why providing a reliable internet connection may no longer be enough to keep an ISP competitive, valuable, or relevant. The conversation traces how COVID transformed broadband from a nice-to-have service into critical infrastructure and forced operators to rethink provisioning, automation, capacity, and long-term planning. David also breaks down the benefits and risks of treating broadband like a utility, why consolidation is a natural pressure in connectivity markets, and why operators should choose technology based on customer and market needs rather than loyalty to fiber or fixed wireless. Looking toward 2030, the group explores how operational discipline, over-the-top services, public safety applications, precision agriculture, and other uses of broadband infrastructure could help independent ISPs strengthen customer relationships, build new revenue streams, and create value beyond pure connectivity. In this episode, you will learn: Why broadband shifted from a convenience to essential infrastructureHow utility regulation could support broadband deployment while limiting innovationWhy ISP consolidation and M&A activity are likely to continueWhy fiber, fixed wireless, and other technologies should be matched to the marketHow operational discipline can make an ISP more efficient and valuableWhy over-the-top services may become critical to ISP differentiationWhat internet service providers should be preparing for before 2030Discover how broadband operators can adapt to universal coverage, fierce competition, and a market where internet access alone may no longer be enough. Follow us on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_bandwidth_podcast/ 🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! 📧 Learn more about Sonar → sonar.software

  6. Jul 21

    Who Really Built Rural Canada’s Internet?

    Rural internet in Canada was not built by major carriers alone, and many regional providers still do not get the recognition they deserve. In this episode of Bandwidth, Rick Seemann and Larry Weidig sit down with Neil Smellie, Executive Director of CanWISP, to unpack why regional ISPs have been the backbone of connectivity in underserved communities, where policy and funding programs still fall short, and what the next era of broadband growth could look like. If you care about competition, rural access, and the future of independent broadband providers, this conversation gives a clear and grounded look at what is really happening on the ground. The team explores how so many regional ISPs were built out of real local need, why smaller operators are often under-recognized despite the infrastructure they already created, and how overbuilds, funding rules, and regulatory pressure can create real frustration for the people already serving these communities. They also dig into why CanWISP matters, how advocacy gives local providers a bigger voice, and what happens when the industry gets closer to universal connectivity and the old growth model starts to change. In this episode, you will learn: Why regional ISPs played such a major role in building rural internet accessHow local providers helped fill needs that larger incumbents ignoredWhy government overbuilds and funding structures can frustrate smaller operatorsHow CanWISP helps independent providers strengthen advocacy and visibilityWhat smaller ISPs may need to consider as broadband markets mature and evolve Explore why regional ISPs still matter, why their role deserves more recognition, and how independent providers can keep adapting as the market changes.  Follow us on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_bandwidth_podcast/ 🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! 📧 Learn more about Sonar → sonar.software

  7. Jul 7

    Why the TV Bundle Still Matters for ISPs

    The streaming landscape is more fragmented than ever, but that does not mean TV is dead for ISPs. In this episode of Bandwidth, Rick Seemann and Larry Weidig sit down with Michael Hawkes from TiVo to unpack why the bundle still matters, how content-first video strategy can reduce churn, and why operators still have an opportunity to win on entertainment. If you have ever wondered whether TV still belongs in the broadband business, this conversation gives a grounded answer. The team breaks down how TiVo approaches aggregation across linear, FAST, and OTT services, why the modern viewing experience is still full of friction, and how ISPs can offer a more unified product without recreating the old rigid cable model. They also explore why OTT costs are rising, why linear TV is evolving instead of disappearing, and how the right partner can make video easier to launch than many operators assume. In this episode, you will learn: Why the bundle still matters for broadband providersHow content aggregation can create a better viewing experienceWhy OTT fragmentation is still a major consumer pain pointHow TV can reduce churn and open new revenue streams for ISPsWhy linear TV is evolving rather than dying Explore how broadband providers can stay relevant in video, simplify the viewing experience, and think more strategically about what customers still want from a bundle. Follow us on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_bandwidth_podcast/🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!📧 Learn more about Sonar → sonar.software

  8. Jun 23

    The Network Engineers Quietly Keeping the Internet Running

    The internet does not stay reliable by accident, and most ISP teams only see one side of the system. In this episode of Bandwidth, Rick Seemann and Larry Weidig sit down with Jonathan Black, Executive Director of NANOG, to unpack the engineer-led, vendor-neutral organization helping keep the broader internet open, secure, and resilient. If you operate a broadband network and want a better understanding of what happens beyond your upstream connection, this conversation gives you a practical look at the resources, history, and infrastructure that matter. The team explores how NANOG grew out of the early internet, why its content is selected by engineers for engineers, what makes its vendor-neutral model valuable, and how AI is already changing the infrastructure side of networking. They also dig into why educational communities like this still matter, how network engineers solve problems in real time, and where broadband operators can go to keep leveling up. In this episode, you will learn: What NANOG is and why it matters to broadband operatorsHow network engineers use NANOG’s events, presentations, and mailing listWhy vendor-neutral, engineer-led education still matters in broadbandHow AI is already affecting network infrastructure and monitoringWhat ISP teams can learn from the people working beyond the upstream connection Explore how broadband operators can better understand the wider internet, tap into engineer-led resources, and think more clearly about where networking is headed next. Follow us on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_bandwidth_podcast/ 🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! 📧 Learn more about Sonar → sonar.software

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Bandwidth is the most honest podcast in broadband. Bringing you real stories and practical insights from those who’ve built, operated, and scaled ISP networks across the country. Hosted by Rick Seemann, Georgette Lopez-Aguado, Paul Dasbach, and Larry Weidig, each episode explores the operational, financial, and technical realities of delivering high-speed internet. From BEAD compliance and M&A transitions to rural broadband expansion and reducing customer churn. We dive into what matters, without the spin. Whether you’re leading a team, deploying infrastructure, or navigating broadband policy and funding, Bandwidth delivers unfiltered conversations to help you grow a stronger ISP business and serve your community. No jargon. No pitches. Just people who’ve been there. If you're a broadband leader who wants to think bigger, build smarter, and lead with heart…welcome home.

Information

  • Creator
    Sonar Software
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Sonar Software
  • Show Website
    Bandwidth