Staying Connected

Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) is a networking staple for enterprises that have deployed or are planning to deploy SD-WAN solutions. DIA pricing, however, can vary significantly among providers, and enterprises may be losing potentially significant cost savings if they don't understand the cost elements for these types of circuits.

In this 9-minute podcast, TC2 Managing Director Jack Deal and Senior Consultant Brent Knight join Tony Mangino to discuss what customers need to know when sourcing DIA and some of the key differentiators in pricing constructs.

If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Internet First & Broadband Aggregation and Strategic Sourcing webpages.

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 this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Success Stories webpages.

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 the basics of net neutrality and why every business should care about this proceeding's outcome.

If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Communications Regulatory Advice & Advocacy and Success Stories webpages.

Every 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.

For more information and to register for the conference, please click here.

On this episode of Staying Connected, we discuss Gartner's recently updated Market Guide for Telecom Expense Management (TEM) Services.

In this 12-minute podcast, Theresa Knutson and Julie Gardner join Tony Mangino to provide their perspective on Gartner's updated Market Guide and the larger TEM marketplace based on the work they do through competitive RFPs and implementations.

If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Contract Compliance and Optimization and Lifecycle Services webpages.

On this episode of Staying Connected we discuss what we've learned since the August 10th announcement of the strategic partnership between Verizon Business and HCL Tech.

In this 8-minute podcast, David Lee, TC2's Technology Director joins Tony Mangino to provide insight on what we now know and what Verizon's rationale and motivations may be in forming this partnership.

If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting and Strategy Development, Strategic Sourcing, and Success Stories webpages.

If recent rumors of carriers' cost cutting activities have your enterprise nervous about ongoing account team support, you aren't alone. Attempting to bolster profit margins in the face of decreasing wireline business revenues and increasing interest rates, some telecom providers are downsizing their workforce headcounts.

In this 12-minute podcast, LB3 partner Laura McDonald joins Sara Crifasi to examine which US providers are laying off staff and to provide tips to help enterprise customers protect themselves by taking advance action in preparation for the implications of unwelcome changes to their service providers' account teams.

If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Network Services Transactions and Success Stories webpages.

On this episode of Staying Connected, we discuss how the evolution of enterprise networking toward SD-WAN is driving a wave of market activity to also transform the transport underlay, and highlighting the need to rethink how internet first transport is increasingly being competitively sourced.

In this 11-minute podcast, Mark Sheard joins Tony Mangino to discuss which suppliers an enterprise should select, how to determine the best fit for an enterprise's needs, and some of the challenges and gotchas of a multi-supplier portfolio approach to sourcing internet transport.

If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development and Strategic Sourcing webpages.

In this episode of Staying Connected, we discuss the recently announced global strategic partnership between Verizon Business and HCL. The announcement indicates that Verizon will lead sales and customer acquisition efforts for Managed Network Services while HCL will lead implementation and ongoing solution support.

In this 10-minute podcast, Managing Directors Ben Fox and Mark Sheard join Tony Mangino to provide some perspective on the Verizon announcement and their thoughts on what it means for both Verizon and HCL.

If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development and Strategic Sourcing webpages.

On this episode of Staying Connected, we're going to dig deeper into a recently published Network World article about how to navigate the co-management conundrum in managed service provider ("MSP") engagements. MSP refers to the partners many enterprises seek to optimize the cost and service for the delivery and management arrangement for a range of ICT services essential to their business.

In this 9-minute podcast, Managing Director of TC2 UK, Mark Sheard joins Tony Mangino to discuss how co-management is essential in any enterprise/MSP arrangement and the important factors an enterprise needs to consider in establishing the right balance for its needs.

If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development and Strategic Sourcing webpages.