Staying Connected

On 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 Wireless services (including 5G).  

All of this presented in the well-known and beloved LB3/TC2 conference format which is informal, interactive, and completely free of vendor attendees or presenters.

As 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 Technology Consulting & Strategy Development Services and Success Stories webpages.

Service 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 in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development Services and Success Stories webpages.

Recent 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 would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Success Stories webpages.

What 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 of mobile services pose.

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

There 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 needs.

If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Spectrum, Wireless & Infrastructure Development and Success Stories webpages.

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

Many of the large systems integrators’ recent financial results indicate that large enterprises are increasingly turning to global system integrators, outsourcers, and professional services firms to deliver their IT functions and strategic projects, combining traditional IT outsourcing with large, transformational IT programs.

In this 10-minute podcast, Ben Fox, one of TC2’s Managing Directors, and Joe Schmidt discuss the growth and trends they’re seeing in customized IT services deals and offer insight into what to consider when negotiating your next deal.

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

Telecom 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 would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Mobility Services – In-Country, Regional, Global and Success Stories webpages.

It 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 order to protect your assets, and the important legal rights of all parties involved.

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