Telco Drift

We discuss early production applications in telecom, including how D-Wave’s quantum optimization technology is helping NTT DOCOMO tackle network traffic challenges. We look at what quantum advantage really means, why error correction and AI are accelerating progress, and how computing compares with quantum networking, sensing, and cybersecurity.

Sam ([email protected]) also shares his journey launching Lucero Foresight after 25 years in technology analysis, drawing parallels between today’s quantum market and the early days of IoT. We explore the opportunities—and challenges—of translating complex technology into real customer value, the role of AI in industry analysis, and why human insight still matters.

Are we approaching a genuine quantum tipping point, or is the hardest part still ahead?

And, as always, we finish with a sci-fi recommendation: Dune and its fascinating perspective on the dangers of the use of artificial intelligence.

The quantum future may be closer than we think—but where will it make a difference first?

AI is resuscitating the edge. We know or assume that AI is changing not just how we use networks, but where computing happens and who controls the infrastructure behind it. As artificial intelligence moves closer to users, factories and connected devices, telecom operators are re-discovering a long lost opportunity: turning their physical networks into platforms for distributed computing.

But who will capture the value?

In this episode of Telco Drift, we explore the emerging battle between telecom operators, hyperscalers and semantics. From the European Edge Continuum, where five major European operators are working to federate their edge capabilities, to Verizon’s plans to repurpose selected telecom facilities for AI computing, we examine how the industry is experimenting with new business models.

We also look at Telefónica’s commercial edge services, AI-RAN initiatives involving T-Mobile, NVIDIA and Nokia, and SK Telecom’s plans to restructure parts of its infrastructure business.

The opportunities are significant, but so are the challenges. Does every AI workload need to run at the edge? Can telcos compete with established cloud platforms? And who ultimately truly need the edge?

Is the future of telecom a new era of innovation—or a business in which operators provide the infrastructure while others capture the profits?

Telecom operators have spent years selling or spinning off the physical infrastructure behind their networks — from mobile towers to fibre networks — to unlock capital, reduce debt and focus on their core business. But what happens when the next generation of networks needs more than antennas and fibre?

In this episode, we explore the global rise of telecom infrastructure divestment, from Deutsche Telekom’s GD Towers deal and Vodafone’s tower partnerships to Telstra’s Amplitel and TIM’s sale of its fixed-network business.

Then comes the bigger question: were the contracts designed for yesterday’s networks built for tomorrow’s AI-driven edge computing and 6G?

As networks become more intelligent and compute moves closer to users, physical sites could become valuable locations for power, cooling, connectivity and distributed computing. But if operators no longer own those sites, will they have the rights and flexibility to deploy the infrastructure they need — or will they find themselves negotiating with their former infrastructure businesses?

This is a conversation about capital and control, efficiency and dependency, and the difference between owning the network’s “soul” and controlling its physical body.

Because selling the towers may strengthen a telco’s balance sheet. But could it complicate the network of the future?

When Telcos Become Platforms, Infrastructure—and Instruments of Sovereignty

The telecom industry is changing in unexpected ways. In this episode, we look at Poste Italiane’s acquisition of TIM and what it tells us about the future of telecom operators.

Why is a postal and financial-services company taking control of a major telco? What can we learn from operators expanding into payments, banking, logistics and digital platforms? And why are governments and state-backed investors increasingly taking stakes in critical telecom and satellite infrastructure?

From TIM and Poste Italiane to Rakuten, stc, BT, Vodafone, Eutelsat and Vodafone Idea, we explore the unusual buyers, platform strategies and growing connection between telecom, finance, logistics and national sovereignty.

A first look at how the boundaries of the telecom industry are being redrawn—and what might come next.

Do we really need 6G? If someone can convince me about the benefits of 6G that person is Remy Pascal, Practice Leader at Omdia.

After all the hype around 5G, what did we actually get—and what happened to the transformative use cases we were promised? In this episode, we continue to deep dive on 6G taking a broad look at various stakeholders and customers to understand why 6G may be an essential step for the mobile world.

We explore what 6G could bring, from dramatically more capable networks and ask how AI changes the equation. Will 6G simply make networks faster, or will it make them fundamentally more intelligent—and could AI ultimately be the real reason we need 6G?

This is for all the 6G skeptics out there: Telcos Strikes Back & 6G Is a New Hope

On this episode of the Telco Drift I discuss how the different strategies from Nokia and Ericsson will create a telco market where the network could truly become a differentiator. I also bring up the question of what is needed to bring on the excitement for 6G beyond the techy and engineering world. Of course there is a short discussion of recent announcements with once again the NTN world grabbing my attention.

I then conclude by throwing my two cents on the analyst versus influencer debate.

The telecom world is being reshaped by new business models, the ongoing debate around 5G’s success, and the rising strategic value of data. In this episode, I am joined by Miguel Carames, Chief Product Officer at Mobileum to explore how AI is transforming networks and enterprise services, from the drive towards autonomous networks to new AI agents for small enterprises.

AI is coming for telcos and in this brave new world data may be one of telecom’s biggest untapped opportunities.

In this episode I am joined by Ruth Brown, Senior Principal Analyst Mobile Networks at Omdia to explore the wireless wonders of today and tomrrow. Join us for a look at the next generation of wireless connectivity as we explore the technologies shaping the future of networking. In this episode, we unpack the latest advancements in Wi-Fi 7, trace the challenges of private networks in their journey from niche deployments to business-critical infrastructure, and examine how 6G is beginning to redefine what's possible for wireless communications.

We also dive into the growing role of AI in the network, from intelligent automation and optimization to the emergence of agentic AI and what it could mean for network operations, security, and user experiences. 

Whether you're a networking professional, technology enthusiast, or simply curious about where wireless technology is headed, this episode offers an accessible overview of the innovations driving the next era of connected experiences.

In this episode, we unpack why telcos sometimes decide to bury the hatchet and to collaborate rather than to compete to the death. The creation of JV or broader collaborative initiatives is not a trend yet, it could become a way for telcos to create a common front to tackle the next wave of connectivity and monetization.

Among others, we look at Aduna, the multi-operator network API venture designed to give developers easier access to telco capabilities at scale, and the newly announced AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile D2D joint venture, a rare collaboration between U.S. rivals aimed at facing off against a real or perceived threat from Starlink. The episode explores what’s driving these alliances, where they could create new revenue, and the strategic trade-offs around competition, governance, and execution.

In this episode, April Tech News Salad: Satellites, AI, Enterprise 5G & Consumer Bits – PUB Edition, we investigate the biggest stories shaping the tech landscape right now. From satellite M&A breakthroughs expanding global connectivity to the different paths telcos are taking with AI and the worrying circularity of the AI economy, we unpack what actually matters beyond the headlines.

 We also dive into how 5G is evolving for business use cases discussing the fan-favorite private 5G market, and the latest consumer tech signals worth watching.

 Firstly recorded in a relaxed airport lounge with an Aperol Spritz, then re-recorded multiple times due to challenges with sound quality, this episode, now categorized as a pub edition,  blends sharp insight with candid views —perfect for anyone trying to keep up in a chill way without getting lost in the noise.