Staying Connected
TechCaliber Consulting (TC2) and Levine, Blaszak, Block & Boothby (LB3) provide strategic business and legal advice to leading companies around the globe covering the procurement, deployment, and regulation of Information and Communications Technology. Our Staying Connected podcasts deliver insights, tips and market commentary from TC2 consultants and LB3 lawyers, collected from our work on the cutting edge of ICT procurements, deal negotiations, and regulatory proceedings.
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Farewell to AT&T Corp.
04/18/2024
Farewell to AT&T Corp.
AT&T is quietly proceeding with a corporate restructuring that will, in AT&T’s words, involve a series of internal transactions that “merges AT&T Corp. out of existence”. AT&T has not made any flashy announcements about this change. Instead, they have added one line to relevant invoices telling customers that “effective May 1, 2024, any services provided by AT&T Corp. will be provided by AT&T Enterprises, LLC.” In this 11-minute podcast, joins to discuss the restructuring, what happens to client contracts and deals, and what enterprise customers that purchase services from AT&T Corp. can and should be doing. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages. You can also follow us on LinkedIn: &
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Look Out for Upcoming Changes to Lumen Account Support
04/08/2024
Look Out for Upcoming Changes to Lumen Account Support
While companies should always be on the lookout for unexpected hikes in their ICT spend, in today’s uncertain environment it is more important than ever to maintain vigilance. Just last month Lumen notified its customers of an upcoming change to their operational and technical support structure that may leave enterprises footing a steeper bill. In this 5-minute podcast, TC2’s and join to discuss Lumen’s forthcoming shift in support and what enterprises can do to alleviate the corresponding unanticipated cost increase. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: &
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Deal Integration – Headache or Opportunity?
04/04/2024
Deal Integration – Headache or Opportunity?
Merger and acquisition activity can be beneficial to the business, but it can also lead to complications when it comes to integrating ICT deals of the two entities. Harmonizing disparate commercial terms, service schedules and pricing from legacy contracts can be a headache. In this 7-minute podcast, and discuss how, when approached strategically, deal integration presents a unique opportunity to both reduce costs and increase commercial flexibility across a broader portfolio of services. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: &
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Examining AT&T’s Recent Data Breach: Does it Put Enterprise Information at Risk?
04/03/2024
Examining AT&T’s Recent Data Breach: Does it Put Enterprise Information at Risk?
On Saturday, March 30th, AT&T announced a significant data breach that exposed the sensitive personal information of millions of its current and former customers. As data breaches seem only to increase in frequency, enterprise customers can’t rely on service providers alone to keep their data safe—they must be proactive about security, which includes negotiating appropriately protective contract terms, limiting unnecessary data exchange, and enforcing internal security practices. On our latest 11-minute podcast, and join to discuss what enterprise customers should know about AT&T’s latest breach and what they should do to protect their sensitive data going forward. Follow us on LinkedIn: &
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Fixed Wireless Access
03/14/2024
Fixed Wireless Access
5G was in the doldrums, but 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is a success story – it is growing and we predict more adoption by enterprise customers in 2024. In certain industries, particularly those with more remote or ex-suburban presences, 5G FWA tempts enterprise customers as an alternative to fixed broadband. Investments by providers, fueled by the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program and other available funds (e.g., Connect America Fund), will make 5G FWA more available and affordable. In 2024, we also predict the accelerated adoption of 5G and Wi-Fi 6E and 7 technologies as enterprises prioritize wireless connectivity for critical applications, leading to a hybrid wired-wireless WAN architecture. In this 10-minute podcast, and join to discuss how 5G FWA will become an increasingly popular option for the enterprise ICT network architecture. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: &
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Contract Guardrails to Prevent AI Mishaps
03/06/2024
Contract Guardrails to Prevent AI Mishaps
This is the season of AI, and it should be no surprise that we predict that AI will continue to have a significant (and growing) impact on the ICT market and day-to-day use of information, communications, and network deals. Three areas in which AI-driven change will directly impact ICT in 2024: (1) the backend processes for vendors, including NOCs and staffing, (2) the refined use of AI in enterprises’ management of their services and customer relationships, and (3) security – with both improvements and new threat factors accelerating. In the face of these changes, and join for this 13-minute podcast to discuss a number of contract terms that enterprise customers should incorporate into their agreements to keep their data and reputations well protected. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: ,
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Pendulum Swings for Managed Services
03/01/2024
Pendulum Swings for Managed Services
2024 is a year of customer/user experience. In this 12-minute podcast, and join to discuss how enterprises continue to evolve their use of outsourced managed network service (MNS) arrangements, including co-management models – where the customer and provider collaborate on delivering certain functions deemed critical to the business. Changes in the provider landscape will accelerate this review, and combined with ever-evolving automation, machine learning and AI tools will provide ample opportunity for enterprises to examine their needs and obtain the savings and the end user experience they require from their MNS provider and solution. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: &
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Rethinking Cloud
02/23/2024
Rethinking Cloud
Enterprises did a herculean job of adapting to the pressures imposed by the pandemic, but now find themselves managing multiple cloud solutions with confusing invoices and overwhelming costs. In 2024 enterprise customers will deal with two big cloud-related challenges – cloud management and cloud costs. In this 10-minute podcast, and join to discuss what Cloud Services are, examine management of diverse cloud environments, integrating WAN Solutions with cloud management platforms, migration strategies, and ways to eliminate wasted spend in this technology investment. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: ,
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Enterprise Customers Diversify Away from Cisco
02/16/2024
Enterprise Customers Diversify Away from Cisco
When rethinking their ICT infrastructure strategy, enterprise customers will demonstrate an increased willingness to diversify away from Cisco, focusing on the continued transformation to cost-effective, secure, easy-to-manage, cloud-first architectures. Equipment providers including Juniper, Palo Alto, Arista Networks, and HPE/Aruba are positioned favorably to benefit from the diversification. Odds are that the Gartner quadrants will look very different at the end of 2024 than at the beginning of this year. In this 8-minute podcast, joins to discuss how Cisco’s competitors are successfully exploiting some of its weaknesses to capture market share, and where Cisco may be trending in the right direction. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: ,
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Contact Centers as a Service: Our Predictions for 2024
02/13/2024
Contact Centers as a Service: Our Predictions for 2024
Looking forward into 2024, we expect an upsurge in migrations from on-premise solutions to cloud and hybrid cloud deployments. While enterprises often engage third-party help for implementation support and optimization as they move from legacy to cloud-based solutions, once implemented, enterprises will continue to bring more of the day-to-day management in-house. Listen to this 9-minute podcast as LB3’s and TC2’s join to discuss the maturation and development of the CCaaS provider market and solution capabilities. Effective integration and adoption of AI in CaaS solutions is expected to improve both customer and agent experience in the coming year but be prepared for telco providers’ increasing push for managed solutions as they lose traditional contact center space and encounter increased competition from niche system integrators. You can learn more about our experience in the space by visiting our and websites. Follow us on LinkedIn: &
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CBRS: A Work in Progress
02/01/2024
CBRS: A Work in Progress
On this episode of Staying Connected we continue our ongoing discussion of enterprise use of private 5G networks in general and in particular, enterprise use of . In this 9-minute podcast, and Steve Rosen join to discuss the technical and regulatory idiosyncrasies of CBRS and examine enterprise uptake of CBRS and the role that providers, equipment manufacturers, and regulators have in supporting increased enterprise adoption of this service. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: &
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ICT Regulatory Outlook
02/01/2024
ICT Regulatory Outlook
Laws and regulations related to technology issues can have direct (and sometimes indirect) impacts on the cost and delivery of the products and services that enterprise customers must purchase to keep their businesses running. In 2024, information and communications technology policy developments coming out of the Federal Communications Commission – including updates on net neutrality, SIM swapping and port-out fraud, robocalling and robotexting, USF reform, and 911 requirements – will certainly influence enterprises’ procurement decisions, operations, and customer outreach behaviors. In this 9-minute podcast, and join to discuss the forthcoming ICT regulatory developments that enterprise customers should be aware of. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: &
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Emerging Technologies
01/19/2024
Emerging Technologies
Satellite networks, low-earth orbit (LEO) constellations, and edge computing solutions will play a more prominent role in WAN connectivity for remote locations and latency-sensitive applications. LEO providers will begin trialing technologies such as optical inter-satellite links (OISL) that create mesh networks in space with the ability to transport data 30% faster than terrestrial fiber optical cables. In addition, we see terrestrial wave service deployments growing as enterprises continue to seek more bandwidth and lower latency WAN solutions that Internet and MPLS services cannot deliver. In this 10-minute podcast, joins to discuss the latest news on LEO satellites, the use of Passive Optical Network (PON) technology to deliver fiber-based Broadband services, and Wave services – three technologies that may not be in front of mind for CIOs. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: ,
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The Continued Transformation of the Legacy Enterprise MPLS WAN
01/19/2024
The Continued Transformation of the Legacy Enterprise MPLS WAN
MPLS has long been the networking technology of choice for most enterprises. But while many enterprises have already dropped MPLS completely many others still rely on MPLS and, arguably, are losing out on the benefits of alternative networking technologies. In this 11-minute podcast, and join to discuss how the enterprise WAN is evolving and provide key considerations for embarking on your transformational activity and effectively managing around indecision, setting your organization up for success. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages. Follow us on LinkedIn: ,
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Predictions and Hot Topics for 2024
01/04/2024
Predictions and Hot Topics for 2024
In this special New Year’s installment of Staying Connected, we identify trends and share predictions in the ICT market and how we think they will impact enterprises in 2024. This 12-minute podcast features , a Partner at LB3, and , Director at TC2, to give you a preview of TC2 and LB3’s predictions and hot topics for 2024. Be sure to stay tuned to Staying Connected for a forthcoming special series of podcasts where we’ll take a deeper dive into these trends that we see as likely shaping the ICT marketplace in 2024.
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Amazon and Enterprise Private 5G
12/15/2023
Amazon and Enterprise Private 5G
Private 5G has drawn little media attention compared to consumer-oriented 5G from the big 3 wireless providers. However, Private 5G is gaining traction in the enterprise space with specific business and use cases. In this 14-minute podcast, TC2’s Technology Director and , Partner at LB3, join to discuss the technical elements and regulatory considerations of the service and how Amazon’s recent move into this market may end up an overall boost to the uptake of Private 5G in the enterprise community. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our webpage.
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Generative AI for the Enterprise Customer: Introduction
12/13/2023
Generative AI for the Enterprise Customer: Introduction
Lately, not a day goes by when artificial intelligence isn’t in the news—but from AI to foundation models to machine learning to Generative AI, you need to have a baseline understanding of what the various services can do before you can determine what type of AI will best fit your enterprise, particularly in the ICT space. In this 11-minute episode, , a partner at LB3, joins to kick off a series of Staying Connected podcasts on AI for the enterprise. This episode is meant as an introductory session. Future podcasts in this series will include: · Coverage of the technology underlying AI and Generative AI and how it differs from other technology tools used by enterprises · What enterprises should know when contracting for AI-based tools · Developing legislation and regulation of AI and what it means for enterprise customers · Data protection and privacy issues implicated by Generative AI · Commercial issues in the procurement of AI-based tools. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages.
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Budgeting and Forecasting for Your ICT Services in 2024
11/20/2023
Budgeting and Forecasting for Your ICT Services in 2024
It’s that time again when organizations that operate on a calendar-based fiscal year are in the midst of the complex task of budgeting for 2024. Transformational projects, projected usage trends, understanding your contracts, and the moving target of taxes and regulatory charges all play into the exercise. In this 10-minute podcast, , and join to provide helpful insights on the sometimes overlooked, but critically important, function of budgeting and forecasting for your ICT spend. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Services and webpages.
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A Paradigm Shift in Carrier Service Management Costs
11/13/2023
A Paradigm Shift in Carrier Service Management Costs
In an effort by network services providers to increase their margins and push their costs of doing business onto the customer, enterprises should be prepared for a meaningful change in the way they are likely to be charged for the cost of basic network services. In this 8-minute podcast, TC2 Director joins to discuss what enterprises need to know when their provider proposes the addition of new, explicit charges for service management, a function that has historically been included in the cost of the service. This tactic has increased tremendously, in fact becoming nearly standard practice today. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpage.
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When Sourcing Dedicated Internet Access, Consider the Full Cost Picture
11/06/2023
When Sourcing Dedicated Internet Access, Consider the Full Cost Picture
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 and Senior Consultant join 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 and webpages.
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The FCC Acts to Reinstate Net Neutrality Rules (Again!)
10/20/2023
The FCC Acts to Reinstate Net Neutrality Rules (Again!)
This week, the Federal Communications Commission began a 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. , Managing Partner of LB3 and Chair of TC2, joins 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 and webpages.
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Negotiating ICT Contract Renewals in an Evolving Market
10/20/2023
Negotiating ICT Contract Renewals in an Evolving Market
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? , TC2’s Executive Director and , a Director at TC2, join 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 and webpages.
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The Accelerated Pace of Technology Evolution: NYC – October 24, 2023
10/05/2023
The Accelerated Pace of Technology Evolution: NYC – October 24, 2023
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, , Managing Director of TC2, and , the Managing Partner of LB3 and the Chairman of TC2, join to discuss what we’ll cover at the conference. For more information and to register for the conference, please .
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Gartner TEM Market Guide Returns
10/03/2023
Gartner TEM Market Guide Returns
On this episode of Staying Connected, we discuss Gartner’s recently updated . In this 12-minute podcast, and join 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 and webpages.
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Verizon and HCL Strategic Partnership Update
09/15/2023
Verizon and HCL Strategic Partnership Update
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, , TC2’s Technology Director joins 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 , , and webpages.
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Carriers’ Cost Cutting Actions May Impact Your Account Support
09/13/2023
Carriers’ Cost Cutting Actions May Impact Your Account Support
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 joins 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 and webpages.
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Sourcing Internet-transport Network Services – the Portfolio Approach
08/31/2023
Sourcing Internet-transport Network Services – the Portfolio Approach
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, joins 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 and webpages.
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Verizon and HCL Announce Strategic Partnership
08/21/2023
Verizon and HCL Announce Strategic Partnership
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 and join 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 and webpages.
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Navigating the Co-Management Conundrum
08/16/2023
Navigating the Co-Management Conundrum
On this episode of Staying Connected, we’re going to dig deeper into a recently published Network World 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, joins 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 and webpages.
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Has My Provider Gone “MAD”?
08/10/2023
Has My Provider Gone “MAD”?
ICT service providers spin-off entities and services, acquire others, go into bankruptcy, and merge. When contracting with a provider, you need to take steps to ensure these changes don’t adversely impact your deal and the services you are purchasing. More importantly, you need to think about what you can do now in anticipation of a change, and what you’ll need to do when your provider goes through one of these merger, acquisition, or divestiture (“MAD”) events. In this 11-minute podcast, LB3 partner joins to discuss how to prepare for a MAD event and the important contractual clauses you need to mitigate exposure. If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our and webpages.
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