5G Guys

Podcast
In this episode of the 5G Guys podcast, Wayne Smith and Dan McVaugh discuss the intricate world of net neutrality with Nathan Leamer, former policy advisor at the FCC. Nathan explains the origins, historical context, and potential impacts of net neutrality on consumer connectivity. Learn about the technological advancements, global perspectives, and current debates surrounding this pivotal policy issue.
Podcast
In this episode of the 5G Guys podcast, hosts Wayne Smith and Dan McVaugh delve into the world of satellite connectivity with Tarun Gupta, co-founder of Skylo Technologies. Learn how Skylo is pioneering 5G and satellite integration to enhance IoT, SMS, and voice services globally. Discover the advantages of their standards-based approach and how it differentiates from other satellite services like Starlink and AST SpaceMobile.
Podcast
In this 5G Guys podcast episode, we talk with guest Steve Orrin, the Chief Technology Officer and Senior Professional Engineer for Intel Federal. Steve shares insights from his ten-year tenure at Intel, focusing on helping the government adopt advanced technologies. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including the impact of AI, cybersecurity, pervasive connectivity, and the role of data in driving technological innovations. Steve provides examples of AI applications in government sectors, such as using drones for forest health monitoring and the benefits of pervasive connectivity in crisis situations. He also touches upon the cybersecurity challenges new technologies present and the importance of Zero Trust Architecture in managing these issues. Additionally, Orrin discusses regulatory policies and the future of technology adoption at the federal level, with implications for consumer technology. The episode offers a comprehensive look at the intersection of government, technology, and security, highlighting the ongoing innovations and challenges in the field.
Podcast
In this episode of ‘The 5G Guys’, hosts Wayne Smith and Dan McVaugh invite telecom industry veteran Jim Patterson to discuss the latest earnings reports from major telecom and technology companies. Jim Patterson, with a 30-year career including 15 years at Sprint and experience as an entrepreneur, now offers analysis through Patterson Advisory Group. The episode explores key themes in the earnings reports, such as reactions to pricing, C band deployments, and company strategies for managing debt. Patterson shares insights on Verizon’s performance, AT&T’s focus on fiber broadband and debt reduction, and T-Mobile’s successful Sprint acquisition. The conversation also addresses the struggles and strategies of prepaid services, the impact of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) winding down, net neutrality, and telecom companies’ approaches to the evolving market. The episode concludes with discussions on Comcast and Charter Spectrum’s recent performance, emphasizing Charter’s successful mobile strategy.
Podcast
The 5G Guys podcast hosts, Dan McVaugh and Wayne Smith, introduce a new series titled ‘Storytelling and Predictions,’ aimed at sharing their extensive experience and insights into the telecommunications industry without overshadowing their guests. They dive into the impact of 5G on capital expenditure, noting a significant increase in spending to roll out 5G networks, which is now adjusting back to normal levels. The discussion transitions into the differences between CapEx and OpEx spending, emphasizing the shift towards maintenance and optimization of networks post-major rollouts. The hosts reflect on past downturns in the telecom industry, comparing them to the current market dynamics and predicting future trends, such as vendor consolidation and the strategic deployment of mid-band spectrum for 5G. The episode highlights the unique position of the telecom industry amidst economic fluctuations and the evolving landscape of network development.  
Podcast
This episode of the 5G Guys podcast tackles the existential challenges facing the telecommunications industry, emphasizing how sometimes, telcos are their own biggest adversaries due to their inherently conservative nature. Hosts Dan McVaugh and Wayne Smith welcome repeat guest Pete Bernard to discuss his new venture, Edgecelsior, and explore how the telco industry can evolve amidst the rapid technological changes spurred by new technologies like AI, 5G, and edge computing. Bernard shares insights from his career, the strategic pivot towards Edge and IoT technologies at Microsoft, and his decision to start Edgecelsior, focusing on industry analytics, content publishing, and strategic work for other companies.
Podcast
In this episode of ‘The 5G Guys’ podcast, hosts Dan McVaugh and Wayne Smith discuss the rapidly changing landscape of telecommunications infrastructure and 5G technology with guest Hugh Odom, the founder of Vertical Consultants. The discussion plunges into the transformation of carrier models for property owners, the influence of municipalities and private networks, and the necessity of regulation. Important subjects touched upon include the carriers versus tower companies’ different business models, the introduction of small cells in the public right of way, and the realization of telecommunication services as the fourth utility. In the backdrop, Hugh Odom offers educated insights on the future of how business gets done between cellular carriers and tower companies and the building and landowners they do business with to procure leases for building their infrastructure.  Hugh shares his perspective on the need to shift the cell site leasing model to be more considerate of the needs and rights of the property owners who are leasing to the cellular carriers. 
Podcast
In this episode, Dan and Wayne interview Cody Martin from Castle Rock Microwave and Jeff Vaughn from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. They discuss the importance of effective public safety communications infrastructure, with a case study in Douglas County, Colorado, where they strengthened signal strength in 90% of schools, enhancing communication efficiency for first responders and the school’s security response teams.
Podcast
That’s a wrap!  Wayne and Dan wrap up season 3 of the podcast by doing a fantasy football-style draft of their favorite season 3 episodes.  This countdown of favorite episodes is a great way to get a summary of some of the best episodes…
Podcast
Now that we’re right in the middle of 2023, it’s a great time to look at how our pre-2023 predictions are holding up as well as what big events and announcements occurred in the US wireless and broadband industries. In this episode, Wayne and Dan…
Podcast
What can best be described as an “incestuous, co-dependent, and competitive” relationship, major US cellular and cable service providers have found themselves in an interesting competitive yet partnering dance. On one hand, cable companies offer…
Podcast
2022, where do we even start? If you’ve been listening to the show for a while, you know that this episode is a yearly tradition for us. We look forward to recapping the year from our perspective and share the biggest industry highlights you need to…
Podcast
2023 marks four years since the start of 5G deployment in the United States, and many in the telecom industry are wondering what this year means for 5G rollout. Today, 5G Talent Talk host Carrie Charles welcomes Dan McVaugh and Wayne Smith, wireless telecommunications experts and co-hosts of the 5G Guys podcast. In this episode, the duo provide valuable insights on what to expect in the year ahead through workforce challenges, threat of recession, and return-to-office. They discuss the current approach to a lack of 5G developers and enthusiasts, why adopting a hybrid business model is ideal for this year, and how to implement a healthy workplace culture.
Podcast
In 2022 when you read the news or hear about the latest technological innovations, it can start to seem like we can’t go any higher as a human race… However, when we study history and look back at the greatest moments of breakthroughs and…
Podcast
Inflation is affecting everyone from the top down. Even the big tech companies who are in charge of rolling out 5G technology and new telecommunications infrastructure…but it begs the question: what’s the damage? Welcome back to another episode of…
Podcast
Is this 5G thing ever going to happen? We have an industry progress report to help answer that question.  Welcome back to the 5G Guys! Anyone that’s been listening for a while knows that we finished up our season last year by giving some…
Podcast
It’s safe to say that the smartphone revolution has grown past a trend and moved into a modern necessity. A survey done in 2014 stated that 47% of adults believed they couldn’t last a day without their cellphone. With advancements in technology…
Podcast
It’s in our houses, connected to our phones, and our tablets. Sometimes it’s even in our cars, thermostats, and fridges, but does anyone really know how Wi-Fi works? Welcome back to the 5G Guys podcast! Our guest today is Qualcomm’s Director of…
Whitepaper
Explore how Generative AI is transforming telecom infrastructure by solving critical industry challenges like massive data management, network optimization, and personalized customer experiences. This whitepaper offers in-depth insights into AI and Gen AI's role in boosting operational efficiency while ensuring security and regulatory compliance. Telecom operators can harness these AI-driven...
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Whitepaper
The whitepaper, "How Is Generative AI Optimizing Operational Efficiency and Assurance," provides an in-depth exploration of how Generative AI is transforming the telecom industry. It highlights how AI-driven solutions enhance customer support, optimize network performance, and drive personalized marketing strategies. Additionally, the whitepaper addresses the challenges of integrating AI into...
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Article & Insights
This article explores the deployment of 5G NR Transparent Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs), detailing the architecture's advantages and challenges. It highlights how this "bent-pipe" NTN approach integrates ground-based gNodeB components with NGSO satellite constellations to expand global connectivity. Key challenges like moving beam management, interference mitigation, and latency are discussed, underscoring...

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