The Week with Roger

Latest Episodes:

This Week: The FCC's Spectrum Pipeline with Arpan Sura Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Arpan Sura, Senior Counsel to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, to discuss the current state of spectrum policy, the changing technological landscape, and the agency’s plans for the future of communications in America.

00:00 Episode intro

00:24 Current spectrum auction policy

02:40 Specific auction timelines

04:59 Growing political support for spectrum

06:57 Upcoming auctions

07:20 Intermodal competition through direct-to-device

08:44 Starlink's reliability and convergence possibility

10:10 Rethinking technical limitations

11:48 Unlicensed spectrum use

12:56 Companies becoming increasingly multi-modal

13:46 Two-year outlook and agency goals

16:27 Episode wrap-up

Tags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Arpan Sura, FCC, spectrum, Brendan Carr, AWS-3, auctions, 6G, upper C-band, NTIA, BBB, satellite, FWA, direct-to-device, Starlink, rural, convergence, BEAD, fiber, cable, EchoStar, Grain

This Week: When Consumer Perception Does Not Match Network Reality Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner unpack the FCC’s latest developments, examine real-world data on internet providers including Optimum, and discuss ongoing customer service concerns.

00:00 Episode intro

00:24 New FCC nomination news

01:47 FCC's potential satellite expansion

02:42 Ranking internet provider speeds

03:47 Survey information difficulties

06:29 Do devices still matter?

08:04 Optimum's current metrics

10:29 Network status and customer retention

12:12 The state of customer service

13:41 Episode wrap-up

Tags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, FCC, Danielle Thumann, Brendan Carr, satellite, cable, fiber, FWA, DSL, devices, T-Mobile, AT&T, Apple, Qualcomm, Verizon, Android, network, Optimum, SFR, customer service

This Week: Starlink's Wireless Ambitions, the Data Center Boom, and Sampath to Zayo Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the announcement of Sampath being named CEO at Zayo, their ongoing research into the immense scale of the data center buildout, as well as Starlink's prospects as a wireless operator.

00:00 Episode intro

00:24 Sampath named CEO at Zayo

01:07 Research on data center buildout insights

03:44 Starlink as a wireless operator

05:50 What spectrum will be used?

08:29 Network and satellite predictions

10:14 Scale of the potential network

13:52 Elon's track record and time horizon

16:06 Episode wrap-up

Tags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Sampath, Zayo, fiber, data centers, AI, Starlink, Elon Musk, data, T-Mobile, Grain, spectrum, Dish, FCC, rural, 5G, Grok, Tesla, SpaceX, X, cable, FWA

This Week: Verizon Promotes Alfonso Villanueva and the FirstNet Race Heats Up Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the leadership changes at Verizon, changes in metric transparency and the shift to ARPA, and what AT&T's 5G standalone core means for the increasingly competitive first responder market.

00:00 Episode intro

00:25 Leadership changes at Verizon

02:00 Effects on company strategy and operations

03:00 ARPA and changes in reporting metrics

05:47 AT&T's 5G standalone core and its impact on first responders

07:55 Network live testing results

08:23 T-Priority and the competition

10:56 Episode wrap-up

Tags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Verizon, Alfonso Villanueva, Sampath, Dan Schulman, ARPA, metrics, Apple, AT&T, FirstNet, 5G, slicing, spectrum, first responders, T-Priority, T-Mobile

This Week: Q2 '26 Earnings - The Carriers Execute Their CEOs' Visions Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner break down Q2 earnings from the major players across telecom and cable, examining key numbers as well as industry-wide trends and developments shaping the market.

00:00 Episode intro

00:30 AT&T Q2 overview

02:46 AT&T's convergence strategy

04:18 Starlink's improving reliability

06:15 Comcast and Charter Q2 overview

07:05 Cable customer satisfaction and strategic outlook

08:01 T-Mobile Q2 overview

10:12 Verizon Q2 overview

11:57 Q2 telecom industry trends and outlook

12:40 Device subsidies and the future of wireless promotions

14:02 Episode wrap-up

Tags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, earnings, AT&T, fiber, net adds, transparency, FirstNet, convergence, FWA, AI, John Stankey, Charter, Starlink, Comcast, cable, T-Mobile, churn, broadband, Verizon, iPhone, devices

This Week: Carrier Repositioning Through Leadership Changes Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

Analysts Brett Clark and Roger Entner discuss leadership changes at T-Mobile and AT&T, cable's growing role in mobile, and Verizon's retail cost-cutting.

00:00 Episode intro

00:30 Leadership changes at T-Mobile

03:06 Chris Sambar's new role

03:51 T-Mobile for Business positioning

05:27 Mike Katz's impact

06:37 Cable's mobile growth

07:56 Verizon cost-cutting and layoffs

09:15 Retail strategy implications

10:46 Pascal Desroches leaving AT&T

12:31 Restoring investor trust

12:58 C-suite trust

14:04 Episode wrap-up

Tags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Brett Clark, Roger Entner, T-Mobile, Mike Katz, André Almeida, Chris Sambar, AT&T, FirstNet, T-Mobile for Business, Verizon, MVNO, cable, Charter, Dan Schulman, retail, gross adds, net adds, churn, Pascal Desroches, Jennifer Biry, John Stankey, convergence, investors

This Week: The Upper C Band Auction and a Win for American Consumers Jul 13, 2026

Show notes

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the FCC’s move to expedite the upcoming Upper C-band spectrum auction, its impact on various companies and industry segments, and why it may represent a win for American consumers.

00:00 Episode intro

00:25 Upper C-band auction overview

02:23 Utility and applications of the spectrum

03:05 Comparison with previous auctions

03:38 Forecasts for Starlink's strategy

04:43 Accelerated timeline and implications for cable

06:04 Industry deleveraging trends

06:30 Historical outcomes of spectrum purchases

06:51 Episode wrap-up

Tags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, FCC, auction, spectrum, Upper C-band, Big Beautiful Bill, Verizon, FWA, EchoStar, Starlink, Elon Musk, urban, rural, cable, deleveraging

This Week: Germany's Hyper Scaler Infrastructure Slow Dance Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner examine insights from the Handelsblatt data center conference in Düsseldorf, covering the rapid expansion of data centers in Germany vs. the U.S., infrastructure and energy challenges ahead, and the implications for telecom networks.

00:00 Episode intro

00:25 Handelsblatt conference overview

01:31 State of the German data center buildout

02:44 State of the US buildout

03:23 Shortages are on the horizon

05:16 Electricity demands

06:06 Repurposing German data center heat

07:38 Cooling challenges

08:39 Why expansion must continue despite challenges

10:03 How data centers are reshaping telecom

11:30 Episode wrap-up

Tags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Germany, Handelsblatt, Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile, data centers, electricity, AI, shortages, BEAD, memory, RAM, routers, cooling, GDPR, regulations

This Week: The Half-Connected America and the Case for Universal Offers Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss Roger's report, "The Half-Connected America," exploring why some people choose not to use broadband and what companies and policymakers can do to address the issue.

00:00 Episode intro

00:25 Who chooses not to connect?

03:00 Privacy and surveillance concerns

03:36 Lack of laptop subsidies hampers connectivity

05:00 Mobile-only internet users

05:37 Seniors and smartphone challenges

06:18 Wireless home internet options

06:55 Affordability for low-income consumers

07:36 Respecting consumer choices & AI integration importance

09:20 Laptop subsidies could bridge the gap

10:06 Episode wrap-up

Tags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, broadband, NTIA, Lifeline, surveillance, BEAD, fiber, smartphone, NPS, hotspots, copper, subsidies, AI, Chromebook, government, privacy

This Week: Verizon’s Simplicity Plan and Another Attempt to Eliminate Device Subsidies Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner evaluate the benefits of Verizon's new Simplicity Plan, discuss the evolving device upgrade landscape, and examine AT&T's announcement of its new CFO.

00:00 Episode intro

00:24 Overview of Verizon's new plan

02:09 The rewards structure of the plan

03:27 Additional features and junk fee elimination

04:18 Device subsidies are being phased out

07:40 Increasing customer value without device upgrades

08:38 Verizon's new plan is a step in the right direction

09:53 AT&T announces new CFO

11:25 Episode wrap-up

Tags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Verizon, plans, Dan Schulman, rewards, T-Mobile, Ronan Dunne, Xfinity, internet, hotspots, devices, financing, Apple, upgrades, Samsung, net adds, Virgin Mobile, AT&T, Jennifer Biry, Pascal Desroches, John Stankey

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