Carrier 2.0

Episode SummaryIn this episode of Carrier 2.0, host Steve Saunders looks at how carriers are moving beyond AI hype and into execution. Drawing on new research from Fierce Network and interviews with operators and technology leaders, the episode explores what real Carrier 2.0 transformation looks like in practice—culturally, operationally, and economically.From Brightspeed’s use of AI to improve deployment accuracy and customer experience, to Google Fiber’s focus on lowering cost-to-serve, the

Episode SummaryIn this episode of Carrier 2.0, host Steve Saunders examines how AI is reshaping security for carriers and widening the threat surface. Cisco’s Tom Gillis and Martin Lund explain why nation-states are increasingly targeting network infrastructure and how security is being embedded into the network fabric itself.Hawaiian Telcom’s Jason Thune highlights how regional carriers can out-execute hyperscalers, and Brightspeed’s Michel Combes discusses how BEAD funding is accelerating fiber

Episode SummaryIn this episode of Carrier 2.0, host Steve Saunders explores what it really takes to build an AI driven network. In a rapid expert montage, Cisco’s Guru Shenoy, Rana El Desouky Kazamel and Masum Mir explain how AI agents will reshape traffic patterns, why the edge becomes critical, and the architectural pillars carriers need to put in place. Verizon’s Yago Tenorio offers a clear-eyed reality check on Open RAN. The episode then shifts to a “Truth to Power” segment from China, asking

Episode SummaryIn this episode of Carrier 2.0, host Steve Saunders talks with Masum Mir, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cisco’s Provider Mobility Business, about the next wave of transformation for carriers. Masum explains how AI’s “data gravity” is reshaping the network, why IT and OT convergence is accelerating, and how service providers can claim a central role in the new AI-driven economy. From breaking internal silos to bridging enterprise and carrier ecosystems, this conversation

Episode SummaryIn this episode of Carrier 2.0, host Steve Saunders talks with Santiago ‘Yago’ Tenorio, CTO of Verizon, about the defining forces shaping the next generation of carriers. From how telecoms can truly monetize AI for customers to the realities of Open RAN and the coming 6G era, Yago shares a clear-eyed perspective on where innovation meets practicality—and what the industry must do to stay relevant.Key Talking PointsThe Carrier Question – Why monetising AI for customers, not internal

In this first episode of Carrier 2.0, host Steve Saunders sits down with Ryan Asdourian, EVP and Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at Lumen, to discuss how Lumen is reinventing itself as a technology infrastructure company. From preparing networks for the demands of AI to breaking down silos and building a culture of trust, Ryan shares what will define the next era of telecom.Key Talking PointsFrom telco to tech infrastructure - Why Lumen is investing in fiber, edge computing, and secure data

Carrier 2.0 is the podcast where Fierce Network’s Steve Saunders sits down with the people shaping the future of telecom. From AI and 5G to culture, strategy, and bold predictions, each episode cuts through the noise to uncover what will define the next era of connectivity.