Ep 132 - Microsoft's framework for autonomous networks (Rick Lievano)

Ep 132 - Microsoft's framework for autonomous networks (Rick Lievano)

Author: Danielle Rios, TelcoDR January 20, 2026 Duration: 20:26
Microsoft’s Rick Lievano talks about the themes dominating MWC26 and shares real AI deployment results from telcos, how Microsoft is driving network autonomy, and what's holding operators back.

Hosted by Danielle Rios of TelcoDR, Telco in 20 is a forward-looking conversation for leaders navigating the immense technological shift on the horizon. This podcast operates on a core premise: the coming two decades will see the telecommunications industry fundamentally reshaped by the dual forces of public cloud migration and artificial intelligence. It’s a practical guide for executives who need to move beyond theory and understand the actionable steps required for transformation. Each episode features high-profile guests from various corners of the telecom world, offering diverse perspectives on where the industry is headed. Listeners will hear candid discussions about the real-world impact of AI, the strategic imperatives behind moving IT estates to the cloud, and the tough decisions needed to not just survive but thrive. The dialogue is focused on savvy implementation-how to actually drive change, manage the transition, and position a company for a future that’s arriving faster than many predict. This isn't about vague futurism; it's a grounded, expert-led exploration of the specific technologies, business models, and leadership philosophies defining the next era of telecom. Tune in for a clear-eyed assessment of the challenges and opportunities, all aimed at preparing you and your organization for the radical evolution already underway.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Telco in 20
Podcast Episodes
Ep 70 - Unleashing telco potential with AWS (Chivas Nambiar) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:09
Chivas Nambiar, director of worldwide solution architecture, AWS for telecom, talks about how the hyperscaler is working with our industry, how cloud software is changing the landscape, and the future of telco in an AI-d…
Ep 68 - giffgaff is 1,000 times faster with AWS (Steve McDonald) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:44
In 2020, award-winning British MVNO giffgaff decided to go all-in on the public cloud with AWS. The bold move sped its software release process by 1000x, allowing it to focus on what matters: its members. Now the company…
Ep 67 - How to create shareholder value (Aaron Chan) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:37
Telco stocks used to be Wall Street darlings, but in recent years have become stable dividend plays for grandpa investors. Can they return to their former glory? Today’s guest, Recurve Capital Founder Aaron Chan, has wel…
Ep 65 - The new guard in telco tech (Erlend Pretgard) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:36
Innovative telco vendor Working Group Two has built a multi-tenant, public-cloud-native, mobile core running on AWS—something naysayers have said today’s tech couldn’t support.
Ep 64 - The cloud-first mindset (Justen Burdette) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:24
For this episode, Mobi CEO Justen Burdette joins me to talk about why the MVNO chose this path, the benefits it gained by teaming with Working Group Two, and why it’s so great to work with the public cloud.
Ep 63 - Ante up to be a public cloud contender (Charles Fitzgerald) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:21
Hyperscaler spending on the public cloud is staggering. Charles Fitzgerald, founder of the Platformonomics blog, tracks their CapEx spending to get the inside story on who’s doing things right and who’s falling behind.
Ep 61 - SUPERCHARGE your MVNO with personalization (MWC) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:05
MVNO’s can delight customers and grow ARPU by using carrier-grade, public cloud-native SaaS software (like Totogi!) to gain real-time insights and deliver superior subscriber experiences.