In episode 254 of The 6G Podcast, Anshel Sag and Mike Dano break down a packed week in wireless, spectrum, satellite, and telecom strategy. The discussion covers T-Mobile moving customers off legacy plans and raising prices, the FCC’s upcoming upper C-band auction, Verizon and BT’s new international enterprise joint venture, Rocket Lab’s proposed acquisition of Iridium, SpaceX AI device rumors, and Grain Management’s 800 MHz spectrum waiver for direct-to-device satellite services.
The episode’s biggest theme: spectrum is becoming one of the most valuable assets in the race toward 6G, satellite-to-phone connectivity, and next-generation wireless networks.
Key Points
T-Mobile is pushing some customers on older plans into newer plans, with potential increases of around $4 per line, raising questions about how far carriers can go with price increases before churn becomes a problem.
The FCC is preparing rules for a major upper C-band auction involving 160 MHz of nationwide mid-band spectrum, but commercial use may not begin until 2030 or 2031, making it a likely candidate for early 6G deployments.
Verizon and BT are combining their international enterprise operations into a joint venture serving thousands of global customers across 180 countries.
Rocket Lab’s planned acquisition of Iridium highlights the growing collision between the space industry and telecom, especially around direct-to-device satellite services and L-band spectrum.
Grain Management’s 800 MHz spectrum waiver could open another path for D2D services, with AST SpaceMobile, SpaceX, Rocket Lab, Amazon, or others potentially interested in leasing the spectrum.
Watch the full episode here:
Disclaimer: This show is for information and entertainment purposes only. While we will discuss publicly traded companies on this show, its contents should not be taken as investment advice.
