The 6G Podcast by Moor Insights & Strategy

Anshel Sag and Mike Dano review U.S. carrier earnings, noting generally solid results (AT&T postpaid ARPU up 4% and wireless service revenue up ~5%, plus the sale of its Mexico business; strong T-Mobile EPS; FWA and fiber net adds across carriers) while discussing SpaceX/Starlink as a persistent “boogeyman” topic with uncertain timelines, costs, spectrum needs, and core-network requirements. Dano summarizes Ookla findings on Starlink direct-to-device activity in Latin America, showing growth with Entel in Chile and Peru, usage concentrated in rural mining regions, and about half of samples occurring outside reported cellular coverage or at the cell edge; Entel also cited D2D as a driver of net adds. They cover accelerating 6G momentum with Nokia/T-Mobile/NVIDIA AI-RAN work, Verizon/Ericsson’s outdoor pre-standard 6G call at 7 GHz, and ongoing 5G voice-quality maturation. The episode also highlights Verizon’s renewed focus on millimeter wave (Starry acquisition) and edge/AI transport and inference deals, Apple hiring for 6G modem roles, and speculation about satellite broadband bundles that could include streaming plus edge caching.00:00 Welcome and Setup00:35 Carrier Earnings and Starlink05:37 D2D Data in Latin America08:50 Mining Demand for Starlink10:35 6G Calls and AI RAN13:44 Verizon Edge and mmWave16:30 Apple Eyes 6G Modems18:25 Satellite Bundles and Streaming20:37 Smart Caching and Wrap Up22:42 Closing and Next Week

In episode 261 of the 6G Podcast, Anshel Sag and Mike Dano discuss Apple opening iPhone Duo pre-orders amid tight availability and compare carrier promotions, with Verizon framed as the lowest total-cost path under certain switch terms while AT&T and T-Mobile offer different discounts and bundles. They then unpack reports that Starlink bought Grain Management’s 800 MHz spectrum (reported at $8B), debating whether it signals a serious U.S. terrestrial mobile build-out or leverage for MVNO negotiations, and highlighting challenges like limited bandwidth, network density, backhaul costs, and timelines. The hosts also cover Nokia selling and Ericsson dissolving their private 5G efforts as the market fails to reach expected scale, review Ookla data showing notable 4.4–5 GHz 5G usage in Hong Kong as the U.S. considers 4 GHz for 5G/6G, and recap the Qualcomm vs. Arm licensing dispute verdict. They close with reactions to Tesla’s new Roadster “flying car” announcement as a PR spectacle.00:00 Welcome and Catch Up00:52 iPhone Duo Preorders01:33 Carrier Deals Breakdown03:51 Launch Hype and Market Context05:28 Starlink Buys 800 MHz08:21 Can Starlink Build a Network13:19 What Would Customers Switch For14:45 Private 5G Pullback18:36 4 GHz Band for 6G21:34 Qualcomm vs Arm Verdict27:03 Tesla Flying Car Talk31:06 Wrap Up and Sign Off

In episode 260 of the 6G Podcast, Anshel Sag recaps Qualcomm’s Hawaii summit, where the key theme was agentic computing and announcements included Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 (plus a non-extreme flagship), Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2, Microsoft Surface devices with Snapdragon X2 Plus, and an X105 modem described as Release 19 compatible, alongside partnerships supporting on-device AI amid memory constraints. Mike Danil summarizes an Ookla report on U.S. fiber ISPs during a consolidation “land grab,” citing major deals (Verizon–Frontier, AT&T–Lumen fiber, Zayo acquisition) and highlighting smaller providers to watch: Allo Fiber, Gateway Fiber, Live Oak Fiber, Wire3, Ripple Fiber, Intrepid Fiber, and Easy Fiber. They discuss Google’s Project Sun Catcher to test TPUs in space and the growing plausibility of space data centers, then cover 3GPP’s Madrid meeting where decisions on 5G-to-6G migration (MRSS spectrum sharing and other deployment options) were deferred to December in Boston. The episode also touches on a new Apple–Qualcomm licensing agreement and Meta’s Muse consumer AI agent, including early friction when agents interact with service-provider chat systems. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:35 Qualcomm Summit Highlights 03:17 On Device Versus Cloud AI 06:14 US Fiber Land Grab 09:14 Fiber Competition Trends 11:08 Google TPUs in Space 14:28 3GPP 6G Migration Debate 19:37 Qualcomm Apple Licensing Deal 22:18 Meta Muse AI Agents 28:07 Wrap Up and Farewell

In episode 259 of the 6G Podcast, analysts Anshel Sag and Mike Dano discuss Sag’s travel and key takeaways from Apple’s event, including the foldable iPhone Duo, A20 Pro silicon, and Apple’s new C2 modem as its first millimeter-wave modem (US-only), plus Release 18/5G-Advanced features like uplink MIMO and updated modem architecture; Sag also notes new watches using a 5G RedCap modem. Dano covers accelerating US spectrum activity tied to 6G, highlighting CTIA and NextG Alliance focus on the 4 GHz band ahead of WRC27, FCC/NTIA auction developments, Verizon’s request to test 4.8–4.9 GHz in Los Angeles, and debate over spectrum sharing. Sag recaps Snap’s standalone AR Specs, including a Qualcomm cellular modem built into the glasses case, enterprise positioning, open-source Linux platform, and carrier partners. They also address new FCC and HHS (RFK Jr.) RF exposure inquiries, Verizon’s expanded 6G Innovation Forum membership and pre-standard ISAC work, and India joining a US-led 6G alignment initiative. 00:00 Welcome Back and Updates 01:18 Apple Event Foldable iPhone 01:46 C2 Modem and 5G Advanced 05:44 Four Gigahertz Spectrum Push 11:45 Snap Specs AR Glasses 18:46 FCC RF Exposure Study Returns 26:45 Verizon 6G Innovation Forum 29:27 India Joins 6G Alignment 32:16 Wrap Up and Subscribe

In this episode of The 6G Podcast, Anshel Sag and Mike Dano break down the latest shifts across 5G Standalone deployments, spectrum efficiency milestones, non-terrestrial networks, and the intersection of 6G with autonomous vehicles.Topics Covered:Vodafone Three’s "SuperMobile" Slicing Launch:Anshel and Mike discuss Vodafone Three UK’s new network slicing tier offering guaranteed minimum throughput (15 Mbps) and enhanced security. They weigh whether consumer and enterprise demand will finally justify standalone premium tiers, contrast it with BT's current stance, and evaluate whether the rollout arrives years too late.Nokia & AI-RAN Spectral Efficiency:A breakdown of Nokia’s recent push into AI-driven Radio Access Networks (leveraging Nvidia hardware) and their target of doubling spectral efficiency by 2028. Mike highlights real-world Ookla/RootMetrics benchmarks measuring current bits-per-hertz performance across carriers, while Anshel compares the targets to Qualcomm’s 6G projections.Upper 6 GHz Field Testing in Europe & Asia:MasOrange and Ericsson conduct upper 6 GHz trials in Spain, while KDDI and Samsung demonstrate multi-gigabit speeds using 3.6 GHz and extreme MIMO in Japan. The hosts explore how spectrum scarcity will shape regional 6G allocations, including the divergence between US Wi-Fi allocations and China's cellular focus.Space RAN & Direct-to-Device Competition:Canadian player MDA Space announces its "CHORUS" / Aurora LEO satellite constellation aimed at mobile network operators under the Space RAN banner. Mike and Anshel discuss consolidation in the D2D satellite market, Starlink’s momentum, and how satellite integration will define future 3GPP standards.Elliott Management vs. Deutsche Telekom / T-Mobile US:Activist investor Elliott Management challenges Deutsche Telekom's path to total control over T-Mobile US, pushing instead for share buybacks. The co-hosts look at the broader implications of T-Mobile’s executive turnover—including the departure of its CFO—and the geopolitical hurdles facing cross-border telecom ownership.Autonomous Driving Reaches the Streets:Mike and Anshel reflect on the rapid rollout of commercial robo-taxis across US cities, including Waymo expansions and Tesla Cybercab sightings. Anshel shares insights into the automotive development cycle, predicting the emergence of true 6G-connected autonomous vehicles around 2032 and the role ISAC (Integrated Sensing and Communication) will play.