59. Saving Telco from Itself with Pete Bernard

This episode of the 5G Guys podcast tackles the existential challenges facing the telecommunications industry, emphasizing how sometimes, telcos are their own biggest adversaries due to their inherently conservative nature. Hosts Dan McVaugh and Wayne Smith welcome repeat guest Pete Bernard to discuss his new venture, Edgecelsior, and explore how the telco industry can evolve amidst the rapid technological changes spurred by new technologies like AI, 5G, and edge computing. Bernard shares insights from his career, the strategic pivot towards Edge and IoT technologies at Microsoft, and his decision to start Edgecelsior, focusing on industry analytics, content publishing, and strategic work for other companies. The talk delves into the series 'Saving Telco from Itself,' identifying key areas for the industry to address: adopting a solutions mindset, investing in software, embracing edge computing, following the gravity of open architectures, and dialing down the 'Futurama'. The conversation also touches upon challenges such as regulatory environments, talent migration to technology sectors, and the need for telcos to innovate within a regulatory framework to avoid becoming 'dumb pipes.' Bernard argues for telcos to find their lane either as smart pipe providers or solution providers, underscoring the necessity for strategic reorientation to remain competitive.     __________________________ Connect With Our Guests __________________________      Edgecelsior Website ➡︎ https://www.edgecelsior.com/      Pete Bernard LinkedIn ➡︎ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardpete/      Saving Telco from Itself Blogpost ➡︎ https://www.edgecelsior.com/_files/ugd/77feae_c8c119e0e343427ab9d9ea9323e08953.pdf   __________________________ Connect With Our Sponsor __________________________      Vertex Innovations ➡︎ https://vertex-us.com/ __________________________ Connect With Us __________________________      5G Guys Website ➡︎  https://5gguys.com        Social:        ·       Facebook ➡︎   https://www.facebook.com/5Gguys      ·       LinkedIn ➡︎   https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12515882      ·       X ➡︎   https://twitter.com/5gGuys   _______________________________ Submit Your Ideas or Feedback ➡︎ https://5gguys.com/contact-2 _______________________________ Subscribe to the 5G Guys Weekly Newsletter ➡︎ https://mailchi.mp/5gguys/subscribe-to-the-5g-guys _______________________________ ⏰Episode Minute-by-Minute⏰   00:00 Trailer 00:28 Introducing the 5G Guys Podcast 01:25 Catching Up with Pete Bernard: From Microsoft to Edgecelsior 02:21 Pete Bernard's Journey and the Birth of Edgecelsior 04:55 The Hot Topic: Saving Telco From Itself 05:30 Exploring the Existential Crisis in Telco 07:52 Five Ways to Save Telco From Itself 11:49 The Challenge of Legacy Infrastructure in Telco 14:48 Open Architecture and Regulatory Challenges 17:11 Innovation Within a Regulatory Framework 18:09 AI Revolution in Customer Support 18:36 The Regulatory Landscape: US vs Europe 18:54 Telcos' Strategic Crossroads: Smart Pipe vs Solution Provider 20:21 The Challenge of Becoming a Cloud Provider 21:35 The Importance of Sales Alignment and Market Strategy 25:46 The Shift Towards AI and Job Reductions 27:50 The Edge Computing Opportunity 30:01 Talent Migration and the Future of Telcos 32:51 Innovating with Edge Data Centers and AI Workloads 34:54 Final Thoughts and Predictions