PODCAST · technology
Staying Connected
by TC2 & LB3
TechCaliber Consulting (TC2) and Levine, Blaszak, Block & Boothby (LB3) provide strategic business and legal advice to leading companies around the globe covering the procurement, deployment, and regulation of Information and Communications Technology. Our Staying Connected podcasts deliver insights, tips and market commentary from TC2 consultants and LB3 lawyers, collected from our work on the cutting edge of ICT procurements, deal negotiations, and regulatory proceedings.
Episodes
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Back Billing, Recovery Rights, and the Cost of Billing Errors
Back billing and recovery provisions can look like routine contract language, but they determine who carries the financial risk of the supplier's billing errors. A supplier may have up to 12 months to collect charges it failed to invoice, while the customer may have a much shorter contractual...
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How to Escalate Supplier Problems Without Starting a War
Supplier escalation does not have to mean open warfare. When service quality drops, customers need more than frustration and another status meeting. They need a controlled escalation path built on facts, business impact, clear remedies and credible options. In this 11-minute episode of Staying...
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Does "On-Net" Still Matter?
As suppliers use software and partner networks to deliver service across owned and third-party access, the old on-net/off-net distinction is becoming less straightforward. Customers may not need to manage every underlying circuit relationship themselves, but they still need to know who provides…
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A Modern Expression of TC2 and LB3
TC2 and LB3 have recently completed a refresh of their brands and digital platforms to convey their breadth of capabilities, their depth of expertise and the sophistication of their work. In this 15-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino is joined by LB3's Andrew Brown and TC2's Ben…
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Staying Ready Between Major Projects
Between big projects, customers deal with supplier quotes, change orders, renewal proposals, billing questions and "standard" terms that can create cost, reduce flexibility or simply set bad precedent. The challenge is staying commercially ready for such business as usual items without turning...
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Comparing Cloud, Software, and Network Deals Without Getting Lost in the Math
Cloud, software and networking deals all sit under the enterprise technology umbrella, but they do not behave the same way. Enterprise customers need a benchmarking approach that compares lifecycle value, flexibility, operating reality and commercial risk without forcing dissimilar deals into a...
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HPE + Juniper: What Network Consolidation Means for Enterprise Leverage
The HPE-Juniper combination may create stronger technology options, but it also changes the competitive map for enterprise networking. Customers that once viewed HPE, Aruba and Juniper as distinct sourcing alternatives need to reassess how consolidation affects channel strategy, roadmap…
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Finding Run-Rate Waste Without Disrupting the Business
Run-rate waste often hides in the gaps between contracts, invoices, service inventories and operational ownership. In dynamic network environments, old services may keep billing after new circuits are installed, closed sites may retain active charges, and valid overlapping transition costs can...
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AI Pricing Is Changing the Software Deal. Are Enterprises Ready?
AI is changing the commercial model inside enterprise software agreements. Seats and users are giving way to credits, tokens, agent actions and outcome-based pricing. The issue is not only what the AI capability costs but also understanding the pricing construct to know where financial exposure...
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CCaaS and UCaaS Sourcing: How to Compare Offers, Not Stories
Sourcing CCaaS and UCaaS can appear straightforward, that is until the proposals arrive. If customers don't force comparability early, the decision can turn into a contest of narratives instead of a rigorous evaluation of cost, scope, accountability and operating risk. In this 11-minute episode…
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From Invoice Fire Drill to a Baseline You Can Trust
A polished report, monthly invoice or TEM dashboard doesn't necessarily give customers a baseline they can trust. In complex technology environments, contracts, invoices, inventories and ownership records often drift apart as services change, sites move and suppliers bill differently. When the...
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How to Turn a Network Rate Review into Real Leverage
A rate review is more than a routine supplier meeting. Done poorly, it can produce a modest price reduction while giving the supplier more term, more commitment and better control over the next negotiation. Customers need to understand the baseline, market position, service mix and strategic...
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How to Make a Global Network Roadmap Executable
A network transformation roadmap can look robust on a slide, but if enterprise customers go to market before all the details. steps and sequencing are clear, the sourcing process can quickly expose gaps in the baseline, stakeholder alignment, contract timing and migration readiness. In this...
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IT Strategy That Survives the Renewal Calendar
A renewal date is not a strategy, it's a deadline. But in many enterprise technology environments, contract expirations, supplier proposals and budget cycles start driving decisions that should be tied to a larger strategic roadmap. When that happens, customers lose leverage, accept unfavorable...
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"Who Did I Just Buy This From?" — Negotiating SaaS Deals Through Cloud Marketplaces and Resellers
Enterprise SaaS deals are moving to cloud marketplaces — and resellers are often in the driver's seat. But what looks like a fast, seamless purchase can quickly turn into a legal maze, with three sets of terms and hidden risks around pricing, support, data protection, liability, and termination.…
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Why the New Verizon/BT Joint Venture Should Get the Attention of Every Enterprise Customer
Last Monday, Verizon and BT unexpectedly announced a joint venture that would combine their international enterprise operations. The new business is expected to serve more than 3,000 customers across more than 180 countries, representing roughly $4 billion in combined annual revenue. Their...
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My Invoice Doesn't Match My Contract, What Do I Do Now?
When an invoice doesn't match the contract, customers need a structured way to understand what was negotiated, what is being used, what the supplier is billing, and where the mismatch is occurring. Without that discipline, recurring billing issues can undermine cost management, renewal readiness,...
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Why Cost Creep Happens Even in Well-Run IT Environments
Cost creep does not necessarily mean an enterprise negotiated a bad deal or lacks robust cost controls. In complex technology environments, spend can rise simply because ordinary changes pile up: legacy services linger, disconnects are incomplete, invoices drift from contract terms, pricing…
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Benchmark the Deal, Not Just the Price
A supplier discount or individual price point is not the same thing as a market benchmark. In complex enterprise technology deals, a proposal can look competitive on the surface while leaving major cost, commitment, flexibility, and contract risk untouched. Enterprise customers need to understand...
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When the FCC Fines You Without a Jury: Unpacking the Supreme Court's AT&T Decision
The Supreme Court recently ruled on a case involving forfeiture orders assessed against AT&T and Verizon for failing to safeguard customer location information. The FCC forfeiture orders totaled over $100 million in combined penalties. In this 10-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino…
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TC2's Insights on Gartner's Latest TEM Market Guide
The latest Gartner Market Guide for Telecom Expense Management Services makes clear that TEM is no longer just about invoice processing, inventory and dispute management, or wireless optimization. The category is expanding into broader technology expense management, cloud, SaaS, UCaaS, IoT,...
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FCC Call Center Outsourcing NPRM
If your company relies on call centers to support your customers, you'll want to listen to this podcast. The Federal Communications Commission just put out a sweeping proposal to require the significant onshoring of non-US based call center operations implementation of new customer service...
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Preserving Deal Value With Lifecycle Services
Organizations invest a significant amount of time and resources conducting major RFPs, renegotiations, and technology transformations. The project delivers meaningful improvements on deal commercials, cost reductions and operational gains. However, once the deal is done and everyone goes back to...
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What to Do When a Supplier Relationship Breaks Down
When a supplier relationship is broken, performance is poor and expected outcomes are not being delivered, customers don't need more noise, they need more structure. They need to understand what is broken, what outcomes matter most, and what leverage they have to resolve the issues. Sometimes the...
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Defining Colocation Requirements That Create Leverage
Colocation discussions usually start with the obvious questions: which provider, which geographic market, and what's the price? Those questions matter, but they are not where real value is won or lost. In this 9-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino and Larry York of TC2 discuss the...
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The Reality Check for Sustainable IT Procurement in 2026
In 2026, enterprise customers are transitioning from broad sustainability goals to evidence-based supplier requirements across key IT categories. In this 10-minute episode of Staying Connected, TC2's Tony Mangino joins LB3's Deb Boehling to discuss how embedded and measurable sustainable sourcing...
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The Shift from "Low Cost" to "Total Value" in IT Sourcing
In almost every major technology deal you'll find tension between "lowest cost" and "total value." On paper, the lowest-priced proposal can look like the obvious win. But when you account for lifecycle cost, commercial flexibility, execution risk, and the impact on the broader roadmap, that...
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Negotiating Zoom Agreements: What Really Matters
When companies say they're "buying Zoom," what are they actually purchasing? In this 10-minute episode of Staying Connected, Theresa Knutson and Julie Gardner join Tony Mangino, for a deep dive discussion on negotiating Zoom enterprise agreements—specifically software, professional services, and...
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Wireless & Aviation Industries Wrestle Over Spectrum
As the FCC prepares for a congressionally-mandated auction of upper C-band spectrum sought for 5G, aviation safety experts warn those frequencies are dangerously adjacent to aircraft radio altimeters. In this 8-minute episode of Staying Connected, Steve Rosen from LB3 joins Tony Mangino to…
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Deploying and Operating Starlink at Scale
Deploying and Operating Starlink at Scale Once you've decided Starlink is a fit for your enterprise, you get to the hard part– how to deploy and operate it across your estate, while minimizing technical, operational and commercial risk. If Part 1 of this series was 'should we consider it,' Part 2...
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Starlink for the Enterprise Part 1—Where It Fits and Why It's Different
Where does Starlink work best in the large enterprise networking space? In this part one of a two part series, we examine strategy: where Starlink's high-speed, low latency internet service fits, where it doesn't, and why enterprises are paying attention beyond connectivity to remote locations.…
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Lumen's EMEA Divestiture
What impact will Lumen's recent EMEA divestiture have on your organization? Lumen's sale of its EMEA assets to COLT allows Lumen to focus on its North American core, while utilizing Colt's expanded footprint to serve international clients. In this 12-minute episode of Staying Connected, Tony...
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SASE, A Practical Guide to the Future of Secure Networking
SASE, A Practical Guide to the Future of Secure Networking SASE is one of the biggest shifts in enterprise networking and security — and it's changing how the enterprise thinks about architecture, access, and risk. If you've heard secure access service edge (SASE) come up in cloud or…
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IT Cost Management is a Board-Level Priority
IT cost management is more than a "finance cleanup exercise," it's a board-level priority. If you're responsible for major run-rate spend across cloud, software, telecom, and infrastructure, you've probably felt this shift. Cost questions used to be periodic, but now are continuous and tied...
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Retiring WAN Technology Debt with an Internet-First Strategy
Legacy networks are a classic form of technology debt: they work, but they quietly limit agility, drive unnecessary cost and constrain innovation. In this 10-minute episode of Staying Connected, TC2's Keith Cook joins Tony Mangino to talk through how enterprises are shedding that debt by moving…
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New Year's Housekeeping – The Enterprise Playbook for Renewals, Rights, and Cost Control
Enterprise IT and procurement teams start the year with big priorities; however without disciplined contract management and a clear view of services and spend, those good intentions may be lost as costs and risk can creep in, weakening your leverage. In this 11-minute episode of Staying…
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Inside Lumen Control Center: A New Era of Enterprise Self Service
Lumen recently announced the migration of its legacy "Control Center" customer portal to the newly branded "Lumen Connect". In this 8-minute episode of Staying Connected, TC2's Theresa Knutson joins Tony Mangino to cover what's changing with this rollout, why Lumen is making these moves now, and...
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Reflections on the First Year of TEM Talk, TC2's Fast-Growing User Community
If you manage telecom and technology spend at a large enterprise scale, you already know the hardest part isn't finding "savings." It's sustaining control—inventory accuracy, invoice integrity, governance, and supplier leverage—month after month, deal after deal. In this 9-minute episode of…
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Technology Debt, Part 2 - Diagnosing the Problem and Funding Transformation
As enterprises push to modernize, many find that years of accumulated decisions have created a heavy, often invisible burden in their IT environments. In this 9-minute podcast, Brent Knight joins Tony Mangino to discuss how technology debt accumulates over time, why it is so difficult to unwind,...
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Technology Debt, Part 1 - The Hidden Cost of Standing Still
As enterprises push to modernize, many find that years of accumulated decisions have created a heavy, often invisible burden in their IT environments. In this 9-minute podcast, Brent Knight joins Tony Mangino to discuss how technology debt accumulates over time, why it is so difficult to unwind,...
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How Hyperscalers Are Rewiring Global Connectivity
Hyperscalers like AWS, Microsoft, Google and Meta continue to make significant infrastructure investments in ultra-high capacity subsea cables. This new generation of connectivity provides a compelling alternative to telco-provided circuits with the added potential benefit of direct integration...
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Verizon Restructuring – What Enterprise Customers Need to Know
Verizon is preparing to cut over 13,000 jobs — about 15% of its U.S. workforce — in a restructuring plan intended to reduce costs under its new CEO Dan Schulman. In this 7-minute podcast, Brent Knight from TC2 joins Tony Mangino to discuss the anticipated impact of the layoffs and what enterprise...
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Whose Paper?
When doing a deal, invariably we get the "whose paper" question. That is, should the enterprise start contract negotiations using its own paper or the vendor's paper? The answer is…that depends. In this 10-minute podcast, Laura McDonald, a partner at LB3, joins Tony Mangino to discuss the best...
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Lumen is Increasing Rates…Again
Lumen is once again raising rates for out-of-term services, with some customers now facing increases as high as 30% to 40%. These changes put enterprise clients in a tough spot, often forcing them to choose between costly renewals or seeking alternatives in a competitive market. In this 6-minute...
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5G and Aviation - The Spectrum Conflict Cools
The struggle between the aviation and wireless industries regarding the use of the lower C-Band ultimately led to regulatory and technical mitigations to prevent interference issues, after narrowly avoiding regulatory gridlock. In this 8-minute podcast, Steve Rosen from LB3 joins Tony Mangino to...
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Cloud Diversification and How Amazon Broke the Internet
In the early hours of Monday, October 20th, AWS experienced a DNS resolution failure that had a cascading effect on business and consumer applications across the internet. In this 7-minute podcast, Deb Boehling from LB3 joins Tony Mangino to discuss what happened and specific cloud…
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WAN Sustainability - from Compliance to Competitive Advantage
Green networking, carbon accounting, and energy-efficient hardware are becoming increasingly important for enterprises seeking to comply with ESG regulations and drive competitive advantage. In this 9-minute podcast, Tony Mangino and Julie Gardner from TC2 discuss why WAN sustainability should be...
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The Evolving Legal Landscape for AI in your Contact Center
AI is a key driver of innovation in the Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) space, significantly improving agent efficiency and customer experience. However, when the rate of technology change outpaces the applicable legal frameworks, uncertainties and opportunities for disputes arise. In this...
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The Hidden Value of Pre-RFP Activities - How to Shape a Smarter Sourcing Process
Pre-RFP activities are sometimes treated as optional, when in fact they're among the most strategic actions a sourcing team can take. If you want a high-quality RFP, the work starts long before it's published. In this 9-minute podcast, TC2 Managing Director Larry York joins Tony Mangino to…
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Rethinking Supplier Support - Effective Strategies for the Enterprise
Against the backdrop of the ongoing struggle with the Verizon outsourcing to HCL, enterprise customers are being forced to rethink their supplier support models and partners. In this 7-minute podcast, Theresa Knutson and Brent Knight from TC2 join Tony Mangino to discuss what customers can…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
TechCaliber Consulting (TC2) and Levine, Blaszak, Block & Boothby (LB3) provide strategic business and legal advice to leading companies around the globe covering the procurement, deployment, and regulation of Information and Communications Technology. Our Staying Connected podcasts deliver insights, tips and market commentary from TC2 consultants and LB3 lawyers, collected from our work on the cutting edge of ICT procurements, deal negotiations, and regulatory proceedings.
HOSTED BY
TC2 & LB3
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Staying Connected have?
Staying Connected currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Staying Connected about?
TechCaliber Consulting (TC2) and Levine, Blaszak, Block & Boothby (LB3) provide strategic business and legal advice to leading companies around the globe covering the procurement, deployment, and regulation of Information and Communications Technology. Our Staying Connected podcasts deliver...
How often does Staying Connected release new episodes?
Staying Connected has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Staying Connected?
You can listen to Staying Connected on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Staying Connected?
Staying Connected is created and hosted by TC2 & LB3.
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