This Week: The iPhone Duo and Don't Count Out Cable

Please enjoy this sample of a new automated digest format we are rolling out. For more details, visit www.reconanalytics.com/telecom-minute-weeklyTelecom Minute Weekly: Cable Bleeds, T-Mix Fine Print, and Starlink Surge PricingCharter lost 233,000 broadband subscribers in a single quarter, even with Cox now part of the company. This week we look at why cable's network upgrades aren't stopping people from leaving, the fine print in T-Mobile's new T-Mix plans, and how SpaceX started pricing like an airline while bidding $8 billion for nationwide mobile spectrum.Cable's broadband lossesCharter's first combined results with Cox: 233,000 internet customers lost, a $2.4 billion net loss including a $6.3 billion franchise impairment, a $2 billion cost-cutting target, and 2026 capex guidance raised to $13 billionPressure on mid-sized operators: Cable One warns of possible Chapter 11 ahead of a November 13 court hearing, and Optimum loses about 58,000 broadband subscribersMobile is cable's bright spot: Spectrum Mobile adds 440,000 lines, Xfinity Mobile adds 368,000Customers switch because of price, not speed: price drives 43% of switching discussions, according to CompareInternet.comComcast's free speed boost for the Grand Theft Auto VI preload, and Verizon's Fios and Frontier Fiber promotionsFiber overbuilding draws pushback from towns in North CarolinaNew York settles with T-Mobile after finding only 15 households enrolled in its required affordable broadband planThe consumer wireless fightT-Mix goes nationwide at $55, $75 and $95 a line, with "Picks" credits you spend on phones or streaming perksThe catch: free perk swaps only in the last 10 days of each 90-day cycle, and a $15 fee to swap earlyT-Mobile's postpaid account net adds fall 31% while churn rises, and it adds a $30 T-Mix Saver tier and a 5-gig fiber tierVerizon's early Black Friday offers arrive days after it raised its line fees by 96 centsVisible, Mint and Metro push prepaid prices down to $15–$19 a monthSpaceX goes after telecomStarlink's demand-based pricing goes nationwide: Residential Max now runs from $104 to $156 a month depending on local network demandOokla: Starlink's U.S. median download speed is up 12% to nearly 120 Mbps, and 40% of users now meet the 100/20 BEAD standardNew retail partner program, the Router 4, and the battery-powered Starlink Mini 2The FCC accepts SpaceX's $8 billion application for Grain Management's 800 MHz licenses. Petitions to deny are due December 1.Musk's comments about buying a telco, and Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges' responseKey numbers233,000: broadband subscribers Charter lost across the combined Charter and Cox footprint15: New York households T-Mobile enrolled in the state's required affordable broadband plan$15: T-Mobile's fee to swap a T-Mix streaming perk early$52: monthly gap between Starlink's cheapest and most expensive Residential Max markets$8 billion: SpaceX's bid for nationwide 800 MHz spectrumTelecom Minute Weekly is a production of Recon Analytics. We track wireless, broadband and video through primary consumer research and competitive intelligence. Find more at reconanalytics.com/telecom-minute-weekly

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by T-Mobile CMO Allan Samson to unpack the new T-Mix program, its core philosophy, and how it gives customers greater control and perks.00:00 Episode intro 00:25 T-Mix program overview 02:25 T-Life app integration and 90 day rolling perk selection 06:35 Highlighted perks and customer benefits 08:00 Key brand partnerships 09:03 Transparent benefit pricing 09:58 Factoring in device choice 11:30Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Allan Samson, T-Mobile, T-Mix, apps, plans, network, devices, T-Life, perks, movies, tickets, Netflix, Delta, Samsung, Galaxy

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss Q3 earnings from Verizon and T-Mobile, as well as the impact of Starlink and realignments for both rural markets and the cable industry.00:00 Episode intro 00:28 Verizon Q3 overview 03:10 Starlink's implication on carriers 04:59 T-Mobile Q3 overview 06:41 T-Mobile's business segment growth 07:32 Cable as business segment competition 08:40 Cable's realignment and workforce issues 09:35 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Verizon, T-Mobile, Dan Schulman, net adds, churn, Starlink, rural, Srini Gopalan, Chris Sambar, cable, AT&T, Comcast, Charter, Cox

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner analyze Q3 earnings from Starlink, AT&T, and Comcast, while evaluating AT&T's exit from Mexico and T-Mobile's strained partnership with Starlink.00:00 Episode intro00:54 Starlink Q3 overview and mobile aspirations02:13 Starlink's timelines and market ceiling04:42 AT&T Q3 overview05:31 Starlink as AT&T's rival06:06 AT&T's focus on fiber06:58 Comcast Q3 overview08:32 AT&T exits the Mexican market10:51 Petition for T-Mobile to cut Starlink ties and spectrum issues12:42 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, earnings, Starlink, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Comcast, spectrum, satellite, convergence, Elon Musk, net adds, fiber, FWA, Internet Air, performance, Mexico, John Stankey, America Movil, Carlos Slim, Tracfone, Thaddeus Arroyo, T-Satellite

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Ray Dolan, CEO of Cohere Technologies, to discuss what the 6G rollout will look like, the introduction of physical AI, and how existing telecom infrastructure can be repurposed for intelligent applications.00:00 Episode intro00:24 Development of modern voice systems2:59 The “fat pipe” and TCP/IP04:38 6G and future technologies07:20 Coverage and architecture improvements10:44 Scaling initiatives at Cohere13:07 Developing Counter-UAS solutions15:11 The shift from telecom to intelligence infrastructure16:35 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Ray Dolan, Cohere, 4G, 5G, Bell Labs, Qualcomm, TCP/IP, 6G, reflectivity, radar, spectrum, robotics, physical AI, ISAC, AI, DSS, drones, C-UAS, intelligence

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the top weekly news stories in telecom, including an upcoming spectrum auction and its implications for satellite providers, as well as the latest developments and future direction of AI implementation.00:00 Episode intro 00:25 New spectrum auction and implications 02:44 FCC is moving quickly 03:27 FCC approves more Starlink satellites 04:22 Deutsche Telekom's AI Investor Day and data center announcements 05:37 T-Mobile's AI implementation announcements 07:06 Live translation research and findings 08:02 Physical AI as the new frontier 09:14 Limits to AI advancements? 11:26 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, FFC, auction, spectrum, Ligardo, Starlink, Elon Musk, Brendan Carr, Deutsche Telekom, satellite, AI, T-Mobile, Germany, data centers, customer service, T-Life, Srini Gopalan, live translation, physical AI, Planet Fitness, churn, prices

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner cover the top telecom news stories of the week, including key updates on satellite tech, recent lawsuit disclosures, industry affordability, and emerging device trends heading into 2027.00:00 Episode intro 00:25 Joint satellite protocol venture appoints a leader 03:12 Deutsche Telekom lawsuit reveals industry trade secrets 05:50 T-Mobile's regulatory fee hikes and overall affordability 08:44 Key insights from the Toughbook anniversary and launch event in New York 10:16 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, satellite, Starlink, T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Elon Musk, Tesla, Paul Roth, Deutsche Telekom, Handelsblatt, Sprint, John Legere, fees, affordability, prices, Dan Schulman, inflation, Panasonic, Toughbook, 5G, devices

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Yago Tenorio, SVP and CTO at Verizon, to discuss the coming of 6G and the future of networks, as well as exciting real world use cases happening right now.00:00 Episode intro 00:24 6G Innovation Forum overview 01:21 Lessons learned from 5G 03:59 What players are needed for 6G? 05:24 Actual test cases for 6G 07:34 Spectrum issues and ISAC 08:48 Future network infrastructure and monetization 12:44 6G Innovation Forum developments 13:20 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Yago Tenorio, Verizon, 6G, 5G, FWA, drones, crowd detection, AI, LLMs, wearables, ISAC, network, spectrum, Google, devices, data centers, latency

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner discuss the new iPhone Duo and its prospects vs. the Galaxy Z Fold8, as well as the various strides the cable industry is making despite increased competition. 00:00 Episode intro 00:43 iPhone Duo release breakdown 01:59 Apple vs. Samsung device surveys 03:19 Tactile importance when purchasing 04:26 Device insurance and pricing 05:31 Are cable valuations too negative? 07:17 Competition is increasing 08:20 Rising customer satisfaction overall 08:55 Cable pricing models 10:36 The “label tax” and “Wi-Fi tax” 13:03 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Apple, iPhone, Duo, Samsung, Z Fold8, financing, devices, Vision, Black Friday, retail, insurance, AI, cable, Elon Musk, Starlink, speed, FWA, fiber, rural, consolidation, DSL, prices, Verizon

Analysts Don Kellogg and Roger Entner are joined by Ed Evans, Chairman and CEO of Consumer Cellular, to speak about the company's unique strategy for serving seniors in wireless, its successful use of retail stores, and new and innovative product lines for this sometimes overlooked cohort.00:00 Episode intro 00:26 Consumer Cellular's business model 04:28 Using retail stores effectively 07:07 Knowing the customer 08:24 Tailoring customer service 10:20 Building customer loyalty 10:52 Developing innovative products for seniors 14:14 Episode wrap-upTags: telecom, telecommunications, wireless, prepaid, postpaid, cellular phone, Don Kellogg, Roger Entner, Ed Evans, Consumer Cellular, MVNO, seniors, data, customer service, NPS, retail, Target, Walmart, churn, Mint, GrandPad, retention, apps