Carrier 2.0 goes beyond the headlines to uncover the future of telecom. Hosted by Fierce Network’s Steve Saunders, the show brings you inside the minds of the executives rewriting the rules of connectivity. Each episode delivers unfiltered conversations with industry leaders as they confront today’s biggest challenges, share hard-won lessons, and offer bold predictions about what comes next. From 5G and AI to the cloud and open networks, Carrier 2.0 cuts through the hype to reveal the real signals shaping tomorrow’s connected world.
Podcast Overview
Carrier 2.0 goes beyond the headlines to uncover the future of telecom. Hosted by Fierce Network’s Steve Saunders, the show brings you inside the minds of the executives rewriting the rules of connectivity. Each episode delivers unfiltered conversations with industry leaders as they confront today’s biggest challenges, share hard-won lessons, and offer bold predictions about what comes next. From 5G and AI to the cloud and open networks, Carrier 2.0 cuts through the hype to reveal the real signals shaping tomorrow’s connected world.
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Publishing Since
9/29/2025
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Recent Episodes
July 13, 2026
Who Governs The Agents?
Host Steve Saunders interviews industry experts on how telecom's expertise in orchestration and policy will govern autonomous AI agents in the future.
June 22, 2026
Sovereignty Without Isolation
<p>As AI becomes embedded into critical infrastructure, the debate around sovereignty is rapidly moving from policy discussion to business necessity.</p><p>In this episode of Carrier 2.0, Steve Saunders explores one of the defining questions facing telecom operators, governments, and enterprises: who should control the infrastructure powering the AI economy?</p><p>For decades, digital transformation has been built on centralisation. Larger clouds, larger data centres, and increasingly powerful hyperscale platforms have enabled unprecedented innovation. But as AI moves beyond the cloud and into healthcare, finance, manufacturing, energy, logistics, and government systems, dependence on a small number of global infrastructure providers is becoming harder to ignore.</p><p>Through conversations with industry leaders, the episode examines the tension between innovation and control, the rise of sovereign architectures, the growing importance of trust, and why carriers may have a unique opportunity to play a larger role in the next era of digital infrastructure.</p><p>As the intelligence layer becomes the most valuable layer in the technology stack, the question is no longer whether organisations should embrace AI, it is how they can do so without sacrificing resilience, security, and strategic autonomy.</p><p><strong>Key Talking Points:</strong></p><p><strong>The Sovereignty Question (00:00)</strong></p><p>Why AI is forcing governments, enterprises, and carriers to reconsider who controls critical digital infrastructure.</p><p><strong>The Limits of Centralisation (01:00)</strong></p><p>How the digital economy became dependent on hyperscale platforms and why that model is being questioned.</p><p><strong><br>The Three Pillars of Sovereignty (02:05)</strong></p><p>Why data control, operational independence, and supply chain security are becoming strategic priorities.</p><p><strong>When AI Crosses Borders (03:15)</strong></p><p>How modern AI systems challenge traditional definitions of data sovereignty and compliance.</p><p><strong>The Innovation Gap (04:25)</strong></p><p>Why replacing hyperscalers entirely is unrealistic despite growing concerns around dependency.</p><p><strong>Distributed Networks and Local Control (05:30)</strong></p><p>How sovereignty requirements are pushing operators towards more distributed infrastructure models.</p><p><strong>Building Sovereign AI Strategies (06:35)</strong></p><p>Why carriers are increasingly combining hyperscale infrastructure with their own AI capabilities and tooling.</p><p><strong>The Battle for the Intelligence Layer (08:00)</strong></p><p>How value is shifting away from connectivity alone towards ownership of data, intelligence, and decision-making.</p><p><strong>Trust as a Competitive Advantage (10:10)</strong></p><p>Why telecom operators may be uniquely positioned to capitalise on growing concerns around privacy and data governance.</p><p><strong>Strategic Optionality in the AI Era (13:45)</strong></p><p>Why the future belongs to organisations that balance innovation, resilience, and control rather than pursuing complete independence or dependence.</p><p><strong>The Carrier Question:</strong></p><p>As AI infrastructure becomes increasingly intertwined with national competitiveness, security, and economic growth, what role should telecom operators play in maintaining control without sacrificing innovation?</p><p>For this episode, the answer lies in strategic balance. Sovereignty without innovation limits progress, while innovation without control creates new forms of dependency and risk. The carriers that succeed will be those that combine trusted infrastructure, clear governance, and selective use of hyperscale capabilities to create resilient, future-ready digital ecosystems.</p><p><strong>Links:</strong></p><p>Join Steve Saunders’ mailing list for bonus insights:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/steve-saunders-infradig-7267930873604235264"> https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/steve-saunders-infradig-7267930873604235264</a></p>
June 1, 2026
The Carrier Identity Crisis
<p>Carrier 2.0 returns for Season 2 with a defining question for the telecom industry: what kind of service provider survives the next decade?</p><p>Hosted by Steve Saunders, this opening episode explores the strategic crossroads facing carriers as AI, cloud platforms, enterprise transformation, and hyperscaler influence reshape the industry. The traditional telecom model - built on connectivity, reliability, and scale - is no longer enough on its own. Enterprises now expect outcome-based services, intelligent automation, and real-time engagement, forcing operators to rethink not just what they sell, but what they are becoming.</p><p><br>Through perspectives from operators, analysts, and technology leaders, the episode examines the shift from utility provider to platform enabler, the operational challenges of embedding AI into live networks, and the growing pressure to define a clear role in an increasingly AI-driven economy.</p><p><br>From intelligent networks and enterprise transformation to fibre-led community impact and the future of monetisation, this episode sets the tone for the entire new season of Carrier 2.0.</p><p><strong>Key Talking Points:<br></strong><br></p><p><strong>The Telecom Identity Crisis (00:00)</strong></p><p>Why the traditional carrier model is under pressure as value shifts beyond pure connectivity.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>AI Changes the Network Stack (00:29)</strong></p><p>How AI, hyperscalers, and enterprise demand are redefining where telecom value is created.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>The Strategic Crossroads (01:31)</strong></p><p>Should carriers remain utilities, become platforms, specialise vertically, or evolve into something entirely new?</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Real-Time Expectations in an AI Economy (02:23)</strong></p><p>Why modern AI experiences require ultra-low latency, real-time network responsiveness, and intelligent infrastructure.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Enterprises Want Outcomes, Not Connectivity (02:55)</strong></p><p>How customer expectations are shifting toward automation, decision-making, and business outcomes.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Moving Up the Stack (03:21)</strong></p><p>Why becoming a platform sounds compelling, but is far harder to execute in reality.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>AI Embedded Into the Network (03:40)</strong></p><p>How intelligent networks could transform telecom infrastructure into dynamic, adaptive systems.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>The Translation Gap (04:33)</strong></p><p>Why telecom’s challenge isn’t innovation, it’s turning AI capability into deployable, scalable business value.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>From Utilities to Community Infrastructure (05:45)</strong></p><p>How fibre networks are driving economic growth, resilience, and social impact beyond connectivity alone.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Defining Relevance in the Next Decade (07:15)</strong></p><p>Why surviving the AI era will require clear strategic positioning, disciplined execution, and focused differentiation.</p><p><strong><br>The Carrier Question:<br></strong><br></p><p>As AI reshapes enterprise expectations and hyperscalers move further into the connectivity stack, what role should service providers play in the future digital economy?</p><p>For this episode, the answer lies in clarity of purpose. The carriers that succeed won’t try to be everything - but they also won’t stay still. Whether as platforms, infrastructure partners, or vertical specialists, the winners will be the operators that make deliberate strategic choices and execute them with confidence.</p><p><strong>Links:<br></strong><br></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/steve-saunders-infradig-7267930873604235264">Join Steve Saunders’ mailing list for bonus insights</a></p>
12 total episodes available with 1 transcripts
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- What is Carrier 2.0?
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This podcast updates daily.
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