What does it really take to move from 5G to 6G?

In this episode, I am joined by Sebastian Barros, Managing Director at Circles to unpack how the realities of 5G deployment—its wins, its gaps, and its growing pains—are directly shaping the development of 6G. Will 6G be a clean generational leap? or should it be emerging as a response to the lessons learned from 5G from densification challenges to energy efficiency, edge computing, and the economics of network investment?

We explore the cultural transformation telcos must embrace to make 6G viable—not just faster networks, but a platform addressing the big market gap of "monetization". AI takes center stage in our conversation—not only as a driver of new traffic patterns and services, but as a foundational element of 6G architecture itself.

Finally, we look beyond 6G: Is this the end of cellular technology long developing cycles?

Is 5G killing 6G?

Has 5G delivered in the consumer market? If so, what should the enterprise side know about this story? In this episode I am joined by Nicole McCormick, Chief Analyst 5G Consumer at Omdia to unpack what worked, what didn’t, and what strategies are being used. From pricing to bundles, speed and robots (Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?), we explore how the consumer rollout of 5G may offer clues for enterprises looking to embrace 5G.

Can the enterprise world learn anything from the consumer market?

In today's episode, I am joined by Manish Tiwari, Head of Enterprise 5G  at Ericsson, to discuss how the enterprise 5G market has evolved, what  stories customers tell about this technology, and what practical  examples and suggestions can help drive the market forward. We also look  ahead to 2026 — the trends poised to define the market, the innovations set to energize enterprises (from robotics to AI), and what comes next  for a sector at a pivotal moment in its journey.

The future of private 5G is on the line: Enterprise 5G in 2026 and beyond

In this episode, we’re joined by Matteo Grandi, VP of Innovation at Neutroon [https://www.neutroon.com/platform], for a first-hand look at the motivations, vision, and expectations of a startup targeting the private 5G market. With Matteo, we discuss the state of the industry, the rationale behind Neutroon’s move into private networking, and how the company views the challenges and opportunities of managing private 5G across multiple enterprise sites while addressing the growing need for network convergence.

Our guest walks us through real deployments, key partnerships, roadblocks, and emerging opportunities that are shaping the future of scalable private networks in Europe and beyond.

Rewriting the private 5G story

In this episode, we dive into the opportunities and challenges of bringing transformative technologies to emerging markets. Our guest Carlos Perea, an Investor and Advisor in Tech, joins us to explore what it really takes to deliver impact where infrastructure, regulation, and access can be both barriers and catalysts for innovation. From leapfrogging legacy systems to navigating local ecosystems, we unpack real-world lessons, unexpected pitfalls, and what success looks like on the ground.

Decoding Digital Transformation in Emerging Markets

5G isn’t just powering smartphones — it’s transforming the most  unexpected places on Earth. Unusual and Inspiring Private 5G Stories takes you behind the scenes of bold and unusual deployments that defy convention. Discover how innovators are connecting vineyards, theme  parks, stadiums, factories, and cities in ways no one imagined. Huge deployments. Real conversations. Real robots. Real impact. Real 5G stories that will change how  you see connectivity.

Unusual and inspiring private 5G stories

In this quick episode recorded in-between travels, I take a look at why Starlink is such a hot commodity right now—and what it could mean for telcos and the U.S. market.

A 10-Minute Chat on Satellites and Starlink

In this episode, I am joined by Ildefonso De La Cruz, a fellow Analyst, Podcaster, and Leading Expert on Critical Comms at Omdia. Join us as we dive into the evolving world of the public safety communications market. From the long-standing role of narrowband networks to the transformative potential of broadband, we unpack how technology is reshaping mission-critical connectivity. We also explore the importance of network slicing—why it matters and what it means for the future of first responders and emergency services. Whether you’re in public safety, telecom, or simply curious about the infrastructure that keeps communities connected in times of need, this conversation offers valuable insights into where the industry is headed.

Want to know more about Critical Comms? Follow the link to Ildefonso's Crit Comms Circle [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/omdia-crit-comms-circle--5088973] podcast!

Slicing for Survival: 5G’s Role in Emergency Response

In this episode, I am joined by Mika Skarp from Cumucore [https://cumucore.com/] to explore how private 5G networks are becoming an integral component in the journey toward fully autonomous, intelligent manufacturing. We start with the big picture—why industrial verticals matter and why autonomous operations are critical—then unpack the key technologies driving this next industrial leap, from 5G to Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN). We also dive into what these advances mean for factory floors and the broader ecosystem of technology providers and telecom operators

Connecting the 5G Factory Revolution and the Rise of Autonomous Manufacturing

In this episode, I'm joined by Roberto Kompany [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertokompany/?originalSubdomain=uk]—Telco Drift's  very first guest—to explore the transformative role of the 5G Standalone  (SA) core. We dive into how this technology enables telcos to evolve  beyond legacy models and tap into new use cases and market  opportunities. The conversation unpacks why the journey to 5G-SA has  been so long and winding, what lies ahead for the industry, why the core  network is so critical, and how telcos can maximize its potential.

Of Hopes And Broken Dreams: A 5G-SA Story

Analyzing the strange, the true, and the possible — stories and debates from the frontiers of tech, telecoms, and sci-fi