Farewell to 5G Guys: Reflecting on an Incredible Journey In the final episode of 5G Guys, hosts Dan McVaugh and Wayne Smith reflect on their three-and-a-half-year journey, celebrating their achievements and memorable moments. They discuss notable guests such as Marty Cooper, the father of the cell phone, and dive into the significant advances and current state of 5G technology. Wayne shares the future of Vertex Innovations, including their expansion into data centers and managed services. Meanwh...
Feb 26, 2025•23 min•Season 4Ep. 67
5G Guys Season 4 Finale: Highlights, Insights, and Future Trends Join Wayne Smith and Dan McVaugh in the season 4 finale of the 5G Guys podcast as they recap the highlights and key insights from this season. They discuss notable guests, emerging trends in 5G and wireless technology, the impact of satellite networks like Starlink, regulatory issues such as net neutrality, and the latest business and finance trends in the telecom industry. Tune in to hear their predictions for the future, includin...
Jul 03, 2024•31 min•Season 4Ep. 66
Net Neutrality Insights: Consequences & Predictions with Dan McVaugh In this episode of 5G Guys, Dan McVaugh revisits the topic of net neutrality. Dan shares personal stories from his telecom career, highlighting potential unintended consequences if the FCC reinstates net neutrality by classifying telecom providers under Title II of the Communications Act. He explores the impacts on network performance, advanced 5G features, and critical services like FirstNet for first responders, ending wi...
Jun 25, 2024•8 min•Season 4Ep. 65
Revolutionizing Connectivity: Skylo Technologies and Satellite-Enhanced Cellular Networks In this episode of the 5G Guys, hosts Dan McVaugh and Wayne Smith dive into the topic of satellite-augmented cellular services. Joined by Tarun Gupta, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Skylo Technologies, they discuss how existing satellite licensed spectrum is used to enhance cellular connectivity. The conversation explores the technical details, regulatory challenges, and potential applications of S...
Jun 19, 2024•34 min•Season 4Ep. 64
The Evolution and Impact of Net Neutrality with Nathan Leamer In this episode of The 5G Guys, hosts Wayne Smith and Dan McVaugh discuss net neutrality with guest Nathan Leamer, former policy advisor to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, and current CEO of Fixed Gear Strategies. They explore net neutrality's origins, implications, and future, including its initial introduction, the political debates surrounding it, and its potential effects on innovation and consumer access. Nathan shares insights from his d...
Jun 05, 2024•41 min•Season 4Ep. 63
The Future of Technology in Federal Applications: Insights from Intel's CTO In this 5G Guys podcast episode, we talk with guest Steve Orrin, the Chief Technology Officer and Senior Professional Engineer for Intel Federal. Steve shares insights from his ten-year tenure at Intel, focusing on helping the government adopt advanced technologies. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including the impact of AI, cybersecurity, pervasive connectivity, and the role of data in driving technologi...
May 15, 2024•39 min•Season 4Ep. 62
Telecom and Technology Earnings Insights: A Deep Dive with Industry Veterans In this episode of 'The 5G Guys', hosts Wayne Smith and Dan McVaugh invite telecom industry veteran Jim Patterson to discuss the latest earnings reports from major telecom and technology companies. Jim Patterson, with a 30-year career including 15 years at Sprint and experience as an entrepreneur, now offers analysis through Patterson Advisory Group. The episode explores key themes in the earnings reports, such as react...
May 01, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 61
Navigating the Waves of Telecom: From CapEx Booms to Strategic Spending The 5G Guys podcast hosts, Dan McVaugh and Wayne Smith, introduce a new series titled 'Storytelling and Predictions,' aimed at sharing their extensive experience and insights into the telecommunications industry without overshadowing their guests. They dive into the impact of 5G on capital expenditure, noting a significant increase in spending to roll out 5G networks, which is now adjusting back to normal levels. The discuss...
Apr 16, 2024•18 min•Season 4Ep. 60
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 insigh...
Mar 13, 2024•36 min•Season 4Ep. 59
In this episode of 'The 5G Guys' podcast, hosts Dan McVaugh and Wayne Smith discuss the rapidly changing landscape of telecommunications infrastructure and 5G technology with guest Hugh Odom, the founder of Vertical Consultants. The discussion plunges into the transformation of carrier models for property owners, the influence of municipalities and private networks, and the necessity of regulation. Important subjects touched upon include the carriers versus tower companies' different business mo...
Feb 28, 2024•31 min•Season 4Ep. 58
In this episode, Dan and Wayne interview Cody Martin from Castle Rock Microwave and Jeff Vaughn from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. They discuss the importance of effective public safety communications infrastructure, with a case study in Douglas County, Colorado, where they strengthened signal strength in 90% of schools, enhancing communication efficiency for first responders and the school’s security response teams. The podcast touches on the technical aspects, challenges faced in multi-...
Feb 14, 2024•32 min•Season 4Ep. 57
In this episode of the 5G Guys podcast, hosts Dan McVaugh and Wayne Smith explore private wireless networks with guest Jeff Hipchen, a Principal of RF Connect. They discuss how private wireless networks are utilized differently, giving examples in healthcare, professional sports, and higher education sectors. Hipchen emphasizes that private networks allow businesses to control their destiny as they allow the customization and security not offered by public networks. He also highlights how these ...
Jan 30, 2024•33 min•Season 4Ep. 56
In this episode of 5G Guys, hosts Wayne Smith and Dan McVaugh are joined by guest Jim Patterson, a veteran in the telecom industry with 30 years of experience. Patterson shares insights from the Las Vegas annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Major topics discussed include the minimal mention of 5G at CES, the integration and applications of AI in consumer electronics, and the potential of Wi-Fi advancements challenging licensed spectrums. They also explore wireless tech's evolution and possib...
Jan 17, 2024•30 min•Season 4Ep. 55
5G and Advanced Positioning Technologies: Revolutionizing Location-based Services The podcast episode features Samuel Van de Velde, founder and CTO of Pozyx, discussing the impact of 5G and other advanced technologies on location-based services. Samuel highlights how 5G integrates positioning capabilities into its standard, enabling increased application in areas such as indoor asset tracking and industrial IoT. The discourse uncovers use cases in agriculture, like tracking cow behavior to enhan...
Jan 03, 2024•32 min•Season 4Ep. 54
In this 5G Guys podcast episode, Wayne and Dan welcome TJ Maan from Samsung to discuss Fixed Wireless Access (FWA). TJ explains what FWA is and its benefits over traditional wireline broadband delivery technologies, noting its speed, reliability, and usefulness in areas where DSL or fiber may face logistical issues. TJ also discusses how FWA has evolved over time, particularly with the rise of 5G and the involvement of tier-one operators such as Verizon and T-Mobile. They also discuss the possib...
Dec 13, 2023•28 min•Season 4Ep. 53
In this season 4 premier of the 5G Guys Podcast, hosts Dan McVaugh and Wayne Smith review the state of 5G technology and industry updates leading up to the year 2024. They explore 5G's progression in the US, discussing the coverage expansion by carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon. They also talk about the influence of fixed wireless broadband on the market and ponder on the potential emerging trends regarding the collaboration between wireless and cable companies. The hosts also delve ...
Nov 29, 2023•34 min•Season 4Ep. 52
That’s a wrap! Wayne and Dan wrap up season 3 of the podcast by doing a fantasy football-style draft of their favorite season 3 episodes. This countdown of favorite episodes is a great way to get a summary of some of the best episodes from this past season you should tune into in the event you missed anything. The episode concludes with an update on current events in the telecom industry. Dan and Wayne touch base on everything from the status of the industry’s economy to announcements from some ...
Aug 07, 2023•32 min
Now that we’re right in the middle of 2023, it’s a great time to look at how our pre-2023 predictions are holding up as well as what big events and announcements occurred in the US wireless and broadband industries. In this episode, Wayne and Dan revisit their predictions for 2023 they made in January to see what’s holding up and where they were off the mark. Topics include the continued progress of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon on their 5G buildouts, as well as their general market conditions...
Jun 28, 2023•32 min
What can best be described as an “incestuous, co-dependent, and competitive” relationship, major US cellular and cable service providers have found themselves in an interesting competitive yet partnering dance. On one hand, cable companies offer mobile phone service plans to consumers through MVNO agreements with cellular service companies while making moves to keep their customers connected as much as possible without dependency on their cellular partners’ networks. On the other hand, the cellu...
Jun 14, 2023•22 min•Ep. 49
Welcome back to the 5G Guys podcast! We were joined by an exceptional guest, Peter Schroeder. As a young entrepreneur and Danish DJ turned CEO of the telecommunications platform Telzio, Peter has a unique journey. Peter's success isn't just about his savvy in leveraging AI to deliver stellar customer service, but his knack for navigating the intricacies of regulatory hurdles, and navigating fruitful relationships with Apple and Android to deliver high quality voice and data solutions. Peter's jo...
May 31, 2023•36 min•Ep. 48
Hey there, 5G enthusiasts! Whether you’re a seasoned expert in the field or just curious about the next generation of connectivity, we've got a treat for you. In this episode, we're thrilled to welcome Phillip French from Verizon! If you've ever wondered about the journey of one of the world's leading cellular operators, you’re in for a treat. We dig deep into Verizon's history, transitioning from a wireless and fiber optic company, to a pioneer in the 5G space. We start off with an introduction...
May 17, 2023•34 min•Ep. 47
Ever wondered about the powerhouse behind wireless technology and how 5G chipsets are being developed? In this episode of the 5G Guys Podcast, hosts Wayne Smith and Dan McVaugh welcome Ignacio Contreras, Qualcomm's Sr. Director of Product Marketing, who gives us an insightful look into the company's deep history, their role in the development of 5G chipsets, and a glimpse into the future of 5G and 6G. Don't miss out on this exciting conversation that will leave you wanting to learn more! In this...
May 03, 2023•39 min•Ep. 46
Welcome back to the 5G Guys! Today we’re going to talk about some pretty cool technology that AT&T has been working on. You might be familiar with AT&T as your phone or internet provider, but did you know that they’ve been developing some amazing autonomous systems like robot dogs and flying COWs? We have Art Pregler, Director of Network Engineering for AT&T, joining us on the podcast to talk about these amazing technologies and how they’re changing the game. Art is responsible for i...
Apr 19, 2023•27 min•Ep. 45
Hey there, 5G Guys Podcast listeners! Today, we're diving into the world of emergency response and the revolutionary technology that's making it all possible: FirstNet. FirstNet is the first-ever nationwide, interoperable broadband network that's exclusively dedicated to first responders. It all started with the tragedy of 9/11, which led to the complete collapse of the New York cellular networks. In response, the US government formed the FirstNet authority, which was tasked with creating a nati...
Apr 07, 2023•36 min•Ep. 44
Will we be rebranding soon to the 6G Guys? Our guest today may have the answer! We had the pleasure of hosting Doug Kirkpatrick, CEO and co-founder of Eridan, who shared fascinating insights about their game-changing technology, Miracle RFFE (Radio Frequency Front-End). This groundbreaking innovation aims to transform wireless radio technology and could potentially lay the foundation for the next generation of wireless networks. Miracle RFFE brings a plethora of improvements to the table. With t...
Mar 22, 2023•34 min
Welcome back to our series on Lifecycle of a Cell Site! Today we are focusing on the Modifications and Maintenance phase of the network. As the 5G guys, we understand that maintaining and modifying a cellular network is a complex, ongoing process that requires significant investment of time, effort, and resources. During this phase of the process, you’ll discover how companies like Vertex specialize in building and maintaining cellular networks, and around 70-80% of their work involves making ch...
Mar 08, 2023•31 min•Season 3Ep. 42
In this episode, we are continuing our behind-the-scenes look at the work that goes into building and maintaining cell sites. This is the second of a multi-episode series called "The Life Cycle of a Cell Site!" If you missed part one, check out the last episode to catch up on what you missed. As a construction management expert thanks to Vertex Innovations, Wayne is a wealth of knowledge and experience in the construction industry. You might not know this, but Wayne is a tradesperson who loves w...
Feb 22, 2023•40 min
Welcome back to the 5G Guys Podcast! Today, we are diving into the exciting world of cellular networks and providing a behind-the-scenes look at the work that goes into building and maintaining them. This is the first of a multi-episode series called "The Life Cycle of a Cell Site!" In our digital world, with the high demand for faster and more reliable data speeds, the need for strong and efficient cellular networks are becoming increasingly important. In this new series, we will lay the founda...
Feb 08, 2023•33 min
Let’s take a look into the future! We're so excited to be back in the studio to talk and make our predictions for 2023. In this episode, we will look at not just the wireless and telecommunications industry but also other related industries that will build the infrastructure. If you missed the last show, we recapped all the exciting advancements in 2022 and laid the foundation for this conversation. Check it out before diving into this episode to get the most out of the show! If you are caught u...
Jan 25, 2023•30 min
2022, where do we even start? If you’ve been listening to the show for a while, you know that this episode is a yearly tradition for us. We look forward to recapping the year from our perspective and share the biggest industry highlights you need to know. To delays in the 5G rollout, more people needing connectivity than ever before, economic instability, and everything in between, 2022 was a doozy for certain sectors of the industry. But don’t get us wrong, there were more highlights than low p...
Jan 17, 2023•28 min
