T-Mobile Plan Hikes, Upper C-Band Auction Timing, and D2D Spectrum Battles

T-Mobile Plan Hikes, Upper C-Band Auction Timing, and D2D Spectrum Battles

From The 6G Podcast by Moor Insights & Strategy by Anshel Sag and Mike Dano

July 3, 2026 · 27 min · Season 6 · Episode 13

About this episode

The episode discusses major telecom and space-industry developments including T-Mobile's pricing changes and spectrum auction plans.

In episode 254 of the 6G podcast, Anshel Sag and Mike Danow discuss major telecom and space-industry developments. Sag covers T-Mobile forcing customers off older plans with roughly $4-per-line increases and potential competitive fallout, plus a Verizon–BT 50/50 joint venture combining international enterprise operations serving 3,000 customers in 180 countries with about $4B in revenue, and renewed reporting about a rumored SpaceX/xAI handheld AI device that Elon Musk denies. Danow focuses on spectrum and satellite trends: the FCC’s planned upper C-band auction next summer for 160 MHz nationwide with commercial use delayed until 2030–2031, Rocket Lab’s announced $8B acquisition of Iridium emphasizing L-band spectrum for direct-to-device services, and the FCC approving Grain Management’s plan to lease divested 800 MHz spectrum for D2D, with interest hinted from AST SpaceMobile and results due by November 5. 00:00 Welcome and Catch Up 01:27 T-Mobile Plan Price Hike 04:43 FCC Upper C Band Auction 07:42 Verizon BT Enterprise JV 11:17 Rocket Lab Buys Iridium 17:09 SpaceX AI Device Rumor 19:36 Grain 800 MHz D2D Leasing 26:21 Wrap Up and Holiday

People in this episode

Hosts: Anshel Sag, Mike Dano

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: T-Mobile, Verizon, BT, SpaceX, xAI, Rocket Lab, Iridium, Grain Management, AST SpaceMobile

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