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

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 Up01:27 T-Mobile Plan Price Hike04:43 FCC Upper C Band Auction07:42 Verizon BT Enterprise JV11:17 Rocket Lab Buys Iridium17:09 SpaceX AI Device Rumor19:36 Grain 800 MHz D2D Leasing26:21 Wrap Up and Holiday