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EVP & CFO Steve Howden attributed the improved organic growth outlook to stronger leasing activity in Nigeria and Brazil, coupled with recurring cost-saving initiatives boosting EBITDA. He explained that the 3x leverage target is considered a comfortable, risk-adjusted level for the markets IHS operates in, balancing capital efficiency with financial stability.

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CFO Steve Howden described the Rwanda business as having a ~2.05x lease-up rate with double-digit growth potential, similar to other SSA markets excluding South Africa. He outlined the company's growth algorithm: grow revenue at double digits organically, with EBITDA growing faster than revenue, and ALFCF growing faster than EBITDA. Regarding capital returns, he emphasized that debt paydown remains the immediate priority, with discussions on buybacks or dividends likely toward the end of 2025 or early 2026.

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CFO Steve Howden outlined the drivers for 2025 organic growth, highlighting an expected increase in colocations, and clarified that approximately one-third of the 2025 CapEx guidance is for maintenance. Regarding churn, he noted the previously disclosed MTN Nigeria impact but otherwise described leasing trends as positive. CEO Sam Darwish reinforced this by stating major contracts are renewed into the 2030s, ensuring strong revenue visibility.

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CFO Steve Howden acknowledged the long-term goal to reduce Nigeria's portfolio contribution to below 50%, though M&A is currently on hold. He emphasized the immediate priority is shareholder value creation. CEO Sam Darwish added that while diversification is key, Nigeria's high organic growth is a significant factor in the ongoing strategic review.

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Dave Schaeffer, Founder & CEO, reiterated the focus on high-margin on-net services, which dominate the NetCentric segment and are a key part of the corporate strategy. He explained that deleveraging will come from three areas: aggregate revenue growth returning to 6-8%, margin expansion of 200 bps annually driving EBITDA growth, and the natural reduction of leverage as EBITDA grows. CFO Thaddeus Weed clarified the leverage calculation, noting the numerator is net debt as of the balance sheet date and the denominator is historical LTM cash EBITDA, avoiding double counting.

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CEO David Schaeffer noted that traffic growth has moderated to about 8%, aligning with industry trends, due to slowing broadband adoption and video consumption growth. He expects pricing declines to remain consistent at 22-23% annually. Schaeffer stated that while tariffs create an initial shock for customers buying equipment, he does not anticipate a material impact on Cogent's business. He acknowledged that corporate customers are more cautious in the current macro environment but believes Cogent's utility-like service is resilient.

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CEO David Schaeffer explained that the NetCentric segment is currently growing and will accelerate with wavelength and IPv4 sales. He projected the corporate segment will see a couple more quarters of decline due to grooming low-margin services before returning to growth. The enterprise segment's revenue decline is expected to last longer, into early 2026, due to the complex grooming of international off-net circuits.

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CEO David Schaeffer detailed the intentional revenue shrinkage from non-core, low-margin, and bad inherited deals. He stated the core Cogent corporate business is growing around 4% annually, while NetCentric is growing about 10%. He suggested the Q2 cost of service level was a better baseline than the noisy Q3. While declining to give a specific monetization target, he expressed comfort that organic EBITDA growth and asset sales (ranking data centers as most probable) would support capital returns and deleveraging.

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Senior EVP & CFO Paul Bullington projected mid-single-digit growth for Fiber Infrastructure and a turn towards growth for Kinetic. Drew Smith, CFO & Treasurer of Windstream, noted that Uniti Solutions revenue is declining in the mid-teens but is expected to stabilize by 2028. On ARPU, President & CEO Kenny Gunderman confirmed the strength, attributing it to market pricing power and significant opportunities to upsell customers to higher speeds, with only 20-25% of the base currently on max speeds.

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President and CEO Brendan Cavanagh stated that normalizing for interest rate headwinds, a mid-to-high single-digit AFFO per share growth rate would be very achievable. He identified refinancing low-cost debt at higher rates as the biggest headwind, suggesting it will take several years to work through. He noted the next three debt maturities all have coupons in the 1% range, highlighting the significant impact of refinancing.

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President and CEO Brendan Cavanagh explained that international churn will likely remain elevated for the next few years, especially in Brazil due to carrier consolidation, which also temporarily slows new lease-up. Regarding straight-line revenue, he clarified that its negative turn is a normal function of a maturing lease portfolio and does not inherently signal anything specific about renewals, as it's an accounting reversal of previously booked non-cash revenue.

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President and CEO Brendan Cavanagh responded that while there are decommissioning fees, much of that revenue has already been recognized in prior periods, and he does not expect it to be a meaningful contributor going forward. On capital allocation, he stated that the company will likely remain in the 6.0x to 6.5x net debt to adjusted EBITDA range, driven by available investment opportunities rather than a specific target. He affirmed they would be comfortable levering up for a significant deal but expect to end the year below 6.5x.

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President and CEO Brendan Cavanagh responded that while the company is open to comprehensive MLAs if they are mutually beneficial, there is no specific push to sign more of them. Regarding escalators, he noted that they rarely change on the embedded lease base. For new leases, the company typically negotiates fixed-rate escalators on a case-by-case basis rather than using a CPI-linked structure.

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EVP & CFO Chris Stansbury explained that the strategic 'Grow' bucket's 8.5% growth is a key positive, while the 'Harvest' bucket's strength was a temporary anomaly from public sector work that suppressed the overall decline. He stated that while the business segment could pivot to growth sooner, the total company revenue growth target remains 2029, contingent on resource allocation to growth areas.

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EVP and CFO Chris Stansbury attributed the 'Grow' revenue strength to underlying demand for non-PCF dark fiber, waves, and IP as businesses prepare for AI. While he could not break down the new versus existing customer contribution, he confirmed the trend is expected to continue. Regarding the legacy disconnects, Stansbury noted some occurred in Q1 with the balance being finalized, emphasizing the actions are at worst EBITDA-neutral and likely margin-accretive.

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CFO Christopher Stansbury explained that the 'Grow' product revenue was positively impacted by the State of California PCF initiative turning up. He emphasized that the 'Grow' product category now constitutes nearly half of sales, reflecting a strategic focus on customer experience and growth products. Stansbury acknowledged that 2024 was challenged by customer disconnects but stated that the company has new initiatives to drive improvements in 2025.

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President and CEO Kate Johnson confirmed the four major tech customer stories are part of the total $8.5 billion in PCF sales, without differentiating the tranches. She stated these wins act as a 'magnet' for more business by creating an ecosystem with all three major clouds. Johnson attributed the sales uptick in IP and waves to customers recognizing the need for network expansion for AI-related workloads, noting that 'every AI strategy needs a network strategy.'

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David Watson, CEO of Connectivity & Platforms, noted the competitive landscape remains intense but highlighted encouraging early results, such as half of eligible new customers choosing the five-year price guarantee. President Michael Cavanagh added that the strategic goal is to build a loyal, lower-churn customer base prepared for a long-term competitive environment with multiple providers.

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David Watson, CEO of Connectivity & Platforms, described the competitive environment as intense but noted encouraging early signs from the new strategy, such as strong uptake of the five-year price guarantee and premium speed tiers. President Michael Cavanagh emphasized the company's urgency and strategic goal to build a more loyal, lower-churn customer base that is well-positioned for long-term, multi-provider competition.

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David Watson, President and CEO of Comcast Cable, attributed the competitive intensity to fixed wireless and ongoing fiber overbuilds, noting a slight uptick in churn driven by mobile substitution. He stated the churn increase was broad-based across segments. For mobile, he highlighted the significant opportunity in upgrading the existing broadband base, which is a key focus, while also competing for new customers with attractive 'bring your own device' and new premium plan offerings.

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CEO Adair Fox-Martin stated that Q2 churn was an anomaly due to a bankruptcy and is expected to return to the 2-2.5% range. She noted that adding new capacity is a key lever to manage churn. On xScale, she confirmed the pipeline supports a back-half loaded step-up in non-recurring revenue (NRR). CFO Keith Taylor added that NRR is projected to be ~4.5% of revenue in Q3 and rise to ~6% in Q4, underscoring the accelerating recurring revenue model.

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CEO Adair Fox-Martin stated that while Q2 churn was elevated by a specific bankruptcy, it's expected to return to the 2-2.5% range. She noted that the key lever to improve churn is adding new capacity to meet demand. On xScale, she confirmed a strong, albeit back-end loaded, pipeline for H2 2025. CFO Keith Taylor added that 85% of open and announced xScale capacity is already leased or pre-leased, and he detailed the expected quarterly progression of non-recurring revenue, confirming its lumpy nature.

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CEO and President Adaire Fox-Martin stated that Q1 saw a solid mix of deal profiles, including an increase in volume from smaller retail deals and a continued increase in large-footprint transactions. She noted that power density per cabinet is increasing for both service providers and enterprises, which is a key consideration in the 'Build Bolder' strategy and the evolution of data center design.

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CEO Adaire Fox-Martin explained that the initial focus of segmentation was on optimizing account coverage and cost-to-serve, and that the company is now focused on net new logo acquisition, particularly through the channel. CFO Keith Taylor broke down the revenue drivers, stating that Equinix anticipates increased gross bookings from higher density deals, which boosts MRR per cabinet. He expects continued net positive pricing actions and good visibility into cabinet additions throughout 2025.

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President & CEO Steven Vondran clarified the commencement delay is a minor timing issue with a single customer and not indicative of a weakening pipeline, which remains healthy. He set a year-end deadline for new efficiency targets aimed at long-term margin improvement. EVP, CFO & Treasurer Rod Smith added that the timing issue slightly lowered the full-year new business forecast to ~$160M and adjusted the U.S. organic tenant billings growth guide to "approximately 4.3%".

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CEO Steven Vondran explained that colocation competition varies by geography and that win rates are influenced by providing excellent customer service during the network design phase. CFO Rod Smith noted that while Q1 was strong, the full-year outlook remains prudent due to the timing of items like cash taxes and maintenance CapEx, as well as a potential moderation in services revenue later in the year.

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CEO Steven Vondran confirmed the long-term 2023-2027 growth guidance remains intact. He explained that the modest 2025 step-down in U.S. organic growth is due to the cadence of contracted use fees, not a softening of demand, noting a robust pipeline with a rising mix of colocations. CFO Rod Smith added that the guidance of greater than or equal to 4.3% growth is consistent with their multiyear average target of around 5% and that non-recurring Sprint churn will cease to be a headwind after Q3 2025, creating a positive inflection point for growth.

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CEO Mike Sievert identified word-of-mouth, driven by high customer satisfaction and strong performance, as the primary growth driver. COO Srini Gopalan affirmed that the 'fallow capacity' model remains the core strategy, as they continuously find new efficiencies. While the current 12 million subscriber target is based on this model, Sievert confirmed they are exploring both enhancing fallow capacity utilization and the potential for smart, dedicated capital investments for future growth.

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President & CEO Mike Sievert credited the momentum primarily to strong word-of-mouth driven by high customer satisfaction, with users enjoying average speeds of 200-250 Mbps. COO Srini Gopalan affirmed that the 'fallow capacity' model remains the core strategy, as network innovations continuously unlock more capacity. Sievert confirmed the 12 million FWA subscriber target is based on this model, but said teams are actively exploring both enhancing fallow capacity and making smart, dedicated capital investments for growth.

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CEO G. Sievert explained his strategic focus is on 'Horizon 3' opportunities, leveraging T-Mobile's assets to create new value streams around AI, 5G Advanced, and new business models. President of T-Mobile Business Group Callie Field added that FWA is a significant and growing opportunity in the business sector for primary and secondary connectivity, serving as an entry point for selling a broader portfolio of modern solutions to enterprises and SMBs.

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Executive Jon Freier reported record win share in SMRA, driven by top-ranked Net Promoter Scores. Executive Callie Field highlighted record enterprise activations and wins with customers like American Airlines and Lowe's. CFO Peter Osvaldik noted ARPU strength but pivoted to ARPA, which saw a guidance increase to 3% year-over-year growth, as the key metric reflecting deeper customer relationships.

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Interim President and CEO Daniel Schlanger stated that the company expects to achieve its initial AFFO target of $2.3 billion to $2.4 billion by the time the transaction closes. Regarding a "second leg" of efficiencies from system and process updates, he noted that while this is a focus, the company is not yet in a position to quantify the potential amount or timing of these future improvements.

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Interim CEO Daniel Schlanger responded that there has been no significant shift in the mix between colocation and amendments, just a continuation of good activity levels. He noted that increased competitive pressure among carriers is generally positive for tower investment. Regarding Sprint churn, he stated that while the company would explore mutually beneficial solutions, the expected churn level remains within the historical 1-2% annual range and is a manageable outcome.

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CEO Steven Moskowitz noted that leasing activity is driven by carriers deploying mid-band spectrum for 5G, with most revenue secured by master lease agreements, supporting the stable outlook. CFO Dan Schlanger projected the fiber business would generate approximately $250 million in positive free cash flow during 2025 while being operated as a discontinued operation.

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CFO Dan Schlanger stated that remaining greenfield nodes meet the new, higher return threshold (above the previous 6-7% range) and that colocation nodes yield incremental returns around 20%. CEO Steven Moskowitz noted that carriers are currently focused on completing their C-band overlays through 2026-2027, and Crown Castle is positioned to negotiate new agreements in about a year after executing its current backlog.

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Chairman & CEO Hans Vestberg highlighted that Verizon's key differentiator in convergence is its owner economics on both mobility and broadband, with the Frontier acquisition set to create an 'unparalleled opportunity.' EVP & CFO Tony Skiadas explained the raised EBITDA guidance reflects strong top-line service revenue growth and significant cost-saving initiatives, including AI-enabled customer care, managed services transformation, and copper decommissioning. He noted the company will remain disciplined and not chase unprofitable growth.

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CEO Hans Vestberg stated that the company has not seen any impact from immigration policy changes and that the federal government impact was isolated to wireless efficiency efforts. Consumer Group CEO Sowmyanarayan Sampath maintained the industry growth forecast of 8-8.5 million postpaid phones, noting that over half is pre-to-post migration, a segment where Verizon does not directly compete, thus limiting any potential impact.

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Consumer Group CEO Sowmyanarayan Sampath noted that 2024 was the low point for upgrades and expects a mid-single-digit increase in 2025, driven by device age and expiring contracts. CFO Tony Skiadas explained that accelerated EBITDA growth is due to strong service revenue, cost initiatives, and operating leverage. The free cash flow bridge includes this EBITDA growth, CapEx, lower interest, and higher cash taxes.

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Executive Dennis Mathew acknowledged the intense competitive environment from both telco fiber and FWA. He noted that macroeconomic pressures are driving customers toward value, prompting the launch of a new income-constrained product and a hyper-local playbook. Mathew highlighted that churn is at a three-year low and that the company is competing more effectively in markets with mature fiber overbuilders, which supports the potential for improved subscriber trends.

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CEO Dennis Mathew explained that the West faces increased fiber overbuild (now at 45%) and more fixed wireless competition. He highlighted that performance in the East is improving due to better churn management and go-to-market strategies. Mathew noted that hyperlocal pricing tests in the West have yielded a 20% improvement in sales and installs, demonstrating a new, surgical approach to winning back market share lost under previous one-size-fits-all strategies. He expressed confidence in their product suite, including multi-gig speeds and mobile bundles, to compete effectively.

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President and CEO Hamid Akhavan explained that wireless ARPU is rising as the company attracts higher-quality customers who adopt higher-priced plans. He acknowledged that accelerated customer acquisition would negatively impact near-term OIBDA, but framed it as a positive investment in profitable growth that the company is prepared to make, given its strong capital position.

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EVP and Principal Financial Officer Paul Orban identified device subsidy costs as the primary driver of the OIBDA loss. He explained that 5G MNO revenue includes intercompany charges for on-net subs, which will grow and replace external MVNO costs over time. Both Orban and President and CEO Hamid Akhavan stated that margins are expected to improve with scale, but deferred providing specific long-term targets as they are currently revising financial models based on recent positive developments.

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CEO Balan Nair advised against a simple straight-line calculation for 2025 Puerto Rico EBITDA, stating the $45 million monthly figure is a target to be reached by late 2024, with growth expected from that base throughout 2025. He expressed strong confidence in achieving positive rebased revenue growth for the consolidated company in 2025, citing momentum and strategic initiatives across all five business segments, including recovery in Puerto Rico, network upgrades in the Caribbean, and a shift to recurring revenue in the Networks business.

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CFO Scott Beasley attributed the stable copper revenue to pricing actions and the discontinuation of low-speed products. President and CEO Nick Jeffery explained that strong operational performance provides increasing strategic optionality. He noted that in a converging market, fiber is a scarce asset, and the company is considering all options, including partnerships, JVs, and M&A, as part of the review.

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CEO Nick Jeffery explained that the strategic review is an intensive, ongoing process exploring numerous value-creation options, which has prompted a delay in the investor update to potentially share more insightful outcomes. He noted that achieving 45% penetration in mature markets, despite full competition, underscores the fiber product's superiority and serves as a strong indicator of potential success across Frontier's entire footprint.

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Gregory Maffei, President and CEO, attributed the NAV discount to market factors like fewer arbitrage funds and higher borrowing costs. He stated the primary interim tool is share repurchases, while the ultimate solution is typically a spin-off and combination with the operating company. He confirmed a combination would yield synergies, including eliminating corporate overhead and creating purchasing efficiencies for GCI through Charter.

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UScellular CEO LT Therivel outlined a two-pronged approach: improving churn through retention programs and boosting gross adds with more aggressive promotions, noting early positive results from recent changes. He also emphasized the long-term importance of the enterprise segment. TDS Telecom CFO Michelle Brukwicki responded that their strategy remains focused on owning their networks and serving retail customers directly, and they are not currently considering a wholesale-centric model.

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