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    Sam McHugh

    Research Analyst at BNP Paribas

    Sam McHugh is Head of Telecom Equity Research at BNP Paribas Exane, specializing in US and global telecoms and media, and serves as global coordinator for telecom research. He covers major companies such as Comcast (CMCSA), Frontier Communications (FYBR), and AT&T (T), maintaining a 54% success rate on analyst recommendations and an average transaction return of 6.60%, with notable calls including a +49% return on FYBR. McHugh began his analyst career at Sanford Bernstein on the European telecom research team, joining BNP Paribas Exane in 2015 and rising to Sector Head for Telecom Research in London before his current leadership role. Ranked #1 European Telecom Services analyst by Institutional Investor, he holds a Master of Mathematics from the University of York, and has built a reputation for insightful coverage and performance-driven analysis.

    Sam McHugh's questions to Altice USA (ATUS) leadership

    Sam McHugh's questions to Altice USA (ATUS) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Sam McHugh of BNP Paribas asked about the expected long-term stable market share in areas with long-tenured fiber overbuilders. He also followed up on mobile, questioning how to reconcile weakening ARPU trends with the reported improvements in customer quality.

    Answer

    CEO & Chairman Dennis Mathew stated that new go-to-market strategies are allowing them to win back share against fiber competitors, improving win-share by 20-40% in some areas. Regarding mobile ARPU, CFO Marc Sirota explained that the company is taking a 'balanced and measured approach' to maximize the overall revenue trajectory, suggesting a strategic trade-off between per-line ARPU and subscriber volume.

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    Sam McHugh's questions to EchoStar (SATS) leadership

    Sam McHugh's questions to EchoStar (SATS) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Sam McHugh asked about the wireless business, questioning if the high subscriber acquisition spending would continue in the second half of the year and whether the retail wireless business remains a core focus or if a shift to wholesale is underway.

    Answer

    Director, President & CEO Hamid Akhavan responded that subscriber acquisition spending is dynamic and dependent on market conditions, not the FCC situation. He affirmed that EchoStar remains committed to its current model, which includes both retail and wholesale components, and is not planning a strategic shift away from its retail operations.

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    Sam McHugh's questions to Cable One (CABO) leadership

    Sam McHugh's questions to Cable One (CABO) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Sam McHugh of BNP Paribas Exane questioned the company's priority between subscriber growth and ARPU, given the acceleration in customer losses and the underperformance of the FlexConnect product. He also sought clarification on whether the guidance for 'stable ARPU' was on a sequential or year-over-year basis and asked about competition from AT&T's Internet Air.

    Answer

    CEO & President Julie Laulis responded that Cable One aims to balance both subscribers and ARPU, with strategies varying by market. She clarified that ARPU is expected to remain stable sequentially for the remainder of the year. CFO Todd Koetje added that FlexConnect's launch was deprioritized for the billing system migration but will be relaunched in Q3 with more marketing support. Koetje also confirmed that AT&T is aggressive with its fixed wireless product in non-fiber markets, and FlexConnect is designed to compete directly with it.

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    Sam McHugh's questions to T-Mobile US (TMUS) leadership

    Sam McHugh's questions to T-Mobile US (TMUS) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Sam McHugh of BNP Paribas questioned what T-Mobile needs to do to improve its network perception among switchers and sought clarification on the enterprise sales restrictions within the new cable MVNO deal.

    Answer

    CEO Mike Sievert confirmed the cable MVNO deal is restricted to businesses with under 1,000 lines. President of Marketing, Strategy & Products Mike Katz explained that improving network perception is a multi-faceted effort involving advertising, customer experience, and widening their network lead. President of T-Mobile Business Group Callie Field and CEO Mike Sievert also highlighted the role of high-profile enterprise and government wins as powerful third-party endorsements.

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    Sam McHugh's questions to T-Mobile US (TMUS) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Sam McHugh of BNP Paribas questioned what T-Mobile needs to do to improve its network perception, as only 20% of switchers view it as the best, and sought clarification on whether the cable MVNO deal restricts sales to large enterprises.

    Answer

    President & CEO Mike Sievert confirmed the cable MVNO deal is limited to businesses below 1,000 lines. President of Marketing, Strategy & Products Mike Katz explained that the 20% perception among non-customers represents a massive opportunity, which will be addressed through advertising, customer experience, and widening their network lead. President of T-Mobile Business Group Callie Field added that major enterprise and government wins, like the City of New York, serve as powerful third-party endorsements that are changing perception.

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