No single show in this guide covers the cable CPE lifecycle end to end. Here are 13 operator, aftermarket and supply chain shows that come closest, with links.
As of October 2026, none of the shows in this guide is dedicated to the complete cable CPE supply chain: the modems, gateways, set-top boxes and ONTs that sit in tens of millions of homes. The conversation is scattered across broadband operator shows, aftermarket service shows and logistics shows, each covering one slice.
That is a strange gap. Customer premises equipment (CPE) is one of the largest installed bases any industry manages. Every unit is shipped, installed, swapped, returned, tested, refurbished and redeployed, often several times. In March 2026, the FCC added foreign-produced routers to its Covered List following a national security determination, which made where CPE comes from a board-level question (FCC fact sheet). This restricts new equipment authorizations; it does not prohibit continued use of previously purchased devices.
This guide maps the shows that come closest, grouped by who listens. It is written for leaders in Aftermarket, Lifecycle Services, Product Support and supply chain roles at operators and OEMs who want to follow the conversation, or join it as a guest.
| Show | Category | Host / publisher | Format | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadband Pulse | Operator | Lightwave / Endeavor Business Media | Audio, weekly | Broadband technology, PON, operator interviews |
| Fiber for Breakfast | Operator | Gary Bolton, Fiber Broadband Association | Live video, weekly | Fiber operators and suppliers |
| Broadband Breakfast Live Online | Operator | Drew Clark, Broadband Breakfast | Live video panels, weekly | Policy, FCC and equipment rules |
| Light Reading Podcasts | Operator | Light Reading | Audio | Cable technology, operator executives |
| The Broadband Bunch | Operator | Pete Pizzutillo | Audio, weekly | Operator leaders and policymakers |
| Cable Center Podcast | Operator | The Cable Center | Audio | Cable industry history and innovation |
| Vantiva Podcast | CPE vendor | Vantiva | Audio, series | CPE strategy, DOCSIS 4.0, sustainability |
| Service Council inService | Aftermarket | Service Council | Audio, monthly | Service, parts and aftermarket executives |
| Copperberg Conversations | Aftermarket | Copperberg | Audio | Aftermarket, spare parts, circular models |
| Field Service News | Aftermarket | Field Service News | Audio and video | Field service and lifecycle operations |
| Supply Chain Now | Supply chain | Scott Luton, Karin Bursa | Audio and video, daily | Broad supply chain plus a Reverse Logistics series |
| Let's Talk Supply Chain | Supply chain | Sarah Barnes-Humphrey | Audio and video | Supply chain leaders |
| The Logistics of Logistics | Supply chain | Joe Lynch | Audio, daily | Logistics and 3PL operators |
These shows reach the people who buy, deploy and support CPE at scale. CPE appears here as a technology topic, rarely as a lifecycle or supply chain topic.
Published by Lightwave (Endeavor Business Media), Broadband Pulse publishes weekly and has passed 120 episodes. Recent guests include Broadcom's director of product marketing and operators such as Fort Collins Connexion. Its sister Lightwave podcast has hosted SCTE leadership and leaders of ACA Connects and NCTC, the purchasing cooperative for independent cable operators. Apple Podcasts · Podbean
A weekly 30-minute live video discussion hosted by Gary Bolton, president and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association. It reaches fiber operators and their suppliers, and it is the most natural home for fiber ONT and gateway lifecycle topics. Website · YouTube · Apple Podcasts
Weekly live video panels led by Drew Clark. The format brings in outside panelists, and policy is the center of gravity. That makes it the right venue for the 2026 router restrictions and what they mean for equipment already deployed in the field. Website
Light Reading covers cable technology closely, including DOCSIS 4.0 and how the DOCSIS CPE market is shifting, and runs interview series with operator executives. Acast · Light Reading
Hosted by Pete Pizzutillo, this weekly show has passed 500 episodes and is sponsored by ETI Software and VETRO. Guests include operators, policymakers and technology executives, often recorded at events such as Fiber Connect. Apple Podcasts · SoundCloud
Produced by The Cable Center, the industry's history and education institution, with episodes on technology innovation in cable. Podbean
Vantiva (formerly Technicolor Connected Home) is a CPE vendor, so its show comes closest to the topic. Its four-part FIBER series (2023) ends with an episode on CPE strategy, and a 2022 episode covers sustainability in telecoms. It publishes in short series rather than on a steady schedule. Podcast library
These shows speak to the leaders who own the installed base after the sale: Aftermarket, Product Support, Parts & Services and Lifecycle Services. They cover the economics of fielded units in depth, but not yet telecom CPE.
A monthly interview series from Service Council, with over 110 episodes since 2020. Topics include aftermarket parts, service contracts and revenue, and technician enablement. Recent guests include Syncron, Aquant, Tavant and Neuron7.ai. Apple Podcasts · Service Council
Copperberg runs a European community for aftermarket and service leaders at manufacturers. Its podcast covers spare parts, servitization and circular business models, in the vocabulary of the machine park rather than the warehouse. Copperberg
Interviews with field service and customer support leaders on uptime, service operations and the lifecycle cost of deployed units. Field Service News
These are the largest audiences in this guide, but they lean toward freight, warehousing and forward logistics. CPE fits best through the reverse logistics angle.
One of the largest supply chain shows, with about 1.4 million YouTube views and a 4.5 rating from 221 reviewers (Pod Engine). Its Reverse Logistics series, run with the Reverse Logistics Association, is the closest fit for CPE returns and refurbishment. Recent episodes have also covered digital product passports. Website · Apple Podcasts · YouTube · Reverse Logistics series
Hosted by Sarah Barnes-Humphrey since 2016, with over 600 episodes and about 1.4 million YouTube views (Pod Engine). Website · Apple Podcasts · YouTube
Joe Lynch's interview show has passed 830 episodes since 2018 and holds a 4.9 rating (Pod Engine). It openly invites logistics leaders and innovators as guests. Website · Apple Podcasts · Spotify
Each group of shows covers one part of the problem. Operator shows cover the technology, aftermarket shows cover the service economics, and supply chain shows cover moving the boxes. None treats the in-service population of CPE as one lifecycle to manage.
The topics that fall through the cracks:
The people who own these questions carry titles such as VP of Lifecycle Services, Director of Reverse Logistics, or head of Product Support. The shows reviewed here do not provide a regular, dedicated forum for the complete CPE lifecycle.
None of the shows reviewed here is dedicated to the complete cable CPE supply chain, as of October 2026. The closest episodes are Vantiva's FIBER series on CPE strategy and the Supply Chain Now Reverse Logistics series. Broadband Pulse and Light Reading cover CPE technology.
Customer premises equipment is the hardware an operator places in the home or business: cable modems, gateways, Wi-Fi extenders, set-top boxes and fiber ONTs. Operators usually own this equipment, so it forms an installed base they must track, support and recover.
The Broadband Bunch, Broadband Pulse, Fiber for Breakfast and Broadband Breakfast Live Online all feature operator executives on a regular basis.
Service Council inService, Copperberg Conversations and Field Service News focus on aftermarket, parts and service leadership at manufacturers.
The Reverse Logistics series on Supply Chain Now, produced with the Reverse Logistics Association, is the most consistent source. The Logistics of Logistics also covers returns.
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