WRAL TechWire’s Chantal Allam recently sat down with Bandwidth‘s CEO and cofounder David Morken at the company’s headquarters on NC State University’s Centennial Campus.

This is the second part in a series about the company, focusing on Bandwidth’s spinout, Republic Wireless.

Here’s what he had to say:

  • Let’s talk a little bit about Raleigh-based Republic Wireless, which you co-founded with current CEO Chris Chuang. Back in 2011, you launched it as a division of Bandwidth and eventually spun it out by 2016.

Chris is running the show over there. At Bandwidth, I maintain the responsibilities I always had. I’m not involved in the day to day. Once a quarter, I’m at a board meeting supporting Chris as chairman. Although Republic remains a customer of Bandwidth, it must be a customer on fair and reasonable terms.

  • WRAL TechWire reported that Republic Wireless recently decided to lay off almost 20 percent of its workforce as part of its strategy. Are you worried about that?

I think you should take them at face value. They had hired well in the past, and Chris is a phenomenal operator. I’ve got nothing but respect for his operating acumen, decisions about staffing levels. It’s a normal business decision done well.

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His adjustments in real time are on the merits, good for the company going forward. I don’t have anxiety at all about the decision that he made about staffing levels or the actions taken.

  • And what about the Sprint-T-Mobile merger? How do you expect it to affect Republic Wireless?

It doesn’t affect Bandwidth, but it’s good for Republic Wireless. Remember, [their] primary opportunity is relative to AT&T and Verizon. Those are the incumbents with dominant share, with the most expensive plans that are most effusive to people. Republic has a powerful founding vision to disrupt that. While Sprint is helpful as a partner, they’re weak in terms of their network and ability to keep up. Combining them with T-Mobile gives Republic strong foundation to tee up against the larger carriers.

  • So you are optimistic about the company?

I am. I’m not suggesting that’s rational. I’m a huge fan and cofounder and believer. So my enthusiasm is wild-eyed, entrepreneurial. I have an exulted sense of a future for them. They’re contribution to the next generation of wireless remains really bright as an opportunity and a future.

Raleigh’s Republic Wireless lays off around 20 percent of its workforce