Autonomous & Continuous Spectrum Monitoring & Network Intelligence

Spectrum eXperience Management – SXM

24/7 network intelligence & analytics at your fingertips.

Autonomous, continuous spectrum monitoring & network intelligence, delivering a richer characterization of spectrum usage with actionable insights at a fraction of the cost.

From mobile networks to regulatory oversight, SXM delivers unmatched insights for dynamic RF environments. Trusted globally, SXM transforms spectrum management with real-time intelligence, ensuring your network stays ahead of interference and demand.

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SXM addresses diverse spectrum management needs:

Real Solutions for Real Use Case Challenges

Wireless Networks Infrastructure Analytics

Comprehensive monitoring and analysis of wireless network infrastructure provide clear visibility into performance, enabling operators to identify weaknesses and make informed, data-driven decisions for planning, optimization, and troubleshooting.

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Spectrum Bands Utilization

Comprehensive insights into spectrum usage patterns over time, identifying underutilized and congested bands, enable managing and optimizing the spectrum efficiently and fairly.

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Spectrum/Channel Occupancy

Real-time monitoring and analyzing the utilization of spectrum bands and channels and their patterns. This optimizes spectrum allocation, minimizes interference, improves network performance, and enhance user experience.

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Interference Detection & Analysis

Continuous monitoring and analysis of RF environments enable operators to detect, investigate, and mitigate interference across networks and regions. This improves service quality, enhances reliability, and supports efficient spectrum management for critical operations.

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Cross Border Interference Detection

SXM provides real-time monitoring to detect and manage cross-border interference, ensuring seamless communication and spectrum harmony between neighboring regions for regulatory compliance and efficient resource use.

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Illegal Transmission Detection

SXM provides insights into illegal transmission detection by monitoring and identifying unauthorized transmissions. This enhances network security, ensures regulatory compliance, prevents disruptions, and protects network integrity.

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License Compliance & Enforcement

Real-time monitoring of spectrum usage, detecting unauthorized activity, and generating reports for regulatory compliance audits. This ensures regulatory compliance, prevents penalties, and enhances network security.

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Competitive Network Intelligence

Unparalleled insights into competitive intelligence by analyzing competitors’ network strategies and performance. This enables informed decision-making, development of differentiated services, stay ahead in the market, and maximize market opportunities.

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thinkRF Spectrum Management and Spectrum Insights Use Case - Spectrum Utilization

CBRS Monitoring

CBRS Monitoring ensures optimal Citizens Broadband Radio Service performance by tracking signal strength, spectrum usage, and interference, helping operators maintain reliable, high-quality connectivity across networks (this applies all types of shared spectrum services globally).

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Real-Time Spectrum Analysis (View)

For those accustomed to traditional real-time spectrum analysis, SXM offers a unique and simplified approach, allowing users to analyze the RF environment from anywhere, just as they would remotely.

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Indoor RF Testing

SXMGO enables continuous, multi-band RF monitoring across enterprise buildings, factories, data centers, and secure facilities. Its portable, all-in-one design supports flexible indoor deployment without complex setup, enabling efficient data collection across multiple wireless technologies.

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Mobile Drive Testing

SXMGO delivers continuous, GPS-synchronized, multi-band RF data collection across vehicle, backpack, and mobile survey scenarios, providing real-world coverage insights and interference intelligence for cellular and other wireless services.

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Tailored for Every Spectrum Stakeholder

Industries We Serve

SXM empowers diverse industries by delivering actionable spectrum insights tailored to their unique needs. From optimizing performance for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to ensuring secure, reliable connectivity for Private Network Operators (PNOs) and enabling compliance and cross-border coordination for Regulators and Policymakers, SXM transforms spectrum management. Whether managing interference, enhancing user experiences, or maintaining regulatory standards, SXM provides the tools and intelligence needed to thrive in a connected world.
thinkRF Spectrum Management and Spectrum Insights market - mobile network operators - MNOs

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)

Enhance network performance, manage interference, and optimize spectrum allocation with real-time insights, delivering consistent user experiences across dynamic, high-demand mobile environments.

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Private Network Operators (PNOs)

Ensure reliable connectivity, enhance network security, and optimize resource allocation for tailored private networking needs in enterprise, industrial, and mission-critical applications.

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Regulators and
Policymakers

Support regulatory compliance, manage spectrum efficiency, and enable cross-border coordination with tools that maintain national standards and encourage fair competition in wireless communication.

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Spectrum experience management

Proven Increase in Spectrum Experience

Spectrum Intelligence
in network efficiency
efficient interference management
cellular transmission detection
24/7
continuous network insights
regulatory compliance
resource & time savings
reliable & accurate data
more & deeper insights
OpEx
savings

Why SXM is Different

Discover why SXM stands out as the ultimate solution for spectrum management. With unmatched efficiency, real-time insights, and scalability, SXM empowers organizations to optimize performance, ensure compliance, and stay ahead of industry challenges.

SXM Promise

All-in-One
Platform

Comprehensive capabilities in one system.

Autonomous Operations

Hands-free, 24/7 monitoring.

Scalable Deployment

Adapts to all environments – urban, rural, and cross-border.

Real-Time Insights

Immediate, actionable intelligence.

SXM identifies sources of interference, helping regulators locate and mitigate disruptive signals, crucial for maintaining uninterrupted public and commercial communication.

Characterize, optimize & protect vital RF networks with real-time actionable insights

Spectrum Insights from thinkRF

thinkRF SXM Platform

  • Continuous monitoring
  • Characterize competitive RANs
  • Integrates with existing data
  • RAN quality & load monitoring
  • Interference detection
  • Real-time reporting
  • Enables proactive decisions
  • Report changes in RANs
  • Detect unlicensed RANs
  • Support for unlicensed & private bands
  • Identify spectrum sharing
  • Identify spectrum squatting


Crowdsource Method

  • Continuous monitoring
  • Characterize competitive RANs*
  • Integrates with existing data
  • RAN quality & load monitoring
  • Interference detection
  • Real-time reporting
  • Enables proactive decisions
  • Report changes in RANs
  • Detect unlicensed RANs
  • Support for unlicensed & private bands
  • Identify spectrum sharing
  • Identify spectrum squatting

* partial

RF Drive Test Method

  • Continuous monitoring
  • Characterize competitive RANs
  • Integrates with existing data
  • RAN quality & load monitoring
  • Interference detection
  • Real-time reporting
  • Enables proactive decisions
  • Report changes in RANs
  • Detect unlicensed RANs
  • Support for unlicensed & private bands
  • Identify spectrum sharing
  • Identify spectrum squatting


Frequently Asked Questions

Explore how SXM is transforming the way telecom regulators, mobile operators, and private network operators monitor and manage spectrum with real-time actionable network insights.

PLATFORM OVERVIEW

thinkRF SXM (Spectrum eXperience Management) is a cloud-based spectrum intelligence platform that delivers continuous, autonomous visibility into wireless network activity and the RF spectrum environment. It combines hardware nodes deployed in the field with a cloud analytics engine, multi-layer AI analytics framework, and a unified dashboard to provide real-time insights without the need for manual intervention, site visits, or multiple independent tools.

SXM provides continuous, real-time visibility into both cellular network activity and the broader RF environment. It detects and demodulates 2G, 3G, 4G (LTE), and 5G NR downlink transmissions up to the PDSCH, extracting key 3GPP parameters such as cell IDs, operator identifiers, frequency bands, and MIMO configurations.
SXM also delivers comprehensive spectrum analytics: channel occupancy, license band utilization, wideband spectrum views, interference characterization, noise floor monitoring, and rogue signal detection. Signal quality metrics (including RSRP, RSRQ, and SINR) are continuously tracked, providing a clearer and more consistent view of network performance over time.
By combining protocol-level decoding with continuous RF monitoring, SXM delivers a complete view of both signal presence and spectrum behavior enabling users to understand how efficiently spectrum is utilized, how it evolves over time, and where interference or performance issues arise.

A single SXM subscription gives access to the full capability suite on a unified platform:
• 3GPP Network Analytics – real-time decoding and monitoring of 2G/3G/4G/5G NR base stations
• Interference Management – detection and characterization of interference sources
• Rogue Base Station Detection – identification of unauthorized or spoofed base stations
• Spectrum & Channel Occupancy – Displays channel usage and spectrum occupancy across frequency bands
• Spectrum Viewer – both remote and on-site visual inspection of spectrum activity for desk-based and field analysts
• Automated Event Notifications – real-time alerts on detected spectrum or network changes. There is no separate procurement for each application. Customers subscribe to the applications they need and can add others at any time, all running on the same hardware and available through the SXM dashboard.

TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES

SXM supports 2G, 3G, 4G (LTE), and 5G NR. Detection applies to any base station operating on a supported frequency band, regardless of operator or deployment type including public networks, private LTE/5G NR deployments, and shared-spectrum environments such as CBRS.

The base SXM model detects transmissions across FR1 bands, covering frequencies up to 8 GHz. For deployments requiring extended frequency coverage, custom models are available: up to 27 GHz and FR2 bands up to 40 GHz.
Contact thinkRF to discuss specific deployment and frequency requirements.

Yes. SXM detects any LTE or 5G NR base station transmitting on a supported frequency band, whether it is a public operator network or a private deployment.

Yes. SXM identifies and characterizes unlicensed transmissions within its detection range, flagging signals that do not conform to expected parameters for the monitored bands. These detections can be correlated over time to identify persistent or intermittent unauthorized activity.

SXM continuously monitors 3GPP identifiers including cell IDs, operator codes, frequency bands, and transmission parameters and cross-references them against a known baseline. When an unknown transmitter appears, or when a known identifier is observed with anomalous characteristics (unexpected location, frequency mismatch, parameter deviation), SXM raises an alert and sends a notification to users. This autonomous, continuous comparison eliminates the need for manual review and enables near-real-time detection of spoofed or rogue base station activity.

The detection range depends on the RF environment:
• Urban environments (dense buildings, high-rises, vehicles, mixed terrain): typical node radius of 2–3 km, covering approximately 15 km².
• Rural and open environments (borders, open terrain, line-of-sight conditions): typical node radius of 10–15 km, covering approximately 300 km².
Because the RF environment is dynamic, these are indicative ranges based on thinkRF’s operational deployment experience. Actual coverage is influenced by terrain, building density, antenna height, and local propagation conditions. thinkRF works with customers to plan optimal node placement based on their specific monitoring objectives.

Node density depends on the environment. As a general guide: in urban deployments, you can expect coverage radius of approximately 2 – 3 km (15 km²) per node. In rural or open terrain, a single node may cover up to a radius of approximately 15 km (300 km²). For an actual network deployment, a coverage planning exercise is recommended.
Coverage can extend significantly further depending on terrain, antenna height, and line-of-sight conditions.

SXM nodes are designed for passive RF monitoring in real-world deployment conditions, with sensitivity optimized for detecting downlink transmissions from macro and small cell base stations across supported frequency bands. For detailed sensitivity specifications and link budget analysis relevant to your deployment, contact thinkRF directly.

SXM is designed primarily for licensed cellular spectrum monitoring. Detection of signals on unlicensed bands depends on the frequency range of the deployed node model. Contact thinkRF to discuss specific unlicensed band monitoring requirements.

SXM monitors only the broadcast, unencrypted downlink portions of cellular transmissions. In most jurisdictions, because this information is broadcast and available to any device with a receiver, it is considered publicly accessible. SXM does not intercept user data, voice, or encrypted content. Customers operating in regulated environments should verify local compliance requirements.

DEPLOYMENT & INSTALLATION

Permanent installation is suited for continuous, long-term monitoring of a fixed area. Recommended locations include rooftops, pole-mounted positions at or near ground level, and indoor environments positioned near a window to ensure adequate RF signal reception and backhaul connectivity.
Portable installation supports periodic monitoring across multiple sites. A tripod mount is recommended, with suitable locations including balconies, rooftops, and secure ground-level positions.
Mobile (vehicle-based) monitoring places the node in or on a vehicle for drive-based, dynamic coverage. In this configuration, both the RF input and GPS antennas should be mounted on external magnetic mounts for optimal reception. Note that the outdoor SXM node must be pre-configured for external antenna use before mobile deployment.

SXM nodes connect to the cloud platform via LTE cellular and Ethernet. LTE provides flexible, standalone connectivity for deployments where fixed infrastructure is unavailable. Ethernet is used where wired backhaul is preferred or required. The appropriate connectivity method is configured based on deployment environment and customer requirements.

SXM nodes are designed for resilience. If backhaul connectivity is interrupted, the node continues to collect and buffer measurement data locally. When connectivity is restored, data is automatically synchronized to the cloud platform. No human intervention is required.

Yes. SXM nodes include local storage to buffer measurement data during periods of connectivity loss, ensuring no data gaps during temporary outages. Data is synchronized to the SXM Cloud once connectivity is re-established.

SXM nodes are self-recovering. On power restoration, the node automatically powers on, initializes its operational state, resumes measurements, and reconnects to the SXM Cloud without requiring any manual intervention or on-site support.

thinkRF provides a local access application for scenarios where connectivity to the SXM Cloud is unavailable such as in air-gapped environments, remote sites, or during site commissioning. The local access app enables operators to view live spectrum data and node status directly from the node, independent of cloud connectivity. This is particularly relevant for defense, government, and critical infrastructure deployments with strict network isolation requirements.

SXM hardware is engineered for long-term field deployment. The thinkRF hardware warranty program handles the full hardware lifecycle including warranty coverage, replacement of faulty units, and ongoing firmware and software updates throughout the subscription period. Customers are not responsible for hardware obsolescence management.

DATA & ANALYTICS

Two options are available:
SXM Dashboard (GUI) – a web-based interface providing real-time visualization, historical analysis, and data export in CSV format.
SXM API – a full-featured API included with every subscription, enabling programmatic access to raw and processed data. The API can be integrated into customer data centers or third-party platforms to combine SXM data with other data sources for richer insights.

Yes. SXM supports data ingestion from external sources through coordination with thinkRF on data format and integration approach ensuring compatibility with the existing data workflows. This enables customers to combine SXM spectrum data with drive test results, network management system outputs, or other RF data for unified analysis.
Contact thinkRF to discuss your specific integration requirements.

SXM provides multiple visualization modes through the dashboard, including spectrum maps, time-series views of signal parameters, channel occupancy overlays, and network topology displays. Spectrum Viewer, available as an add-on application, provides a dedicated remote visual inspection layer for analysts working from a desk or operations center.

SXM retains customer data for three years supporting long-term trend analysis and historical comparison. Data can also be exported at any time via the GUI or API for local archiving or integration into other systems.

SXM applies machine learning and automated analysis to continuous spectrum data streams to go beyond raw measurements. This includes autonomous anomaly detection (flagging deviations from learned baseline patterns), automated event classification (distinguishing interference types, rogue activity, and network changes), and trend analysis for capacity planning and spectrum utilization reporting. The goal is to surface actionable insights automatically without requiring analysts to manually review hours of spectrum data.

Yes. SXM supports configurable event notifications delivered by dashboard alerts and email. SMS notification capability will be available in a future release. Alerts can be tuned to specific events, new base station detection, interference threshold breaches, rogue activity, and other monitored parameters.

Node density depends on the environment. As a general guide: in urban deployments, you can expect coverage radius of approximately 2 – 3 km (15 km²) per node. In rural or open terrain, a single node may cover up to a radius of approximately 15 km (300 km²). For an actual network deployment, a coverage planning exercise is recommended.
Coverage can extend significantly further depending on terrain, antenna height, and line-of-sight conditions.

SXM nodes are designed for passive RF monitoring in real-world deployment conditions, with sensitivity optimized for detecting downlink transmissions from macro and small cell base stations across supported frequency bands. For detailed sensitivity specifications and link budget analysis relevant to your deployment, contact thinkRF directly.

SXM is designed primarily for licensed cellular spectrum monitoring. Detection of signals on unlicensed bands depends on the frequency range of the deployed node model. Contact thinkRF to discuss specific unlicensed band monitoring requirements.

SXM monitors only the broadcast, unencrypted downlink portions of cellular transmissions. In most jurisdictions, because this information is broadcast and available to any device with a receiver, it is considered publicly accessible. SXM does not intercept user data, voice, or encrypted content. Customers operating in regulated environments should verify local compliance requirements.

CLOUD, SECURITY & DATA SOVEREIGNTY

Yes. SXM is delivered as a cloud-based managed service hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS), a globally trusted, enterprise-grade platform with strong security, compliance, and reliability credentials, enabling scalable deployments and centralized access to all monitored locations. Data is protected using industry-standard encryption and access controls, with deployments aligned to regional requirements through geographically appropriate hosting.

SXM data is stored within thinkRF’s secure cloud infrastructure. For deployments where regulatory, national, or operational requirements mandate that data remain within a specific country or region, thinkRF supports regional data center configurations. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Customers with specific data residency requirements should engage thinkRF directly to define a compliant deployment architecture.

The default SXM deployment is cloud-based, offering the full benefits of a managed service including automatic updates, elastic scalability, global access, and reduced IT burden. For customers with specific requirements around data isolation, air-gap compliance, or sovereign deployments, thinkRF supports private cloud as a custom configuration based on customer requirements and scope. Contact thinkRF to discuss.

The customer owns all data collected by their SXM deployment ensuring full control, visibility, and governance over their spectrum intelligence data. Each SXM deployment operates as a segregated, secure instance, ensuring that only the customer can access, view, and manage their data. There is no data sharing between customers, and all data remains isolated within the customer’s environment.

COMMERCIAL & SUBSCRIPTION

A subscription is tied to the defined set of SXM applications. Subscriptions are typically structured as multi-year agreements (3 or 5 years), and includes software & security updates, as well as Software support. Contact thinkRF or a local thinkRF partner to define a subscription aligned to your coverage area and use case requirements.
Subscriptions can be expanded over time to include additional nodes or application capabilities without requiring changes to the underlying hardware platform.

Yes. While multi-year subscriptions are the standard delivery model, thinkRF offers flexibility for customers with different financial structures. For customers who prefer a capital expenditure (CAPEX) approach, perpetual licensing options may be available. Contact the thinkRF sales team to define a commercial model that aligns with your technical, operational, and financial requirements.

Yes. thinkRF offers short-term rental deployments of the full SXM platform for specific initiatives including interference investigations, regulatory trials, event monitoring, or temporary coverage requirements without a long-term commitment. This provides cost-effective access to the full SXM capability suite for defined project periods enabling rapid deployment for time-bound initiatives without long-term commitment.

Yes. thinkRF offers a Proof of Concept (PoC) program that allows customers to deploy and evaluate the full SXM capability suite in their own environment, at a discounted price relative to a full commercial subscription. PoC engagements are scoped to specific customer objectives and regions, enabling validation of performance, data quality, and use case fit under real-world conditions before making a large-volume or long-term commitment.

A legacy spectrum management stack requires separate hardware, software, integration, and support for every function: 3GPP analytics, interference management, rogue detection, channel occupancy, drive testing, and more. Each tool carries its own vendor relationship, procurement cycle, and ongoing maintenance overhead.
When all costs are aggregated over five years hardware, software licenses, system integration, cloud and IT operations, staffing, and maintenance a traditional multi-tool stack typically costs up to 60% more than a comparable SXM deployment, depending on scale. Beyond hardware cost savings, the larger gap lies in operational burden: the IT overhead of maintaining multiple platforms, analyst time spent correlating data across disconnected systems, and field technicians required for manual monitoring tasks that SXM automates through continuous autonomous operation.

SXM is designed to operate autonomously, monitoring spectrum 24/7 with minimal ongoing involvement from engineers, technicians, or IT staff. In a typical deployment, one operator can manage what would otherwise require a team of five or more people using legacy tooling covering RF analysis, platform maintenance, and field operations. The result is approximately 80% reduction in time spent on spectrum management tasks and approximately 40% lower operational expenditure compared to traditional approaches, depending on deployment scale.

COMPETITIVE DIFFERENTIATION

Drive testing provides a periodic snapshot of network conditions along a route, at a point in time, using a mobile device. It requires a technician, a vehicle, and a planned route and the data is stale by the time it’s analyzed.
SXM provides continuous, autonomous monitoring from fixed or semi-fixed positions, 24/7, without requiring a technician. It captures events that drive tests miss entirely including intermittent interference, short-duration anomalies, network changes that occur between scheduled test runs. SXM also covers spectrum characteristics that drive test tools don’t address such as channel occupancy, license band utilization, rogue base station detection, and wideband RF environment monitoring. Drive testing tells you what the network looked like on a route; SXM tells you what the spectrum environment is doing, continuously, everywhere you have nodes.

Crowdsourced data is collected passively from end-user devices during normal use. It reflects the user experience on a specific device, on a specific operator’s network and at a specific moment, subject to device variability, operator network configuration, and the limitations of consumer handsets.
SXM is a dedicated, calibrated monitoring platform purpose-built for continuous, infrastructure-level spectrum monitoring. It operates independently of any single operator’s network, measures raw RF parameters using purpose-built hardware, and captures signals across all operators simultaneously. It also monitors spectrum behavior that crowdsourcing cannot: interference sources, unlicensed transmissions, unauthorized base stations, and physical spectrum occupancy. SXM provides objective, infrastructure-independent data; crowdsourced data reflects subjective, device-dependent user experience.

Phone-based tools use consumer devices to collect network measurements. They are inherently limited by the device’s receiver hardware, restricted API access to baseband parameters, and operator-specific visibility. They cannot see signals outside their own active connection, cannot detect non-cellular RF interference, and cannot characterize wideband spectrum behavior.
SXM uses scanner-based hardware with a dedicated wideband RF front-end, providing visibility across all operators, all bands, and the full RF environment simultaneously. It captures signals at the physical layer not through a consumer OS abstraction and operates continuously without requiring a human to carry or operate a device enabling persistent, unattended monitoring. For professional spectrum monitoring, regulatory compliance, interference management, and security applications, scanner-based monitoring is categorically different from phone-based tooling.

SUPPORT & OPERATIONS

Yes. All hardware firmware updates, software platform updates, and feature releases are included as part of the SXM subscription. thinkRF manages the full update lifecycle, so customers do not need to plan or execute updates independently.

thinkRF provides ongoing technical support as part of the subscription, including hardware warranty coverage, remote diagnostics, troubleshooting support, and access to the thinkRF support team. For enterprise and government deployments, dedicated support tiers are available.

If an SXM network is already operational in your region, you can subscribe immediately and begin receiving insights without any infrastructure deployment. If coverage is not yet available in your area, contact thinkRF to discuss deployment timelines and configuration options. For project-based or PoC engagements, thinkRF will work with you to scope and deploy a tailored configuration.

Ready to Get Started With Total Spectrum Management?

thinkRF SXM is a proven spectrum monitoring solution backed by over a decade of expertise in spectrum analyzers and spectrum monitoring.

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* SXM is partially funded by the Government of Canada Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.