thinkRF at MWC 2024 Barcelona

Proactively Monitor Spectrum Boundaries

Know signal disruptions and cross border interferences before they negatively impact your bottom line.

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Do you have real-time and continuous insights into your spectrum? Are you able to identify and address potential boundary issues before they escalate?
At thinkRF, we have made it our business to monitor spectrum continuously and we frequently come across findings of concerns, particularly in regards to cross border interference.

Cross Border Interference happens regularly

What’s Cross Border Interference?

When a mobile network operator (MNO) on one side of the border either national or regulatory, transmits and their transmission leaks across to the other side of the border which is not allowed.

This is fairly common phenomena along the borders of neighboring countries.

Overlapping Boundaries

Near borders, cellular network operators jostle for position, trying to best serve the interests of their subscribers and themselves. RF transmissions don’t respect geographic boundaries though, so conflicts arise. To mitigate these issues, operators and regulatory bodies often work together to coordinate frequency bands and establish agreements to minimize interference and provide cross-border coverage. Despite this, signal disruptions and interferences still occur where you are kicked out of your own spectrum which negatively impacts your ability to service your customers. Even more frustrating, the interfering operator is making financial gains from an asset that you own and invested in.

1

Dish vs
Freedom

Dish is transmitting its signal on 600MHz band more than 6 km into an urban community in Canada, creating cross border interference on Freedom’s channels in the same band.

2

T-Mobile vs
Freedom & TELUS

T-Mobile is transmitting its signal, also on 600MHz band, into another Canadian urban community, interfering with both Freedom’s and TELUS’ channels.

3

T-Mobile vs
Rogers & TELUS

T-Mobile with a broadband (80MHz) transmission in mid-band in another urban community in Canada that is interfering with Rogers’ and TELUS’ channels in the same band.

issues with CBRS Coexistence and TDD Coexistence?

What does this mean for your customers?

Dropped calls, poor signal quality, or difficulty connecting to a network are some of the issues, not to mention incurring roaming charges. By the time carriers’ call centers receive complaints or service cancellations, it is too late. While RF drive tests can be initiated to get to the root of the problem, they are lacking continuous coverage and are slow and expensive. Quick action is required to avoid customer dissatisfaction and further loss in roaming revenues.

Dropped Calls

Poor Signal Quality

Roaming Charges

24/7 Intelligence

24/7 Continuous spectrum monitoring

Our team at thinkRF can monitor your spectrum continuously and autonomously and enable you to collect accurate, real-time and continuous data to protect spectrum and to avoid or minimize cross border interference:

  • Protect assets with proactive interference detection and location
  • Reduce customer complaints and increase customer retention
  • Increase ARPU and reduce churn by responding to competitive threats as they emerge
  • Identify how and where your competitors are sharing spectrum and infrastructure
  • Save significant operational costs by eliminating RF drive tests
full visibility to the RF spectrum

Collecting data is easy and fast

By positioning our thinkRF Spectrum eXperience Management (SXM) nodes in strategic locations, we can identify in seconds what infrastructure has been deployed by which carrier, and what technologies are being used. SXM nodes are plug ‘n play. Data collection is continuous, and it is available in real-time.

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Join the #spectrumrevolution

CASE STUDY DOWNLOAD

Spectrum Squatting Verified by SXM!

This case study proves spectrum squatting by an operator in Canada with concrete evidence. Read this case study to explore how a spectrum monitoring program was put in place continuously characterizing what infrastructure had been deployed by which operators and using what technologies.
Tip of the day: you will see which operators like Bell, Rogers, TELUS, and others are utilizing how much of their licensed spectrum!