What I expect from Spectrum Management: All the Colors of the Rainbow and More

Confession, I was a copper guy and then glass came around and then glass got even better.

The first glass deployment I was aware of was horrible. It needed a repeater every kilometer, or in layman’s terms, every other manhole as it went about 10 miles. But then two things happened. First, Corning “blue” is a clear piece of glass, and it did not need a repeater for the whole 10 miles. Second is that instead of beam of light the glass was transmitting several different color beams all at the same time. Capacity and more importantly cost dropped significantly.

Hence why Joe Lucatorto used to say, “If talk is cheap, blame your phone company.”

And that density made it over to radio with the advances in Massive Input Massive Output (MIMO) that uses multiple antennas to provide redundancy within the transmission of the “last mile” to the phone, module, modem, or gateway (it feels weird to use the word “thing” even though I am writing about IoT).

Using spectrum sharing, the same kind of parsing is going on enabling small spectrum slices to be set up.

So, the density is available to increase, but more importantly the segmentation can enable private networks to be supported and leased by the carrier.

Perhaps I shouldn’t be talking about colors but dark fiber.

Now the enterprise can be supported separately from the carrier’s role out.

And that does two things.

• Reduces capital expenditures by the carrier.
• Increases innovation at the edge.

And with all that said, I haven’t mentioned the impact of AI at the edge as well.

So, hang onto your hats because things are moving fast and privately.

You can learn more by attending Pat Rudolph’s Innovations in Spectrum Management CBRS and Beyond session.

Learn more about the ever-evolving Internet of Things at IoT Evolution Expo 2025! This will be taking place from February 11-13, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Part of the #TECHSUPERSHOW experience, this event combines conference programming with a robust exhibit hall, networking events and other activities, promoting educated togetherness between buyers and providers of business technology products and services that are huge for the Internet of Things.