ICYMI: Leading Tech Analyst Explores Spectrum Sharing and the Military

In case you missed it – Dean Bubley, a tech industry expert and founder of Disruptive Analysis, recently authored a column on the deepening collaboration between the Department of Defense (DoD) and other stakeholders in enabling shared access to wireless frequencies. It appeared in RealClearDefense, which publishes a wide variety of military commentary and analysis.

“While license terms need to be certain enough to justify investments and manage risk, use of unlicensed spectrum and CBRS is a sign that operators can work with military sharing, even if that is not obvious from their opening negotiating position. The future spectrum world will revolve around sharing and coexistence – not just the exclusive high powered spectrum models of the past,” he said.

Bubley has been writing about spectrum issues for two decades. He is one of the leading analysts covering 5G, 6G, Wi-Fi, telco business models and regulation, and the emergence of technologies such as quantum networking and AI.

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Spectrum-Sharing and the Military

RealClearDefense

Dean Bubley

October 28, 2024

An important trend in U.S. spectrum management is the deepening collaboration between the Department of Defense (DoD) and other stakeholders in enabling shared access to wireless frequencies. Rather than outright transfer of federal spectrum to private-sector users, the future is likely to build on the model of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS), applying ever-more sophisticated sharing techniques to give optimal outcomes for both national security and commercial or societal interests.

The military controls large amounts of radio spectrum, using it for a diverse and growing set of applications. Realtime communications are central to terrestrial, airborne, naval and space forces. Multiple sensing functions – notably radar, but also signals intelligence and monitoring – are also used extensively in connection with domestic security. As recently as July, military radar systems detected Russian and Chinese violation of U.S. airspace which necessitated the scrambling of U.S. fighter jets.