From Verizon to Valley Farms: How One IEEE Leader is Automating Telecom for Small Business

Many small businesses struggle to adopt advanced wireless communication networks – essential for leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and robotics – due to a lack of in-house technical expertise. Bhaskara Rallabandi, an IEEE Senior Member with over two decades of experience at major telecom companies, saw this gap and decided to address it directly.

Rallabandi, certified by the International Council on Systems Engineering, co-founded Invences in 2023. Headquartered in Frisco, Texas, the company employs approximately 100 people and focuses on providing automated telecommunications solutions tailored for businesses often overlooked by larger providers.

A Career Building the Foundation of Modern Networks

Rallabandi’s career began in 2009 at Verizon’s Innovation Labs, where he and his team conducted early trials of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and Evolved Packet Core (EPC) technologies – the building blocks of 4G wireless broadband. He described this work as “building the first bridge between legacy and cloud-native networks,” setting the stage for the scalable architectures used in today’s 5G and 6G designs.

He continued his work at AT&T Labs, overseeing the design and testing of next-generation wireless systems, including FirstNet – the nationwide broadband network for first responders – and VoLTE, the first voice-over-video LTE service. In 2018, he joined Samsung Networks Division, leading the development of 5G virtualization and Open RAN initiatives.

Invences: Automation for the Underserved

Driven by a desire to apply his expertise to a wider range of businesses, Rallabandi launched Invences with his wife, Lakshmi Rallabandi, a computer science engineer, who serves as the company’s CEO. Invences designs, builds, and installs data centers, as well as wireless, private IoT, and virtual communications networks. The company currently serves over 50 customers globally.

Invences differentiates itself by focusing on cost-effective and simplified network architectures, rather than replicating the complex systems built for dense urban environments. Their systems integrate technologies like Open RAN, virtualized RAN, digital twins, telemetry, and advanced analytics, and some incorporate agentic AI – autonomous systems that use AI agents to manage network operations. Rallabandi emphasizes that autonomy isn’t about replacing human oversight, but about enabling systems to handle complexity so humans can focus on strategic outcomes.

One notable project is the FarmGrid platform, developed in partnership with Trilogy Networks for farms in North Dakota and Arizona. FarmGrid utilizes private 5G networks, edge computing, and AI to optimize agricultural operations, including precision agriculture and water management.

Recognized for Entrepreneurial Leadership

Rallabandi’s contributions were recently recognized with the IEEE-USA Entrepreneur Achievement Award for Leadership in Entrepreneurial Spirit, honoring his work in scaling Invences, advancing 5G/6G and Open RAN innovation, and inspiring future leaders.

Giving Back Through IEEE

Rallabandi remains actively involved with IEEE, speaking at conferences and participating in initiatives like IEEE Future Networks and its Connecting the Unconnected (CTU) program. CTU focuses on bridging the digital divide by bringing internet access to underserved communities. He also contributes to the IEEE Future Networks Empowerment Through Mentorship initiative, providing guidance to startups and entrepreneurs.

“IEEE gives me both a voice and a responsibility,” Rallabandi says. “We’re not just developing technology; we are shaping how humanity connects.”

As Invences continues to expand its reach, the question remains: how will smaller, agile companies like Invences reshape the landscape of telecommunications infrastructure and bridge the digital divide for businesses and communities often left behind?