Bringing fixed wireless access to the masses

Today, there is a strong business case for fixed wireless access deployments, not just only in rural areas, but in urban and suburban areas as well. In this blog, Paul Baker highlights the need for fixed wireless access in new markets and introduces the reader to CommScope’s latest eBook on the subject.

FWA_eBook_CoverFixed wireless access has been successfully used for years in rural areas underserved by wireline broadband services. The distances involved the deployment of expensive outdoor consumer premises equipment (CPE) with line of sight to the cell site. Those solutions had to be installed by trained technicians, which added cost and time to a deployment. To date, these factors limited this technology’s use in urban areas.

Thanks to recent developments in LTE, CBRS and 5G wireless, broadband access and the availability of indoor, consumer installed CPE wireless is now a viable alternative to wired broadband connections in urban and suburban areas. Sub-6 GHz 5G NR wireless connectivity can provide quality 50-200 Mbps service, while 5G NR mmWave offers the potential of low latency and fiber-like speeds.

CLICK TO TWEET: Do you want to learn more about fixed wireless access? Read this blog from CommScope’s Paul Baker and download the FWA eBook today.

This means service providers can offer broadband over fixed wireless access (FWA) in urban and suburban areas in urban and suburban areas with a strong business case by using indoor broadband gateways that can be installed by the consumer. These devices, which use internal antennas, can be shipped to the consumer. All they need to do is plug the device in and they can be online in minutes. No longer is a technician required.

FWA can complement a fiber access strategy enabled by new spectrum, such as 3.5 GHz CBRS in the United States. FWA can provide an alternative to fiber to the customer’s home that can be deployed quicker and at potentially lower cost for service providers.

As FWA continues to gain momentum in the marketplace, CommScope released its latest eBook on this subject. The “Mass Market Broadband with Fixed Wireless Access Solutions” eBook highlights the benefits of FWA from rural applications to the mass market.

If you are considering FWA, then we encourage you to download the eBook.

Download the FWA eBook