Fixed-Wireless Access

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)

Reach unconnected segments and addressing market demands in early 5G deployments

FWA (Fixed Wireless Access) is not a new concept and often used as a substitute to wireline connection in the last-mile.

The enhanced connectivity provided by 5G NR (New Radio) and 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) improves it’s economics and provides operators with tools to address market demands that were economically unfeasible previously. The relevance of FWA is more significant in the 5G Era, as it is likely to be a notable use case for many early 5G deployments.

The GSMA will assess the market potential and economic benefits of 5G fixed wireless access.

FWA will enable operators to reach unconnected segments to provide advanced connectivity and services to subscribers with legacy wireline infrastructure.

FWA can also be used to address IoT (Internet of Things) use cases that are not necessarily mobile. To exploit the market potential of FWA to the fullest, operators and the mobile industry should ensure interoperability and scale for cost economics of FWA by adopting 3GPP specifications.