Fixed wireless access (FWA) has risen in prominence over the past year. With FWA services surging almost 20% yearly to over 80 million in 2020, a market analysis sees that number of FWA connections would rocket to almost 200 million by 2026.
Mobile Experts released a new report forecasting the significant growth of fixed wireless access connections. Additionally, around 8-11% of FWA connections over the next five years will be served via proprietary technology primarily deployed by small operators.
"Due to COVID restrictions over the past year, many people have found themselves in need of a reliable connection from home—no matter where home is. FWA offers a much-needed substitute for addressing broadband need in underserved rural and suburban markets where other solutions are too cost-prohibitive or take too long to deploy," commented Principal Analyst Kyung Mun. "The ability to connect virtually is more critical than ever, and FWA will continue to be an innovative solution for unreached areas."
FWA equipment sales, including 802.11 based proprietary, LTE, and 5G CPE revenue, are also projected to grow from $4.0 billion this year to over $5.5 billion in 2026. Meanwhile, the proprietary equipment market, including both access point and CPE sales, is expected to stay elevated around $880 - $940 million per annum over the next five years.
"Large mobile operators will leverage LTE and 5G for FWA services, and we expect the 5G mmWave will become a key aspect of their long-term FWA plans — especially in 'fiber-rich' markets in the APAC region. That said, large and small operators will benefit from government funding to help build out hybrid fiber plus FWA networks for the next 5-10 years," added Kyung.