Nov 11, 2021   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Fixed Wireless Access to Help Narrow Digital Divide

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is an effective and scalable cellular wireless option for broadband connectivity to stationary equipment that provides Internet access. Today 5G Americas, the voice of 5G and LTE for the Americas, announced the publication of a new white paper entitled Fixed Wireless Access with 5G Networks, which details how FWA might impact the broadband market with attractive opportunities for 5G based residential service in both urban and rural geographies.

Chris Pearson, President of 5G Americas, said, “5G-based FWA can help narrow the digital divide, which has become even more important since the global Covid pandemic. 3GPP-based mobile operators can bring a feasible broadband option to rural and underserved areas with rapid and efficient deployment of 5G technologies. They can take advantage of underutilized and undeployed spectrum bands to support new and increasing demand from residential broadband customers.”

5G FWA can eliminate the need for costly deployment of fixed access infrastructure while also offering significant peak download and upload rates. As 5G networks evolve, FWA solutions are expected to achieve massive scale, with 10 to 100 times more capacity than 4G networks.

Additionally, the white paper provides deployment considerations for mobile operators regarding spectrum availability of low, mid and mmWave band spectrum. It describes how physical location, small cell siting and other considerations can impact FWA and how capacity, product speeds, 5G New Radio technologies involving beamforming and high order modulation and customer premise equipment strategy will play a vital role in its rollout to customers.

Fixed Wireless Access with 5G Networks examines the following areas:

  • Fixed Wireless Access background and how COVID-19 impacts progress of FWA
  • FWA use cases
  • 5G features and capabilities that will elevate FWA in the 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) & core networks
  • Spectrum considerations with an insight into sites, product speeds, capacity, and customer premise equipment
  • Security advantages of 5G-based FWA
  • The regulatory environment around FWA

Anokhi Shah, Sr. Engineer, Systems Architecture at T-Mobile and technical work group co-leader on the paper, commented, “5G technology offers features like beamforming, multi-user MIMO and support for different numerology that aim to provide better coverage and higher throughput to users. In addition, new capabilities in 5G core such as application detection, device lock, network discrimination, network slicing and service differentiation will provide an overall robust FWA solution.”

Jatin Pikle, Member of Technical Staff at T-Mobile, and 5G Americas group co-leader, further added, “5G mobile operators are in an advantageous position to provide FWA based home broadband service by leveraging existing site and spectrum assets in conjunction with an optimal CPE deployment strategy. Additionally, new spectrum bands made available for 5G combined with advancements in the RAN and CPE capabilities will further elevate 5G FWA service driving consumer broadband adoption across different morphologies and demographics.”

About 5G Americas: The Voice of 5G and LTE for the Americas

5G Americas is an industry trade organization composed of leading telecommunications service providers and manufacturers. The organization’s mission is to facilitate and advocate for the advancement and transformation of LTE, 5G and beyond throughout the Americas. 5G Americas is invested in developing a connected wireless community while leading 5G development for all the Americas. 5G Americas is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. More information is available at 5G Americas’ website and Twitter.

5G Americas’ Board of Governors Members include Airspan Networks Inc., Antel, AT&T, Ciena, Cisco, Crown Castle, Ericsson, Intel, Liberty Latin America, Mavenir, Nokia, Qualcomm Incorporated, Samsung, Shaw Communications Inc., T-Mobile US, Inc., Telefónica, VMware, and WOM.