Fixed Wireless Access Has Become a Bright Spot During COVID-19

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) has risen in prominence over the past year, in no small part due to the effects of COVID. Mobile Experts has just released a new report forecasting significant growth for Fixed Wireless Access connections through 2026.

FWA services grew almost 20% yearly to over 80 million in 2020—Mobile Experts sees that number rocketing to almost 200 million by 2026. 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 takes 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 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 mm-wave 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," commented Principal Analyst Kyung Mun. 

This report includes 41 charts and diagrams, including a five-year forecast illustrating the growth of the market for infrastructure and customer premise equipment and fixed wireless access connections by technology. Key details such as technical breakdowns, equipment revenue, and market shares are included.

About Mobile Experts Inc.: 

Mobile Experts provides insightful market analysis for the mobile infrastructure and mobile handset markets.  Our analysts are true Experts, who remain focused on topics where each analyst has 20 years of experience or more. Research topics center on technology introduction for radio frequency (RF) and communications innovation.