What is Fixed Wireless Access?

The digital divide is an ongoing, dire issue and the challenge to deliver high-speed broadband nationwide to underserved markets continues to go unsolved. Fixed Wireless Access or “FWA” is being deployed in large part to help close the digital divide and give both individuals and businesses affordable access to broadband. FWA lowers costs and expands deployment by using a local transmitter to send data to many receivers that exist in different homes or businesses. With FWA, the subscriber can get a receiver delivered to them with simple hook-up instructions. This cuts out the middleman having to lay fiber down cutting costs and time for home broadband delivery. To help stimulate FWA’s deployment, the US government has allocated money through several programs to enable the deployment of affordable broadband, including RDOF with over $20 billion set aside to help rural communities and the most recent infrastructure bill with $65 billion allocated for high-speed internet supporting everyone from large operators to small regional providers. Broadband access is increasingly being seen as a right and a necessary way to participate in today’s digital world. For subscribers, FWA will open new possibilities nationwide from enhanced access to education, stronger connections with loved ones, and better entertainment options. Companies like Samsung are jumping in to support the expansion of FWA; Samsung has been studying FWA since 2016 and unveiled the world’s first 5G FWA commercial solutions in 2018. Since then, successful worldwide FWA deployments and trials have taken place encouraging global adoption. Listen to this Networks Tech Talk episode to understand the ways FWA is opening new possibilities for citizens nationwide and why everyone stands to win from its deployment.