With the rising demand for the Internet, fixed Wireless Access to the Internet might be the inevitable replacement of wired broadband in the future. The FWA is available in both license and non-license spectrums, therefore the likes of fixed network operators, mobile network operators, and converged operators can take advantage of it. FWA presents a future that has the potential to bridge the gap between Internet users and those who can’t access the Internet due to geographical limitations. This post is all about understanding FWA, its advantages, and disadvantages.
What is FWA?
FWA is an innovation that utilizes point-to-point connection through radio waves to provide internet connectivity like wired broadband. Since it uses 4G, and 5G spectrum to offer data transfer, therefore its speeds are almost similar to fiber broadband. The FWA will also work on 6G in the future.
Advantages of FWA
The primary advantage of FWA lies in providing connectivity without wire laying which can be expensive. A major income of the service provider is spent on wires which often requires permission from the local authorities.
FWA can offer significantly high download speeds at par with fiber connectivity. Fixed Wireless Access can be provided on the 5g spectrum which allows the massive bandwidth to be delivered at low latency.
Due to its connectivity without the need for wires, FWA can be extremely vital during mission-critical operations. FWAs can be excellent backup to the traditional wired line connectivity.
Disadvantages of FWA
Limited Radio-frequency Spectrum.
Upon equal comparison in an ideal scenario, Fiber Internet is likely to provide better latency and more speeds without data loss than the FWA Internet.
FWA is location-specific just like the wired broadband connection. Therefore, once you move out of that particular location, you cannot access the Internet through FWA.
FWA can have variable signal strength depending on the weather conditions, unlike a fiber or even Copper wired broadband connection which is weatherproof. Fibre connectivity provides more reliable and consistent performance.
While FWA does not require the laying down of wires in your area, it does require a clear line of sight between the signal broadcasting station and the subscriber unit (located usually at the roof of the customer). Therefore, establishing a clear connection can be challenging if there are existing trees, hills, or other obstructions.
As of now, FWA may have more latency compared to fiber connectivity however, this may not be the case in coming years due to evolving technology.
While you may enjoy sufficient download speeds in FWA broadband, this might not be the case for the uploading speeds. If you are a content creator or a business owner, who regularly needs to upload larger data files from your computer, then FWA may not be the best choice for you.
While there may not be any expenditure and maintenance related to the wires, licensing costs of the radio frequency ranges can be expensive depending on the demand of the Internet in specific areas.
