Bridging the digital divide between rural communities and more densely populated areas is a frequently debated topic with regards to the commercial viability of high-speed broadband network expansion into remote and low-density areas. Covering the last mile via cable or fibre to premises is often viewed as costly with perceived barriers including the distance between the roads where the cabinets are and the premises. Satellite or xDSL alternatives are thought to lag behind in terms of latency and speed, respectively.
FWA is considered one of the key 5G use cases by the industry and many proponents also believe it can unlock the connectivity coverage objectives many regions have set for decades. As such many argue rural communities to be a great use case for FWA and a viable alternative. This, however, relies on the assumption that mobile networks, including standalone 5G, indeed cover a 100% of households, including those in remote and rural areas, in a given market. Meanwhile, a study commissioned by the EU raises concerns over further rural-urban digital divide as the continent seems to predominantly deploy urban-centric 5G rollout.
Another FWA use case is in the scenario of decommissioning of copper lines which have for a long time served as the traditional technology in many parts of Europe (including Germany and the UK). This would allow operators to accelerate the provision of faster speeds. Industry specialists have argued that offering FWA in such instances could act as an interim solution to bridge the speed gap until sufficient fibre was laid out to offer FTTH. This would ultimately also allow operators to repurpose the FWA network for their mobile services again.
Finally, FWA is argued as a viable route for a mobile-only operator with existing infrastructure to enter the fixed-line market without the need for much additional investment.
Comentarios