Page 10 - SAMENA ELITE - Jan-Mar 2024

INTERVIEW
10 JAN-MAR 2024

1. Mr. Tang, following the initial commercial Moreover, even in regions with high fibre optic penetration,
deployment of 5G in the region, there has been such as the United Arab Emirates, where fibre home pass
a swift increase in the adoption of FWA for home rates are exceptionally high, FWA subscription contin-
broadband services, leveraging 5G technology. ues to surge, contributing to a more than 15% increase in
Compared to fibre-based home broadband overall home broadband penetration. Factors driving user
services, what would you say are the primary preference for FWA include a balance between speed and
advantages of FWA? cost, a swift and straightforward purchasing process, and
shorter contractual commitments.
Indeed, since 5G first launched in 2019, we have seen rapid
growth of FWA users. The recent data suggested there are
currently over 2.6 million in the region.

Compare with fibre, the primary benefits of FWA lie in its
rapid deployment, reduced initial costs, and a shorter
For operators concurrently expanding
period to achieve return on investment (ROI). Its com-
5G and fibre optic infrastructures, FWA
petitive pricing, seamless purchase-to-use journey, and
adequate network speeds are key factors that appeal to presents an opportunity to quickly capture
consumers. Survey reports indicate that 20% of FWA users market share during the protracted fibre
have transitioned from optical fibre services, underscoring rollout phases.
FWA's appeal even in regions with established fibre optic
infrastructure.
For operators concurrently expanding 5G and fibre
2. You've highlighted several advantages optic infrastructures, FWA presents an opportunity to
quickly capture market share during the protracted fibre
of FWA-based home broadband. In light of rollout phases. While fibre remains the superior long-
these benefits, do you view FWA as a competitor term solution for those demanding the highest quality
to fibre-based home broadband? Given the of internet access, FWA is an effective interim measure.
significant investments many countries and This dual-focus strategy has been successfully adopted
operators have made in fibre-to-the-home by tier-1 operators in Saudi Arabia and Oman, leading to
(FTTH) infrastructure, how do you envision both significant business achievements.
technologies coexisting and evolving together,
if at all possible? 3. Given that FWA home broadband and
Instead of viewing FWA and fibre as competing tech- mobile phone users share the same network
nologies, operators can strategically develop FWA in resources, what effects does this have on the
conjunction with fibre-based solutions. This harmonious network performance for regular mobile phone
coexistence leverages the unique advantages of each users? How can these impacts be minimized for
technology, allowing them to complement each other mobile users while simultaneously ensuring
effectively. By adopting a holistic approach to broadband a high-quality FWA user experience with
expansion, both FWA and fibre can cater to diverse mar- guaranteed speeds?
ket demands and geographical considerations, thereby
FWA home broadband and mobile phone users sharing
enriching the connectivity landscape with their combined
network resources can lead to reduced speeds for mobile
strengths.
users during peak times. To address this while ensuring a
high-quality FWA experience, operators should focus on
Fibre optic networks, renowned for their reliability and
network optimization and capacity planning to manage
high-speed internet access, have set the benchmark for
increased demand without sacrificing service quality.
fixed broadband services, thanks to their stability and
superior bandwidth capabilities. However, the logistical
Operators can maintain a satisfactory network expe-
and financial challenges associated with deploying fibre
rience for both FWA and mobile users by keeping the
in remote or economically disadvantaged areas ren-
Physical Resource Block (PRB) ratio below 50%. For
der FWA (Fixed Wireless Access) a compelling alterna-
higher PRB ratios, solutions include Quality of Service
tive. Telecom operators can foster synergistic growth by
(QoS) adjustments to prioritize services dynamically and
employing a hybrid approach—offering fibre services in
dynamic spectrum sharing to balance the needs of FWA
accessible regions and FWA in less reachable areas. This
and mobile users, along with adding more spectrum for
strategy enables FWA to complement fibre optic networks,
capacity.
broadening coverage significantly.
SAMENA ELITE