Page 22 - SAMENA ELITE - July-September 2024

INDUSTRY UPDATES
22 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2024

5G to Account for Significant Percentage of All FWA CPE Shipments

New research from the Global Mobile
Suppliers Association has found that
5G will account for 42% of all fixed
wireless access customer premise
equipment shipped this year.

That proportion is up from 34% last
year, suggesting 5G is set become
the majority FWA CPR technology
next year, especially as the GSA also
found that 4G FWA CPE shipments
fell 5% between 2022 and 2023. These
numbers should be taken with a
small pinch of salt, however, since in
the equivalent report last year the
GSA forecast 5G would account for
40% of the FWA CPE market last year,
a number it has since significantly
revised downward.

“This year’s Fixed Wireless Access CPE
market survey proves beyond doubt steadily, without ever quite exploding. device shipments and installed base,”
that 5G FWA has hit the mainstream,” Based on this survey, the GSA now said Julien Grivolas, Chairman of the
said John Yazlle, Vice-Chairman of reckons shipments of FWA CPE are GSA 4G/5G FWA Forum. “This unique
the GSA 4G/5G FWA Forum. “Not only expected to grow 23% to reach 37.5 survey plays an important role in
has the growth in vendor shipments million units this year. Furthermore, providing facts and insights into the
swung firmly behind 5G-enabled CPE the geographic distribution is true state of the fixed wireless access
devices, but operators are turning to widening, with all global regions now market and how it is evolving and
FWA as the key driver for monetising well represented and India being growing globally.”
their 5G network investments. especially 5G-centric. Millimetre
wave remains very much a minority It's hard to anticipate the market size
“We see operators and vendors spectrum technology, accounting ceiling for FWA. On one hand it’s a
continue to work hand-in-hand for under 10% of all 5G FWA CPE great alternative broadband
on new innovations such as 5G shipments. technology for anywhere that lacks
standalone, Redcap, millimetre- fixed-line infrastructure. One the other,
wave and flexible self-install outdoor “The purpose of the GSA 4G/5G FWA wireless speeds and capacity will
CPEs that will support the growth Forum is to bring together the FWA never come close to that offered by
acceleration of 5G fixed wireless ecosystem and educate the industry fibre, so it’s hard to see any demand
access services globally.” about the FWA market as currently for FWA anywhere that fibre is an
there is a lack of market definition option.
The oval market continues to grow and consensus on the volume of FWA

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