According to JCMR, 5G FWA was valued at $296 million in 2021
In a new report, JCMR market research concluded that global 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) rеvеnuе will rеасh а vаluе оf UЅ$ 21,710 billion іn 2029. FWA, which is emerging as a primary driver of new revenues for U.S. mobile operators and as a potential fix to the digital divide, was valued at US $296 million in 2021, according JCMR, and is expected to increase at a CAGR of 65.6% over the forecast period (2021-2030).
The report also indicated that North Аmеrіса, Еurоре, Аѕіа Расіfіс, Ѕоuth Аmеrіса аnd the Міddlе Еаѕt & Аfrіса as FWA market leaders.
JCMR is not the only research firm exploring the potential growth of the FWS market; ABI Research forecasts that the total number of FWA subscriptions will grow from 81 million globally in 2021 to slightly over 180 million in 2026, representing a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 17%. Consequently, ABI Research believes that global FWA Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) shipments will reach 47 million annually by 2026, with 5G FWA CPE making up the majority of shipments by the same year.
“Quickly progressing 5G rollouts in North America and Western Europe is expected to drive the 5G FWA market as operators target to offer 5G FWA to the areas where FTTH [fiber to the home] is not covered. Considering the size of the DSL user base in North America and the low FTTH penetration in Western Europe, the opportunity for 5G FWA service is significant,” ABI Research stated, adding that combined, North America and Europe will represent nearly 60% of global 5G FWA subscriptions in 2026.
“Fixed wireless access is cost-effective, and it has an advantage of time to market when you compare it to alternate solutions like building fiber or satellites,” US Cellular’s VP of Technology Strategy and Architecture Narothum Saxena told RCR Wireless News at Mobile World Congress Las Vegas. “In those terms, it’s quick [and] economical to offer to our customers.” As of September 2022, US Cellular has provided approximately 12 million households with FWA access.