Why is FWA struggling indoors, and how can this problem be solved?
FWA or Fixed Wireless Access is a young technology with huge growth potential. While it allows the nation’s wireless carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to offer wireless broadband, the service quality, strength, and reliability are not the same for all customers in all areas. That means both business customers and consumers. That is a problem that needs to be solved.
One of the weak links in this story is the cost of FWA attenuation. As good as this new technology is today, the struggle indoors continues. I believe this weakness will be solved. The question is when?
How do we fix the FWA CPE attenuation problem?
The exciting part of this story is how FWA innovation has the potential to connect millions of homes and offices more quickly, easily and at a lower cost than using fiber.
However, the adoption is limited by capacity, the choice of CPE, attenuation or signal loss through distance, and obstacles like walls and windows. The problem is that some indoor CPEs suffer from weaker signal strength, which results in slower and less consistent speeds. This creates problems, including customer dissatisfaction and churn.
FWA is still young as a service and industry segment
You see, whether a business customer or a consumer, they all tend to think that since this service is in the marketplace, it is ready for showtime.
However, like any other new technology, when introduced to the marketplace, there is plenty of room for improvement. And it will get better going forward. Today, this is why today operators must limit service to areas that will provide high-quality service.
Over time, that coverage area will continue to expand, but it will take time and that means service availability is not everywhere yet.
How Solace Power helps solve FWA CPE adoption issues
A partial answer is that using hybrid or outdoor CPEs can avoid some of this attenuation. It can improve both coverage strength, speed, and quality in some areas, extending the market area.
Recently, I was briefed by senior-level executives from Solace Power about a solution to this problem. They see attenuation as one of the quietest and most costly barriers to FWA adoption. They say that as networks increasingly rely on higher frequencies, attenuation increases.
The problem this creates is that indoor CPE becomes less feasible. Solace uses through-barrier power and data solutions. This allows operators to move their 5G receiver outdoors, which solves some of the problems. This means companies and homes do not have to rewire indoors or send technicians to the site. This gives a lower cost and improved performance and reliability.
CPE equipment uses Wi-Fi to provide high-speed wireless broadband
CPE stands for Customer Premises Equipment. This is installed at a home or office to provide high-speed internet and data access using a wireless network instead of more traditional wireline, like fiber or cable.
The CPE device receives signals from a cellular base station. It converts them into a usable local network. Typically, this uses Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is an older technology that continues to improve, showing how blending older and newer technologies can solve real problems.
Can CPE be a solution for telephone and cable TV companies?
Perhaps this CPE solution could help all players including telephone companies and cable TV companies like Xfinity, Spectrum, Altice, Cox and others.
CPE can be used in either indoor or outdoor units and is a key component for delivering wireless broadband services. As we move further ahead with new technology, both new and old, this creates many new growth opportunities. It can solve real problems we face today.
Of course, anything new can also create new problems, which in turn need to be resolved. Evolution in telecommunications and wireless technology continues.
