- Is FWA here to stay? That depends on the operator
- AT&T generally views the tech as a stopgap to keep copper customers happy until fiber arrives
- But UScellular said it's a long-term solution and hinted at big ambitions
BROADBAND NATION EXPO, WASHINGTON, DC – AT&T is ramping up its efforts around fixed wireless access this year, but doesn’t seem to have changed its mind that the tech is fundamentally a bridge to better things. However, not everyone shares the view that FWA should be relegated to a stopgap.
AT&T AVP Angela Wilkin and UScellular VP of Engineering and Network Operations Mike Dienhart offered up opposing opinions about FWA at Broadband Nation Expo on Thursday.
Wilkin highlighted AT&T’s efforts to expand its Internet Air consumer FWA product across the parts of 48 states and the operator's introduction of a business version of the tech earlier this year. However, when asked what the long-term strategy for Internet Air is, she said that “in a lot of cases, it’s a bridge” for customers — particularly those on legacy copper lines — until they gain access to fiber.
That said, she acknowledged that, at least in some areas, relief from fiber will never come. And in those few instances, customers could continue to use Internet Air.
Wilkin’s comments reiterate sentiments previously shared by AT&T CEO John Stankey.
AT&T’s viewpoint contrasted starkly with that of UScellular.
Speaking on a panel immediately after Wilkin’s presentation, Dienhart stated that fixed wireless access is “not a stopgap for us.” Why? Because “in a lot of locations, fiber will never make sense” simply because the economics of building to those areas just doesn’t work in operators’ favor.
“We see it as a long-term solution,” Dienhart said.
UScellular currently has around 134,000 subscribers on FWA service, with the majority riding on its 4G network. But Dienhart said “I would not put a ceiling on our aspiration.”
That’s a fine sentiment, but there’s one big problem: spectrum.
UScellular currently has the capability to offer hundreds of megabits per second using mid-band spectrum, Dienhart said. But spectrum — and the capacity available on it — is finite. And if UScellular doesn’t want to limit its FWA prospects, it’ll eventually need more spectrum.
If the sale of its wireless assets to T-Mobile is approved, it could gain access to a larger chunk of spectrum that way. But Dienhart acknowledged that spectrum is definitely an issue.
Since the Federal Communications Commission’s auction authority lapsed last year, there’s currently no one with the necessary authority to dole out more spectrum, he noted. “That’s a problem.”
With mobility growth slowing, operators are looking for ways to more efficiently use their spectrum and boost income. Right now, FWA is “the best solution for revenue growth,” he said. “So, we have to find solutions to extend that runway.”
Stay tuned to Fierce Network for more coverage live from Broadband Nation Expo in Washington DC this week! Catch all our stories from the conference here.