New opportunities brought by 5G millimeter wave fixed wireless

The broadband industry’s new mission is to extend high-quality broadband service to every corner of the United States, ensuring that every household, regardless of location or economic status, has access to broadband service to participate in the 21st century economy. In fact, this is the historic electrification of the entire nation.

To achieve this important goal, the broadband industry needs to adopt a range of technology solutions. A one-size-fits-all approach will not work. Fixed wireless technology already has an important role to play and will only grow over time.

Long-distance 5G millimeter wave FWA

As broadband operators evaluate their options, it is recommended to revisit 5G millimeter wave fixed wireless access (FWA). The technology operates in the 24-28 GHz frequency band, can provide fiber-like speeds and performance, and provides a significant opportunity for fixed and mobile operators to take advantage of FWA.

Initially conceived as a dense urban solution, 5G mmWave FWA has evolved into a variety of applications, including rural ones. Innovations from Nokia have significantly increased its impact in rural areas. The introduction of a new high-gain antenna for CPE now extends the range of Gigabit broadband to more than 6 km (3.7 miles).

This new CPE is fully 3GPP compliant and can work with any 3GPP compliant radio or radio access network (RAN). The CPE consists of an outdoor unit mounted on the roof of the house and an indoor unit connected to the outdoor receiver via an Ethernet connection at 2.5 Gbps power.

Australian operator NBN recently adopted this new solution for a large-scale rural fixed wireless network upgrade. The solution will expand the existing fixed wireless coverage by up to 50%, providing fixed wireless services for the first time to approximately 120,000 eligible locations that were previously only available via satellite.

With this solution, the NBN will roll out new wholesale high-speed tiers - 100 Mbps and 250 Mbps - over ranges of up to 10 kilometres (6.2 miles).

Jason Ashton, executive general manager of fixed wireless and satellite at NBN, said: "We are facing a step change in demand for rural and regional broadband, with data demand on our fixed wireless network estimated to grow by 300 per cent over the next decade. Nokia's 5G mmWave solution enables NBN to better utilise our sub-6 GHz and 5G mmWave spectrum allocations, greatly extending the range, speeds and capacity of our existing fixed wireless network and improving the end-user experience."

More FWA innovations

Additional innovation in 5G mmWave FWA bands creates more opportunities for operators. Nokia has developed 360-degree high-gain technology that delivers very high mmWave antenna gain, cost efficiency and power efficiency.

This technology enables the CPE to capture the entire 360° environment around it, allowing the CPE to pick up any signal from any direction, utilizing the best available signal for optimal performance. This both improves potential performance by reducing obstructions and simplifies installation. The 360° self-alignment feature ensures optimal signal reception in both line-of-sight (LOS) and non-line-of-sight (LOS) conditions, regardless of whether the signal is blocked, attenuated or diffracted.

As operators evaluate a comprehensive broadband access strategy, such technological developments should encourage them to consider 5G mmWave FWA as part of that strategy. No longer limited to dense urban applications, 5G mmWave FWA can now serve semi-rural, regional and more remote areas in many markets.