The world of broadband connectivity is evolving, and a recent study by Opensignal has shed light on an intriguing performance gap. The gap between fixed-line and wireless broadband is not as straightforward as it seems, and it's time to dive into the details!
Opensignal, a renowned network benchmarking firm, has released a report comparing the performance and quality of fixed wireless broadband (FWA) networks to modern fixed-line networks across 11 countries. The findings reveal a significant disparity, especially in countries like the UK.
To conduct this study, Opensignal analyzed their Broadband Consistent Quality metric, which assesses various key performance indicators such as download and upload speeds, latency, jitter, packet loss, and time to first byte. These metrics are represented as percentages, indicating the proportion of users' tests that meet recommended performance thresholds.
However, the study's definition of 'Fixed Wireless Access' is limited to services operating on 4G and 5G technologies using licensed spectrum. This exclusion of wireless ISPs utilizing unlicensed spectrum, such as higher-frequency mmW mesh networks or WiFi bands, raises an important point: the results may not accurately reflect the true potential of FWA.
So, what does this mean?
The results indicate that in countries like the USA and India, where mobile operators have embraced wireless connectivity as a growth strategy, FWA networks perform remarkably well, with only a 5% difference (-5pp) compared to fixed-line. In contrast, markets where FWA remains a niche, like Brazil, the UK (-13.8pp), and Canada, exhibit larger performance gaps, with fixed-line networks dominating.
Interestingly, the study found that FWA networks experience a more significant decline in performance during peak usage times compared to fixed-line networks. While the USA and India have maintained comparable congestion curves for FWA and fixed-line, markets like the UK, Canada, Indonesia, and the Philippines face systemic bottlenecks due to limitations in spectrum availability, backhaul capacity, and overall network resources.
In the UK, FWA remains a small player in the broadband market, dominated by fixed-line networks. The expansion of multi-gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) lines towards nationwide coverage by 2032 is likely to further shrink growth opportunities for FWA.
But here's where it gets controversial... Opensignal suggests that the upcoming mmWave auction in the UK, offering higher-frequency 26GHz and 40GHz bands for 5G, could provide a boost to fixed wireless. While this may enable faster services, the focus on urban areas for 5G FWA contrasts with the rural niche typically targeted by true FWA providers.
And this is the part most people miss... The study's limitations in covering the full range of FWA networks highlight a crucial distinction. 4G/5G mobile-based FWA often lacks the specialized antenna installations and advanced features (like Static IPs) offered by true FWA networks, which can guarantee a certain level of performance.
So, what's your take on this? Is the future of broadband connectivity fixed, wireless, or a combination of both? Let's discuss in the comments and explore the possibilities!
