There’s a digital divide in America, a virtual line separating those with access to high-speed broadband service from the more than 21 million Americans in rural areas and inner cities who still lack access to this essential service. (Source: Bloomberg) Although the line is virtual, the digital divide is very real. Those with broadband internet access are able to live, work and thrive in the 21st century; those without broadband access cannot.
The recent pandemic’s shift to home-based schooling and work proved that broadband access has become as vital as electricity for every American, no matter where they live or what their income level is. This is why the U.S. government has invested $65 billion in an effort to bring broadband access to all Americans.
One affordable and realistic way to achieve this goal is through the deployment of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) broadband networks for rural, urban and business users. By eliminating the “last mile” cable build between internet service providers (ISPs) and customers, 5G FWA can quickly provide underserved areas with multi-gigabit broadband service over the air. In places where cables or fiber remain yet to be installed – or cannot be affordably installed and maintained on an economically viable basis – 5G FWA is a cheaper, faster and fiscally sound alternative.
This is particularly true in urban areas. By replacing the last mile cable to homes with 5G, operators can avoid the cost of digging expensive ditches and laying cables. In a typical urban environment, delivering broadband access via 5G FWA is up to 40% less expensive than its cabled alternative. Broadband operators can also utilize 5G base stations for both FWA and mobile services, thus saving CAPEX on both sides. And unlike past mobile technologies such as LTE and 3G, 5G will support the same speeds and stability provided by wired solutions—which is especially important and cost effective for rural communities.
When it comes to 5G FWA connectivity equipment, Samsung is a proven FWA market leader and experienced infrastructure partner. That’s because Samsung played a pioneering role in the world’s first commercial 5G FWA network launch in 2018 in support of Verizon's 5G Home Internet service to consumers. Since then, the company has been part of many successful 5G network launches across the United States.
The right technology for the job
Since 2018, Samsung pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions for wireless broadband operators, including chipsets, radios and core equipment. Through its commitment to research and development, Samsung is now leading the charge to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio – from fully virtualized RAN (Radio Access Networks) and core equipment to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. Worldwide, Samsung is currently providing 5G network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users.
When it comes to 5G FWA deployments, Samsung can provide wireless operators with complete end-to-end FWA solutions. They are built upon Samsung’s reliable and affordable Compact Macro radio solutions, which deliver last mile connectivity between the network and customers. Samsung's CognitiV RAN Planning and Optimization tools help operators select the best mounts/placements for Compact Macro installations to ensure optimal performance. As well, the company’s Massive MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) Units provide reliable signal reception/transmission through the use of multiple antennas to support single 5G radio transceivers.
For example, to deliver 5G FWA service in suburban/urban areas, rugged Compact Macro base stations are installed on utility poles in targeted areas. These devices use beamforming to improve mmWave radio signal power and performance, thus enhancing overall signal strength and broadband speeds for subscribers.
In rural and remote areas where distances are much greater and subscriber densities are lower so you can use Samsung’s 5G-Ready CBRS (Citizens Broadcast Radio Services) Massive MIMO radio solutions for wireless last-mile deployments. Allocated by the FCC in a radio-frequency spectrum from 3.5GHz to 3.7GHz, CBRS is an efficient transmission system for economically delivering FWA service to consumers using either 4G or 5G.
Opportunities abound for 5G FWA
With national 5G coverage now becoming reality in the United States, now is the time for operators to deploy 5G FWA service. The public is ready for it, the media is talking about it and the people in charge of finances can be sold on 5G FWA due to the tremendous long-term revenue potential.
Rural and remote areas are natural targets for this technology; operators deploying 5G wireless in these markets can offset the cost of these expansions by capturing a whole new subscriber base via FWA. And because the internet is a central part of Americans’ lives, these subscribers will stick with 5G FWA service once they’ve signed up for it – because the only cost-comparable alternatives are DSL and satellite-delivered internet, which maxes out at 25Mbps.
Whether over 4G or 5G, Samsung’s CBRS and mmWave FWA solutions make it possible for regional carriers to offer wireless broadband to these users right now. This is why Mercury Broadband has signed a deal with Samsung and t3 Broadband to roll out CBRS-enabled FWA in the American Midwest.
Under the deal, t3 Broadband will provide Mercury Broadband with Samsung’s latest CBRS solutions, including the company’s powerful 64T64R Massive MIMO radios and CDU50 baseband units. These units will be implemented at more than 500 FWA sites across Mercury Broadband’s network in Kansas, Missouri and Indiana, before expanding to additional states through 2025. The result will be unparalleled broadband access for rural/remote Americans who have spent too long on the wrong side of the digital divide.
Business is also a natural market for 5G FWA services because existing wired infrastructures are having trouble keeping up with ever-growing broadband demand. This is true even in the most urbanized and modern of locations.
A case in point: Samsung and systems integrator Amdocs are deploying a CBRS-based FWA network across Howard University’s campus in Washington, D.C. – a city where one would expect wired broadband access to be all-encompassing. But it isn’t. This is why Howard University, along with their IT consultant partner WAZ Wireless, have chosen Samsung and Amdocs to serve the campus and its 6,000 students with a private CBRS network. It is being provisioned using Samsung RAN solutions, including 5G-ready 4T4R CBRS radios.
A call to action
Just like the earlier revolutions of cellular telephone deployment and worldwide adoption of the internet, 5G FWA is a technological movement that will once again transform the public’s way of life. It has the power to bridge the digital divide at last, to ensure that everyone in America enjoys “broadband equality” – making sure that no one gets left behind in the ever-evolving cyber economy. At the same time, 5G FWA can open up new revenue streams for service providers, so that they can profit while serving the greater good.
The mobile operators, ISPs and other service providers who seize upon these truths will be the ones who grow and prosper in years to come. As a proven 5G pioneer, Samsung can help them – and you – succeed. Samsung’s 5G FWA solutions are built to bring underserved Americans into the Broadband Age, and to close the digital divide once and for all.
Find out for yourself: go to the link below and see how Samsung can help make your 5G FWA ambitions into reality. https://www.samsung.com/global/business/networks/solutions/fixed-wireless-access/.