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Fixed wireless access
4G/5G
Is 5G FWA a way forward for Africa? Fixed wireless access (FWA) has been in the news a great deal of late. Phil Desmond asked three major names in the business of supplying FWA connectivity, along with the GSMA, which represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, to give us their view of the relationship between licensed technologies (like 4G and 5G) and FWA – and what FWA could mean for Africa.
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Rolling out a 5G (or even 4G) FWA network costs less than rolling out fibre.
F
IXED WIRELESS ACCESS (FWA) enables network operators to deliver ultrahigh-speed broadband to suburban and rural areas, a useful alternative to fibre, and one that can take advantage of the growth of 4G and 5G. But is it right for Africa? And can unlicensed spectrum technologies do a better job of delivering FWA? For the GSMA, which represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, licensed spectrum has a number of benefits in its own right. As the GSMA’s acting head of sub-Saharan Africa, Angela Wamola, told us, “Licensed
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spectrum is essential to guarantee the heavy long-term network investment that is necessary for 5G. Also, licensed spectrum enables wider coverage areas and better quality of service guarantees and has been central to the major global success of mobile services. This includes the progress that’s already been made on shrinking the digital divide.” A representative of Inseego, a
leader in 5G and IoT device-tocloud solutions, pointed out that 4G and 5G connections are a powerful gateway to local Wi-Fi connectivity and other sharedspectrum solutions that deliver high-speed wireless internet to local communities and businesses. He added, “The need for carrieranchored support and services, with enterprise security and other features, typically outweighs the
Since affordability is a key challenge, FWA is the best option for expanding fixed connectivity in the developing world and bridging the digital divide.
benefits of totally unlicensed technologies. Inseego can provide 4G and 5G solutions for all of these scenarios.” In fact, Inseego offers a full portfolio of 5G and 4G fixed wireless solutions, including devices for outdoor and indoor use cases. These devices can be deployed quickly and costeffectively to provide fast, reliable, secure broadband connectivity. Justin Colyn, chief sales and marketing officer of Comsol, a provider of enterprise-grade licensed wireless infrastructure, suggested that for most infrastructure providers, it will be a question of quality versus cost.
Special Anniversary Issue 2021
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