2023 bore witness to several pivotal milestones in the advancement of mmWave technology. It’s undeniable that the technology – which offers faster data transfer rates, low latency, and higher bandwidth compared to previous wireless technology – is gaining momentum.
Across the last twelve months, expanded deployments and new use cases for the technology drove a number of headlines, garnering the interest of operators and policy makers around the world. So, with wind in the sails, what’s to come over the coming year for mmWave Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)?
#1: The US will retain its crown
Enthusiasm in the US market for the technology remains high. Over the past couple of years, major operators have touted mmWave services as a connectivity technology with the potential to significantly improve network capacity and speed in congested urban areas. As the number of mmWave FWA deployments increases around the country, the technology will continue to drive opportunities for both businesses and consumers, such as enabling highly immersive and real-time AR/VR experiences or 8K video streaming.
Buoyed by these achievements, it’s likely that the US will continue to lead the market in 2024. As digital connectivity continues to reimagine possibilities, the reliable lower latency delivered by FWA will continue to unlock use cases. In short, 60GHZ mmWave is emerging as the perfect partner to wireline technologies by offering unmatched capacity in unused spectrum.
#2: The world no longer watches on
Now that the US has proven mmWave’s capabilities over recent years, global markets are eager to follow suit.
Asia Pacific (APAC) in particular is ready to challenge US mmWave supremacy during 2024. Countries across the region, particularly South Korea, Japan and China, have emerged as the centre of a technological race hurtling towards the next generation of connectivity. These countries have sought to develop connectivity infrastructures capable of supporting vast electronics manufacturing and ICT industries. Each market has comprehensive national connectivity strategies and action plans, supporting next-gen connectivity initiatives such as public sector investments, tax incentives and deductions, and forums for industry-government collaboration. For these reasons, the number of FWA connections in APAC is expected to more than triple by 2029, increasing its share of global FWA connections from 38% to 46%.
India’s largest service provider, meanwhile, announced the launch of its FWA service JioAirFiber, which spans eight of India’s largest cities including Delhi and Mumbai. Despite the country’s rapid growth over recent years, a reported 56% of the population regularly experience connection disruptions and speeds lower than promised or paid for. As such, the country currently only has 35 million broadband subscribers, although growth is expected. As recognised by Reliance Jio FWA offers an opportunity to quickly add new subscribers and provide high-speed connectivity across the country. In fact, Reliance Jio have recently acquired 26GHz band and plan to use it to enable higher speed tiers.
#3: Regulators recognise the importance of mmWave
Beyond growing interest and adoption, regulatory intervention will also be a driving force behind the growth of mmWave FWA this year. With capacity constraints looming in many markets and digital divides persisting, regulators are increasingly likely to govern the rollouts of next generation mobile connectivity. I expect directives aimed at requiring operators to utilise mmWave more substantially in underserved areas, as well as in meeting minimum speed requirements that are nearly impossible to attain in non-urban areas without this technology.
Despite these abilities, the picture is mixed. A number of EU institutions have continued to back FWA to plug fibre gaps, and regulation is soon expected to follow to ensure the bloc meets its ambitious gigabit goals. In the UK, however, Ofcom recently proposed making a large amount of mmWave spectrum available across the 26GHz and 40GHz bands for use of mobile technology. 60GHz FWA can deliver high-speed broadband to non-urban areas at a fraction of the cost of fibre, and reallocating this spectrum would setback bridging the digital divide in underserved communities – resulting in industry leaders urging Ofcom to proceed with caution.
Put simply, the stage is set for mmWave to fulfil its potential in 2024. Backed by clear indicators of its necessity and viability worldwide, regulators, operators, businesses and consumers alike have cause for enthusiasm. By year’s end, mmWave may well go from promise to indispensable solution.
Wim van Thillo is CEO of Pharrowtech.