Bharti Airtel's CEO, Gopal Vittal, during the Q3 FY23 earnings call, provided an update about 5G Fixed Wireless Access and the aspects the company is looking into to offer FWA Services. Bharti Airtel acquired spectrum in the 26 GHz band during the 2022 auctions, and the mmWave band is used to offer FWA services.
5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is a technology that enables high-speed internet connectivity to homes and businesses using 5G wireless networks. Unlike traditional broadband solutions that use wired connections such as fiber or cable, 5G FWA leverages the 5G networks using the 26 GHz (mmWave band) spectrum to provide internet access. 5G FWA can provide around 4 Gbps kind of speeds and lower latency, which is ideal for applications such as online gaming and video conferencing. The disadvantage of FWA is the coverage or range aspect and need a higher number of deployments.
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Bharti Airtel's 26 GHz Spectrum
Airtel holds 800 MHz of spectrum across all the 22 circles in the 26 GHz band, also called the mmWave band. Typically spectrum in this band is used for offering 5G FWA services. The spectrum available at millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency bands above 24 GHz can deliver extreme capacity, ultra-high throughput and ultra-low latency.
Airtel 5G FWA
The company said it is conducting several experiments and pilots with Fixed Wireless. Still, one of the constraints or challenges is that the router cost of Fixed Wireless Access is quite high, somewhere around 180 - 200 dollars, as of today. This router, CPE (Customer Premises Equipment), is required for the customer to experience 5G FWA along with the monthly charges for the service.
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Bharti Airtel, CEO, Gopal said, the Home Pass today costs around 25 - 30 dollars, and if the company looks at the utilization rate of 30 - 32 per cent, then the cost per connected home is around 100 dollars. So the cost per connected home, considering all the scenarios, is almost double that of a fiber rolled out straight to the house today.
The company believes the costs of all this would come down gradually, and meanwhile, the company is piloting with 5G FWA and should be ready in six months.
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Airtel 5G Plus
Airtel 5G Plus services are currently live in 86 cities as of February 9, 2023. Bharti Airtel plans to expand Airtel 5G Plus services to 300 cities by March 2023 and cover all Urban areas by March 2024.
