Revenue generated from 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services will rise from around £450 million in 2022 to £2.1 billion in 2023.

New data collected by Juniper Research said that the growth will be driven by 5G’s advanced network capabilities.

These include ultra-low delay and increased data processing to provide connectivity services that were previously unachievable with 4G technology.

FWA includes services that provide high-speed Internet connectivity through cellular-enabled CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) for uses including broadband and IoT networks.

The research has predicted that operators’ 5G FWA revenue will reach nearly £21bn globally by 2027. It identified the consumer market as the sector generating the highest revenue for operators, representing 96% of global 5G FWA revenue.

However, Juniper has warned next gen 5G operators that they must provide a compelling user proposition for FWA solutions through the bundling of services such as video streaming, gaming, and smart home security to enrich user experience and gain competitive advantage against incumbent high speed connectivity technologies, such as FTTP (Fibre to the Property).

Commenting on the research, author Elisha Sudlow-Poole said: “The benefits of FWA are now comparable with services using fibre-based networks.

“Operators have an immediate opportunity to generate revenue from broadband subscriptions directly to end users by providing last-mile solutions underpinned by their existing 5G infrastructure.”

The report also identified private networks as a key monetisation opportunity; offering superior network capabilities over 4G. Smart manufacturing, shipping ports and airports are the key use cases for 5G FWA.

Juniper’s report recommends that operators use 5G FWA to facilitate the last mile-solution by treating the relationship between FWA and fibre networks as wholly collaborative to maximise network performance and return on investment.

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5G technology has been touted as technology that could revolutionise the future of connectivity, powering everything from robotic assembly lines to smart cities.

The technology is already being utilised in the UK, after substantial £30 million funding was provided the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for a series of projects.

Previous UK Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman said at the time that the country wanted to help “innovative thinkers across Britain use their creativity to harness the power of 5G and boost economic productivity, cut pollution and congestion, and develop the next generation of entertainment.”

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