According to Opensignal report, adoption of fixed wireless access (FWA) technology has rapidly expanded in India since Reliance Jio (Jio) and Bharti Airtel (Airtel) launched their services in 2023. Jio operates on a 5G standalone (SA) network, while Airtel uses a 5G non-standalone (NSA) setup. Despite the difference, both operators have successfully rolled out 5G FWA services across the country.
The report mentioned that Airtel has advised that customers should choose fibre connections wherever available, noting that it plans to upgrade existing FWA users to fibre once the network reaches their area.
FWA’s key advantage lies in its ability to provide quick connectivity in new or underserved regions where fibre deployment is difficult. It allows users to access high-speed internet without waiting for extensive infrastructure rollout. Both Jio and Airtel offer plans with speeds reaching several hundred Mbps, delivering performance nearly comparable to fibre connections.
Opensignal’s analysis showed that in India and the United States, FWA has become a significant growth driver for telecom operators. The report noted that the user experience gap between FWA and fixed-line broadband in these countries is only about five percentage points. However, in other markets, FWA users experience more noticeable slowdowns during peak hours.
While fibre remains the superior option overall, FWA is helping bridge the digital divide by providing reliable, high-speed internet access in areas where fibre networks are not yet available.
