Page 19 - SAMENA ELITE - Apr-June 2024

INDUSTRY UPDATES

APRIL-JUNE 2024 19
Mobily is The Best

Harnessing 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) in Africa
Middle Eastern Carrier In Africa, where traditional wired infra-

structure struggles to reach remote
areas, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
technology has emerged as a game-
changer. With the potential of 5G net-
In recognition of the outstanding achievements, Mobily stood out among top-tier works, FWA offers a promising solution
global wholesale telecoms and connectivity companies and was awarded Best to bridge the connectivity gap and
Carrier in the Middle East at The Global Carrier Awards 2023. unlock new growth opportunities. FWA,
providing wireless internet access to
homes or businesses without lay-
We are proudly serving our national and international customers through an ing fiber and cables, is particularly
agile digital infrastructure with a fully integrated value chain. suitable for Africa, offering so-called
‘last-mile’ connectivity.
5 12 FWA is emerging as a viable alterna-
Submarine Global tive to traditional fixed broadband,
POPs
Cable Systems
with 116 operators worldwide offer-
ing commercial 5G FWA services. In
4 14 Africa, 30 operators in 17 markets have
launched commercial 5G, with 14
Landing Data Equinix offering 5G FWA. However, high costs
Stations Centers Jeddah IX
for customer premises equipment
(CPE) are hindering market growth.
To address this, measures such as While 4G FWA exists, the potential of Nokia predicts that FWA adoption
Internet 9 reducing taxes on terminals are 5G FWA is far greater. 5G FWA uti- across the Middle East and Africa
Gateaways Cross 60,000 KM recommended. According to GSMA, lizes standardized architectures and (MEA) region could reach 23 million
Riyadh Dammam Fiber Networks
Jeddah Borders collaboration among stakeholders is mobile components to deliver ultra- subscribers by 2027, predominantly
important to facilitate the deployment high-speed broadband services. propelled by countries in Southern
11,000 and adoption of 5G FWA networks, However, it may face challenges such Africa. Notable strides in FWA technol-
recognizing the importance of con-
Towers nectivity for Africa's digital economy. as interference from natural elements ogy, such as successful trials of 4G/5G
like trees, snow, or rain, requiring
FWA network slicing in Kenya and
Business
According to Ericsson, FWA leverages smaller cell sizes and increased infra- initiatives in Senegal aimed at estab-
mobile networks to provide primary structure costs. Additionally, backhaul, lishing digital education ecosystems
broadband access through mobile often reliant on fiber, can be problem- using FWA technology, underscore the
network-enabled customer premises atic in areas without fiber availability, potential of FWA to bridge the digital
equipment. This technology is favored necessitating potentially expensive divide in Africa. However, challenges
by operators as it allows them to microwave or satellite links as alter- like the pace of 5G network rollout,
utilize existing mobile infrastructure, natives. spectrum availability, and operator
while end users benefit from services marketing and pricing strategies will
like video streaming, entertainment, South Africa currently stands as the influence FWA adoption across the
e-learning, and remote working, which primary FWA market in Africa, marked continent, with the promise of FWA in
may not be accessible or affordable by competitive pricing driven by Africa outweighing its current delivery.
through traditional fiber connections. market competition, although still not
reaching the vast potential cus- Moreover, Huawei's presence in
In Africa, where legacy infrastructure tomer base. While fiber pricing is also Africa's FWA landscape is nota-
is limited, FWA presents a practical becoming more competitive, espe- ble through its collaboration with
alternative to costly and disruptive cially in South Africa with the intro- operators like Telkom South Africa
fiber deployments. While fiber rollout duction of prepaid pay-as-you-go in deploying innovative solutions.
is increasing, FWA offers quicker and services catering to low-income Since 2014, when Telkom South Africa
more cost-effective deployment, subscribers, the adoption of FWA in launched Huawei's WTTx solution, the
providing acceptable throughput and the rest of Africa holds significant company has been instrumental in
latency for many markets. promise. extending broadband services to

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