Leading telecom players are likely to use fixed wireless access (FWA) technology to enter Indian homes first and then upgrade to fibre once it is available, and Reliance Jio may have an advantage in FWA deployment while Airtel may catch up, a new report stated yesterday.

According to Emkay Global, FWA would be an important part of 5G monetization because it would allow telcos to easily enter homes if priced correctly, and telcos could then upsell content, Internet of Things (IoT), and other services to improve their bottom line.

“RJio has already committed to a $25 billion investment in 5G (including $11 billion in spectrum). This also includes a $5-6 billion investment for FWA, indicating RJio’s significant commitment to another new technology,” an IANS news dispatch from New Delhi, quoting the report, said.

When it comes to preparing for FWA deployment, RJio is relatively ahead of peers due to its expanded 5G coverage, availability of better spectrum bands, improved fibre infrastructure for backhaul, in-house technology with the Mimosa acquisition, and more feet-on-the-street for acquiring homes once FWA is launched, the report said.

“Both RJio and Bharti Airtel have 3300MHz and 26GHz band spectrums that can be used to provide FWA services.

However, RJio has the expensive 700MHz band that it is using for 5G launch and that can also be used for FWA; this can help RJio offer wider coverage, better signal penetration, and extended range compared to peers,” the report explained.

Reliance Jio has deployed 5G in over 5,400 cities and towns, compared to 3,500 cities/towns for Bharti Airtel.