New 5G FWA and satellite-based Internet services are biting chunks out of US cable and fibre markets. Meanwhile new data reveals that FWA and satellite substantially lag fibre and cable when it comes to home connectivity quality. Ironically, consumers may not need fixed multi-gigabit services but ISPs do need to deliver the right broadband and Wi-Fi quality, reliability, and consistency to all networked devices in all the right places.
New 5G fixed wireless access services by – among others – T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon are taking market share from cable and fibre-based ISPs as triple-play shrinks to single-play. Consumers are churning to 5G FWA or even satellite offerings that are usually much slower but also more affordable with low switching costs. But are such shifts in market dynamics sustainable in the long run?