Over 13 Million Homes and Counting: Maximizing the Promise of 5G Home Internet Service with Smart Policies

Over the past few years, a quiet revolution has taken place in the U.S. home broadband market—not on the ground, but in the air. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) delivered over 5G networks has emerged as a fast-growing alternative to traditional fixed broadband. One of the most compelling aspects of 5G FWA is its ability to deliver fast, reliable broadband without the need for physical fiber or cable infrastructure all the way to the home. This makes it an ideal solution in areas where laying last-mile fiber is cost-prohibitive, or where the only existing option is copper-based DSL. For too long, many consumers in rural, suburban, and even some urban areas, have had little or no choice when it came to internet service. With the rise of 5G FWA, that dynamic is changing. The entry of mobile operators into the home broadband market is driving new competition, expanding service coverage, and helping bring down prices for consumers. 

• Mid-band spectrum is essential for delivering the speeds and capacity consumers demand for the continued growth of FWA. That’s where the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) plays a crucial role. 
• Realizing this future isn’t just about spectrum. It also depends on efficient and predictable permitting processes for wireless infrastructure deployment. Critical wireless infrastructure will be needed to take full advantage of new mid-spectrum when it comes to market. As mobile operators upgrade existing cell sites and build out new infrastructure, delays in local permitting can become a serious bottleneck. 
• Continued progress will require smart build policies—particularly ensuring access to spectrum, streamlining infrastructure deployment, and making sure that federal broadband programs (like the $42.5 billion BEAD program) ensure there is a place for FWA.  

[Patrick Halley is President and CEO of WIA]