A few weeks ago I talked about the unexpected growth that is happening with LTE for broadband. Carriers in North America are realizing it’s an ideal option for expanding coverage to rural and remote regions since the infrastructure requirements are less cumbersome and costly.
To refresh your memory, here’s what fixed broadband LTE means. It should not be confused with LTE for mobility, which is what you’re used to with your smartphone or car or whatever else is on the move. Fixed broadband LTE uses the cellular tower infrastructure and delivers it to your home via a modem (i.e. the “fixed” part).
It’s a great solution for rural users because it can be used to replace expensive, heavily capped satellite broadband service. Depending on the service provider, they may use a form of antenna attached to the home, or a home-based router.
The fact is while North Americans might be taken aback by the fixed wireless numbers, other jurisdictions around the world may not be. Many are well entrenched in deploying fixed LTE or at least ready to welcome it with open arms for very different reasons.
Take Australia for example. Fixed LTE will be widespread not because it’s mandated, but because the population is located in so many areas where it’s hard to deliver Internet services. You simply can’t run cable all over the country cost-effectively, so the fixed wireless proposition is an extremely strong one.
In red: countries with LTE
In South America, the rationale behind fixed wireless is very much tied to the regulatory environment. While many places have fixed assets in place in the form of fiber or copper ready to be turned on, it can take up to six months to turn on a landline phone for a resident. Why wait when you can run to a local cellular store to buy a fixed wireless router and get services up and running in two hours?
The upshot is fixed wireless is taking hold in many regions when it comes to residential indoor coverage, whether it’s in response to challenges with geography, governments or wait times.
And given that Cel-Fi is now approved for use in 83 countries, residents will be happy to know they can have a top-notch solution to overcome any indoor coverage issues to get the best service possible.
Could fixed LTE solve a coverage problem in your region? Tell us about it.
By the Cel-Fi Team