Fixed wireless access (FWA), which leverages 5G spectrum to deliver high-speed home internet without requiring fibre connectivity, is gaining steady traction. With telecom majors Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel actively scaling their broadband offerings, the technology is emerging as a key growth lever for the industry.
According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the total number of FWA subscribers rose to 6.77 million in March, up from 6.27 million in February, marking a net addition of nearly 500,000 users in just one month. This upward trend underscores the growing popularity of FWA as both an urban and rural broadband solution. Notably, TRAI began disclosing FWA-specific subscriber data only in January this year, highlighting the service’s growing importance.
FWA is currently the only consumer use case for 5G that is generating revenue for telecom operators, offering them an opportunity to scale quickly without the delays and costs associated with laying fibre. Analysts said that FWA allows telcos to immediately address markets beyond the metros, especially in regions where deploying fibre is either difficult or economically unviable.
In places like Assam, for instance, Jio has tapped into demand by providing FWA services in areas with poor fibre connectivity along the Brahmaputra. As a result, rural areas now account for roughly one-third of the total FWA user base, with Reliance Jio leading the charge in these markets.
Urban deployment has also picked up pace, especially in localities where obtaining right of way for fibre has been a long-standing challenge. Both Airtel and Jio launched their respective FWA services during the second quarter of FY24, bundling high-speed connectivity with entertainment options. Plans are priced between Rs 599 and Rs 699 per month, offering higher average revenue per user (Arpu) compared to traditional mobile services.
A recent Goldman Sachs report said that Jio’s home broadband business, including fibre and FWA, contributed about 9% to its Rs 30,018 crore revenue in the fourth quarter of FY25. Jio currently serves around 18 million home broadband users, with FWA accounting for 5.6 million of those connections. Half of these additions have come from beyond Tier-1 cities, as the company pursues its goal of reaching 100 million home connections.
While Airtel’s Q4 results are still awaited, the company has consistently emphasised home broadband as a strategic focus. As of March, it had around 1.2 million FWA subscribers, as per TRAI data.
With just 41.39 million wired broadband users nationwide, household internet penetration stands at around 14%, leaving ample room for FWA to expand. Industry experts note that Indian telcos are outperforming global peers such as AT&T and T-Mobile in terms of quarterly FWA additions, thanks to the vast scale of the Indian market and faster adoption of 5G technology. Financial Express