Juniper Research forecast a jump in 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) usage by mobile operators, predicting revenue will increase from $515 million in 2022 to $24 billion by 2027.

In a report, the research company identified the consumer sector as the one which will generate the most revenue for operators, accounting for 96 per cent of its predicted total.

Analyst Elisha Sudlow-Poole noted the benefits of FWA are now comparable with fibre-based services and operators have “an immediate opportunity to generate revenue from broadband subscriptions directly to end users by providing last-mile solutions underpinned by their existing 5G infrastructure”.

Advantages of FWA include ultra-low delay and swift data processing, though a limited range for mmWave and CBRS-based services relative to other 5G spectrum has been a limiting factor, requiring base stations and customer premise equipment to be closely located.

Juniper Research asserted operators should bundle services including video streaming, gaming and smart home security into their FWA offerings to better compete with FTTP.

It cited private networks as a key revenue opportunity for operators due to the superior network capabilities compared with 4G.

Smart manufacturing, shipping and airports are also key use cases.

Juniper Research also indicated operators should use 5G FWA to provide last mile connectivity, by treating it as a collaborative effort with fibre networks to maximise performance and return on investment.

Recent GSMA Intelligence research showed 83 operators across 29 countries have launched FWA.