Emerging Trends in Telecom Access Technology

5G SA – Making Fixed – Wireless Access a Reality

Cellular radio technology is always evolving, but 5G Standalone (SA) introduces a foundational architectural shift with its Service-Based Architecture (SBA). This shift focuses on modular, API-driven network components, setting the stage for increased competition in the core network and moving away from static, point-to-point connections. The flexible architecture inherent in 5G SA supports a transition to software-based approaches. Per the GSMA’s vision, the 5G SA architecture is pivotal for the evolution toward 6G and beyond. The incremental uplift of 5G SA will be largely driven by Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), leveraging Wi-Fi routers in homes with 5G backhaul to provide broadband access.

Reasons 5G SA is ideal for FWA include:

• Higher and More Consistent Speeds: SA unlocks the full capabilities of 5G—including low latency, enhanced uplink performance, and improved scheduling.
• Better Network Efficiency and Capacity: By employing a true 5G core, SA enhances spectral efficiency and resource management, enabling operators to accommodate more FWA users within the same spectrum.
• Quality-of-Service (QoS) Guarantees: SA facilitates advanced QoS and traffic prioritization, which are crucial for offering tiered FWA packages, such as premium speed tiers.

This FWA trend is particularly noticeable in the U.S. For example, Charter, Comcast, and Altice USA collectively added 886,000 mobile lines in Q1 2025 by operating as MVNOs, capturing 18% of the total U.S. mobile industry’s gross additions. In parallel, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon added approximately 935,000 new FWA broadband customers in Q2 2025,  while U.S. cable companies reported a loss of more than 400,000 broadband subscribers, underscoring that mobile and broadband operators are “eating each other’s lunch.”

Satellite-based Networks

Historically, satellite communication required expensive specialized handsets, such as Irdium and Thuraya handsets. The iPhone 14, launched in 2022, was pioneering in embedding satellite support directly into a flagship smartphone without external hardware, offering emergency SOS via satellite and later SMS services. Since then, major smartphone brands such as Samsung and Google Pixel have also introduced support and partnerships with satellite providers. These partnerships are proprietary both technically and commercially. With the goal to create better scalability for using satellites for standard mobile device communications, 3GPP introduced Non-Terrestrial Network Direct-to-Cell (NTN D2C) in their Release 17 standards. NTN D2C utilizes satellites, typically situated in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), to transmit cellular signals, allowing devices to connect as they would to terrestrial towers, with satellites either acting as a repeater or a ‘base-station’ in the sky.

Although initially serving supplemental coverage needs—like SMS and emergency messaging in areas devoid of cell towers—the service is going to evolve with the addition of voice and data services. Potentially, within the next few years even into a feasible alternative to traditional cellular and broadband networks in rural areas.

Commercial agreements illustrate this market’s potential, adopting both direct-to-consumer and indirect business models through partnerships with mobile operators. Starlink targets direct consumers and has partnered with several mobile carriers globally, such as T-Mobile, and has made the Direct to Cell (D2C) service available in over 100 countries. Similarly, AST SpaceMobile has entered into agreements with Vodafone and other major operators.

Wi-Fi – Evolving Offloading Capabilities

Wi-Fi Offloading, or “Rightloading” as we would prefer to call it, is nothing new. Aptilo Networks, acquired by Enea in 2020, was a pioneer in this area, authenticating users to the operator’s secure Wi-Fi network leveraging SIM-credentials. Wi-Fi Offloading is more relevant than ever before in the 5G era driven mainly by three main challenges:

• The higher frequencies in 5G make it even more challenging and expensive to achieve indoor coverage using outdoor base stations.
• Video dominates mobile traffic — roughly 75%on average and is still growing in many countries. (Enea’s traffic management solution can also reduce the load from Video by 20% for the traffic remaining on the cellular network).
• For the next five years, mobile network traffic is expected to grow 10X faster than the mobile operators’ revenues.

All these factors build up to a perfect storm for mobile operators globally, they need to find cost-effective high-capacity indoor coverage, this is why “Rightloading” as a term, is a better reflection of the current situation. Wi-Fi 6, 6E, and 7 versions significantly improve upon previous iterations, presenting a viable alternative to private 5G, Small Cells and DAS solutions. Wi-Fi 7 introduces capabilities to operate on both 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands simultaneously for optimal device performance.

Although the GSMA through their 3GPP specifications advocate for Wi-Fi traffic to be backhauled to the mobile core, 90% of Enea’s Mobile Network operator customers prefer local traffic breakout for offloading.