One of the biggest advances in the quest to close the digital divide will undoubtedly be the WIFI6e that will make more raw material available for WISP deployments. This progress will be reflected thanks to the availability of a more reliable and quality internet for everyone.
What’s the next step for FWA? While we have to wait for final regulations from bodies such as FCC, there are technological games that are already prepared with the technological leap solution that promises up to 2 GB of capacity, low latency and very high availability.
Who are these players? Cambium Networks and NetPoint Antennas that have efficiently integrated outdoor WIFI6e technology for last-mile applications where backhaul will again be large.
What are the advantages? On NetPoint’s part, it was the pioneer brand in having antennas prepared in the 5.9 -7.2 GHz band, with a very low VSWR and ranges from 10 miles to 60 miles on high capacity links as shown by the integration in conjunction with the ePMP 4000 line on 5 GHz and now on 6 GHz directly with Force 4600c for long-distance subscriber alternatives. It should be noted that the tests were carried out in the spring of 2023 and so far the solution has more than 2,000 successful deployments in the rest of the world.
It is not a secret of the manufacturers that the products can exceed expectations such as the Force 4600c radio from Cambium Networks where it was designed for a distance of no more than 50 miles and the radio managed to exceed with very high expectations 70 miles in combination with NetPoint antennas and send wirelessly 1 GB. Among the considerations of this combination, it is very attractive that the solution has a very competitive price in the market, providing the possibility of continuing to install and maintain a high ROI. An impressive leap that we can undoubtedly take advantage of by saving miles of fiber deployment to carry out a radio-to-fiber transport while maintaining its low latency, as WISPs are used to saying “Install and forget”.
The most reliable solution we can find in the wireless market right now is Cambium Networks and NetPoint based on their 6 GHz lines. These solutions are available in the U.S. from WAV, the largest distributor of U.S. wireless, LTE and fiber solutions.