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Home broadband users in the coming years could see higher speeds and more flexibility if they rely on wireless technology for their connectivity, a new report claims.
The government is focusing heavily on encouraging developers to install full fibre-to-the-premises technology in new and existing homes in order to meet a target of having the entire country connected to full fibre networks by 2033. However, the latest study may suggest that infrastructure to support wireless networks should also be a key priority while this work is in progress.
The report, conducted by Ovum and commissioned by mobile operator Three, forecasts that the advent of 5G connectivity could provide homes with a cheaper, more flexible alternative to fixed-lines, as well as potentially doubling the speeds the average household could receive.
It estimated that the technology could deliver speeds of 80 to 100Mbps, which compares with typical speeds of 46Mbps that customers in the UK currently obtain using traditional fibre-to-the-cabinet services.
This is still significantly below what a full fibre network could offer, as current consumer deployments are capable of speeds up to 1Gbps, and this may well improve in the coming years as networking technology advances. However, it could help bridge the gap while the rollout of this technology remains in progress.
Ovum noted that currently, just three per cent of properties in the UK use a full fibre connection, which leaves the country lagging far behind many of its international peers.
Dario Talmesio, principal analyst and practice leader at Ovum, said: "With low availability of fibre and high cost of deployment, 5G wireless becomes a viable alternative to fixed-line broadband. While the UK continues its fibre roll-out, this is a quicker and more economical way to satisfy customers’ fast-growing demand for data."
