How, when and where can Fixed Wireless Access compete with FTTH?

The present paper compares, from a techno-economic point of view, the deployment of different broadband access technologies in four types of geographical areas which differ in terms of household density, varying from 5500 households per square kilometer to 6.5 households per square kilometer. In order to address realistic scenarios, four engineering models have been considered. Two models are based on Gigabit Passive Optical Network based (GPON-based): in the first one, poles and ducts are available and can be used to support fibre, whereas in the second one, civil engineering is required. The two other models are based on Fixed Wireless Access provided respectively by 4G and 5G infrastructures. A tool has been designed to assess the profitability of these deployments in terms of payback period over a 10 years long period of time, taking explicitly into account investment costs, operational costs and take-up rates. The final results showcase the match between the topology and the deployment model, in regard to the network costs. A full data set is provided, which makes the study adaptable and replicable. The paper then provides some answers to the following question: which technology is better suited to provide broadband access in a specific area type?