Now that many carriers have met (or indeed exceeded) their original planning estimates for how many FWA customers they could support on their network using lower-efficiency indoor devices, we're seeing carriers add outdoor devices to their portfolio.
This shift enables two major benefits:
- Higher network capacity – more customers can be connected to the same cell tower
- Expanded addressable market – customers located farther from the tower can now be served
Both of these impacts drive increased revenue and monetisation of network assets for carriers.
Moving Outdoors Has Its Challenges
Whereas an indoor FWA device design is relatively simple – a single unit integrating the cellular modem and antennas plus a Wi-Fi access point (plus power supply and possibly battery backup), an outdoor design is necessarily more distributed.
The outdoor FWA solution requires multiple components:
- An outdoor 5G Modem (with 5G antennas)
- A power supply unit, typically located indoors
- An indoor Wi-Fi router providing broadband gateway capabilities
- A mechanism to deliver power from inside to outside
- A mechanism to transfer data between the indoor Wi-Fi router and outdoor modem
Traditionally, Ethernet and Power over Ethernet (PoE) have been used to connect these components together, but this requires physical cabling through the building envelope.
Traditional Technician-Installed Fixed Wireless Access
Outdoor 3GPP-based FWA deployments have been standard since 2012, typically requiring professional technician installation. This approach removed complexity obstacles for end users by handling site selection and cabling professionally.
As deployment volumes increased, carriers sought ways to reduce installation time and complexity. Many deployments shifted to using flat Ethernet cables, which can fit through open windows and remain in place when the window is closed. This innovation originated with technician installations seeking time efficiency, and later enabled self-installation by end users.
Flat Cabling Is Not Universal
While flat cabling is a proven and widely used solution, it hasn't achieved universal adoption across all deployments. Some challenges include:
- Not all window types are suitable for flat cable installation
- Aesthetic concerns from homeowners
- Potential weather sealing issues
- Cable damage from window movement over time
"Through Glass Power" Technology
In recent years, we've seen exciting innovations in cable-free power transfer. Building on extensive research and development, it is now possible to transmit power through a window without any physical cable connection.
This breakthrough technology uses resonant magnetic coupling to transfer power through glass, enabling truly cable-free outdoor FWA installations. The benefits are significant:
- No drilling required – preserves building envelope integrity
- Clean aesthetic – no visible cables or modifications
- Simple self-installation – customers can install without technical expertise
- Reliable operation – no cable wear or weather exposure concerns
NetComm and Solace: Partnership on Through Glass Power
NetComm, a global leader in 5G Fixed Wireless CPE, and Solace, a global leader in wireless power and data transmission, have announced a partnership to bring through-glass power technology to market.
This collaboration combines NetComm's extensive experience in FWA device design with Solace's innovative wireless power technology to create the world's first wirelessly powered, window-mounted 5G CPE.
The result is a revolutionary solution that enables carriers to offer outdoor FWA with all the benefits of superior signal quality while maintaining the simplicity of self-installation that drove indoor FWA adoption.
Looking Forward
Through-glass power technology represents a significant step forward in Fixed Wireless Access deployment. By removing the invisible barrier of the building envelope, carriers can now offer their customers the performance benefits of outdoor installation without the complexity of traditional cabling solutions.
As 5G networks continue to expand and carriers seek to maximize their network investments, technologies like through-glass power will play an increasingly important role in delivering high-performance broadband to customers everywhere.