Page 4 - SAMENA ELITE - January-May 2025

EDITORIAL
4 JANUARY-MAY 2025

FWA in 2025:

A Strategic

Driver of Digital

Transformation

Bocar A. BA
Chief Executive Officer
& Board Member
SAMENA Telecommunications
Council

In 2025, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) has moved which significantly reduce affordability barriers.
from being an emerging technology to a vital Meanwhile, advances like Three Component
component of national broadband strategies Carrier Aggregation have allowed multiple
across the South Asia–Middle East–North Africa spectrum bands to be combined, boosting speed
region and neighboring areas. Its expanding and reliability. These innovations show that
role in connecting people, businesses, and FWA is no longer a stopgap — it’s a long-term,
public services makes it an essential tool for scalable solution that complements traditional
governments seeking to bridge digital divides, fiber networks. Especially in areas where fiber
enable economic participation, and roll out rollout is slow or expensive, FWA is enabling
modern infrastructure in a fast and cost-effective quick and efficient broadband access that helps
manner. governments meet universal service targets and
digital inclusion goals.
The Middle East, in particular, has emerged as a
global leader in deploying FWA. Countries such as FWA is also being woven into broader digital
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, development plans. It's enabling small and
and Oman are not only expanding access but medium-sized enterprises to connect to private
are doing so in a way that brings more people 5G networks, supporting smart public services,
into the digital economy. These efforts are and powering remote education and healthcare.
closing connectivity gaps in rural areas while also These examples highlight how FWA is helping
meeting the growing demand for high-speed governments advance progress toward their
access in cities, proving that FWA can be both sustainable development goals.
inclusive and high-performing.
This year, the Elite FWA Club, led by the SAMENA
Two important developments have accelerated Telecommunications Council, has made strides
this momentum. The market now offers more in building stronger collaboration between
than 400 commercial 5G CPE models, including governments, regulators, and technology
lower-cost RedCap devices priced under $50, providers. With more national regulatory

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