APAC fixed wireless subscriptions to reach 50m by 2031, says GlobalData

Details: Manny Pham; Category: Wireless Networks; 29 October 2026; 699 views

Fixed wireless access (FWA) connections across Asia-Pacific are forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.5% between 2026 and 2031, rising from 28 million to 50 million, as operators use 5G to expand broadband access beyond fibre networks.

According to research firm GlobalData, demand for high-speed home broadband and limited fixed infrastructure in rural and underserved areas will support growth, alongside wider 5G availability and operators' expansion of wireless broadband services.

Malaysia's U Mobile and Indonesia's MyRepublic Indonesia are among the operators expanding their FWA offerings, using 5G to provide high-speed home broadband and extend coverage into new markets. GlobalData said operators are increasingly targeting households and businesses that need reliable connectivity but may lack access to fibre broadband.

GlobalData telecom analyst Kantipudi Pradeepthi said 5G would be an important driver of FWA adoption, allowing operators to provide broadband without running fibre connections to individual homes. This offers an alternative in areas where fixed infrastructure is limited or expensive to deploy.

India, New Zealand and Hong Kong are among the markets expected to see considerable growth in 5G-based FWA as operators invest in network infrastructure.
Demand is also being driven by households using broadband for streaming, remote work, online education and connected devices, alongside small and medium-sized businesses requiring connectivity for cloud applications, digital payments and video conferencing.

Pradeepthi said operators could attract customers through flexible speed tiers, suitable data allowances, plug-and-play equipment and bundled digital services. Thailand's AIS and New Zealand's One NZ are among the operators using FWA to provide broadband to homes and small businesses.

GlobalData said FWA would increasingly complement fibre broadband, giving operators another way to monetise 5G investments while extending connectivity to households and businesses that are harder to reach with fixed networks.