Fierce Wireless

5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is the top-ranked 5G use case among consumers globally—as long as it performs as well as current broadband services, according to new research released by Nokia.

The research, conducted with Parks Associates, shows that 76% of respondents regard FWA as the most appealing use case overall, with 66% saying they would subscribe to 5G FWA if the cost was the same as their current broadband service and it delivered the same or better quality.

And speeds appear to matter. Parks Associates reported way back in 2015 that fully one quarter of Americans who switched to a new ISP "did so in order to obtain a faster service at a comparable price."

And that’s why Verizon’s 1 Gpbs pledge for fixed wireless is so important. The 1 Gbps speed is rapidly becoming the de facto residential broadband gold standard, and Verizon is promising that it can reach that benchmark wirelessly. You have to admit that’s pretty impressive; G ...read more

And, as a recent report from Parks Associates noted, consumers are increasingly drawn to the simplified pricing offers in prepaid. The firm said that “currently postpaid carriers are starting to explore new value-added services such as bundled entertainment packages as new upsell options,” according to a release.

Also in its report, Parks Associates reported that only 39% of mobile subscribers have made a plan change in the past 12 months, typically either a plan upgrade or ...read more

Parks Associates reported last year that 60% of respondents in a survey valued a rewards program for being a loyal customers, third only to the ability to roll over unused data (66%) and free access to Wi-Fi hotspots (65%) as “very important” when considering a new service provider.

"The U.S. mobile service market has grown intensely competitive over the last three years as growth in new smartphone subscribers tapers off," Harry Wang, Parks' senior director of research, said ...read more

"Smart home products and service providers are looking for mass market channels for distribution," said Harry Wang, senior director of research at Parks Associates, via email. "U.S. carriers' consumer reach through their retail stores and marketing machine, along with their ability to bundle services together, can be attractive asset to the smart home industry. If Sprint can bundle Amazon Prime membership with its wireless service plans, carriers can bundle smart home services a ...read more

"The U.S. mobile service market has grown intensely competitive over the last three years as growth in new smartphone subscribers tapers off. U.S. operators have ramped up incentives to lure subscribers from competitors and encourage their own to stay longer—their game plans have switched gears from ARPU growth to churn management," said Harry Wang, Parks' senior director of research, in a prepared statement. "The migration away from a two-year contract has made service switchin ...read more

Wi-Fi and other connective technologies will shackle the growth of mobile data revenues in the U.S. for at least the next few years, Parks Associates predicted.

The market research firm said worldwide mobile data revenues will grow from $386 billion in 2015 to $630 billion in 2020, with much of that growth occurring in the Asia/Pacific region. But growth in Western Europe and North America – particularly in the U.S. – will be much slower, Parks said, as consumers turn to non ...read more

"The mobile entertainment era is in prime time," said Harry Wang, director of mobility research at Parks Associates in a press release trumpeting the promotion. "With growing adoption of bigger-screen smartphones and LTE-enabled tablets, American consumers are spending more time for entertainment on mobile platforms than ever."

From the article "Sprint Offers Monthly Access To Amazon Prime, But At A Higher Rate Than Amazon Charges" by Colin Gibbs.