Fixed wireless access (FWA) based on 5G has the highest customer satisfaction of five technologies studied recently by J.D. Power. It beat out fiber, cable broadband, DSL and fixed wireless based on 4G LTE.
Satisfaction scores for 5G FWA ranged from 775 to about 825 on a 1,000-point scale, depending on the provider.
The other technologies with relatively high rankings were fiber broadband, which had scores ranging from 750 to about 760, based on the provider, and fixed wireless based on 4G LTE, which had scores ranging from about 725 to about 775, depending on the provider.
The technology with the lowest satisfaction level was DSL, which had satisfaction scores just slightly above 700 for providers offering the technology.
The J.D. Power report was based on data from 23,623 internet customers included in the 2023 “U.S. Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study.”
Fixed Wireless Customer Satisfaction
Respondents gave high rankings to the performance and reliability of both fiber and 5G fixed wireless. The key reason for the high satisfaction with fixed wireless was price.
Satisfaction with the cost of service ranged from about 750 to about 825 for 5G fixed wireless, depending on the provider, compared with around 700 for fiber and cable broadband. Fixed wireless based on 4G LTE also had high price satisfaction levels.
“The implications for companies like T-Mobile, which can offer this affordable alternative without cutting into other aspects of their businesses, or for a potential disrupter looking to make waves in the space, could be revolutionary,” the report said “As FWA adoption grows, companies currently in the industry and curious onlookers will surely be taking notice.”
The results echo those found by Parks Associates in January. The firm said that subscribers of FWA from mobile network operators were more satisfied with the price of service than were fiber or cable subscribers.
Urban Vs. Rural Differences
Broadband customer satisfaction also varied based on geography, with those in urban areas having the highest satisfaction level with all technologies. Urban satisfaction levels ranged from just under 775 for FWA based on 4G LTE, cable, and DSL to over 800 for 5G FWA.
Suburban respondents generally had the lowest satisfaction scores, which ranged from just over 675 for DSL to just under 775 for 5G FWA.
It’s worth noting that the report only focused on fixed wireless based on cellular technology from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. It did not focus on FWA based on other types of technology.
