• The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) has just published its annual FWA CPE survey for 2026
• Findings point to ongoing momentum in 5G FWA services and devices at a global level.
• 5G RedCap and AI are playing a growing role, while macroeconomic pressures look set to drive up prices

Fixed wireless access (FWA) equipment vendors are reaping the benefits of ever-increasing demand for 5G-enabled customer premises equipment (CPE) as mobile operators increasingly seek a slice of the broadband connectivity services action and boost the return on their 5G investments, but global economic and supply chain trends look likely to force at least some vendors to increase their prices by more than 10% in the near future.

These are some of the key takeaways from a new report published by industry body the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), which also highlighted other key trends in the FWA tech sector.

Inflation bites 

John Yazlle, chairman of the GSA FWA Forum and head of fixed wireless access at Ericsson, said a total of 15 vendors participated in this year’s survey. Between them they shipped an estimated 20 million FWA CPE devices in 2025, up 16% compared to 2024. They also forecast a further increase to 23 million units shipped in 2026. 

Yet while momentum is growing, macroeconomic headwinds are clearly taking their toll. Indeed, 93% of respondents said inflation related to memory chip prices is having an impact, while 60% said they were affected by inflation related to factors other than components. Around a third of the respondents said they are being affected by trade and tariff barriers. 

Significantly, around two-thirds of the vendors said they would have to increase the price of their FWA CPE products by 10% or more as a result of component and inflationary pressures. Around 47% said they expect these issues to dissipate in 2027, while some 27% do not see the situation easing before 2028. 

Meanwhile, during a recent webinar to discuss the report, Yazlle noted that the latest survey also tried to gain insights into the importance and main benefits of introducing AI capabilities on FWA devices. 

“The [AI] categories that had the highest ranking were… related to connectivity and experience, both on the Wi-Fi in-home performance and experience but also on improving the 5G connectivity experience to the home,” he noted. The ability to enable new applications or services at home was ranked somewhat lower.

From a regional perspective, North America was the most active geography, accounting for 28% of the shipments from the 15 vendors in 2025. According to Yazlle, Africa is now being reported as a standalone region and was ranked second, with 21% heading to the continent last year. 

Asia-Pacific (excluding China and India), China and Europe each accounted for 10% of the shipments in 2025, followed by the Middle East and India, each with 9%, and Latin America with 3%.

5G dominates, and RedCap set for growth

In terms of other key findings from the survey, 5G is taking over from 4G in the connectivity stakes. 

5G-capable devices accounted for 60% (12 million) of the shipments in 2025, and this percentage is expected to reach close to 70% (16 million) in 2026. Yazlle also noted that almost the entire number of 5G-capable devices support 5G standalone (96% in 2025, rising to 97% in 2026). 

As for more nascent technologies such as 5G RedCap (reduced capability) – which primarily supports internet of things (IoT) connectivity – 2025 shipments reached an estimated 200,000 in 2025 and are expected to increase fourfold to 800,000 this year. 

Vaishali Purohit, market analyst at FDM CCS Insight, and research manager at GSA, remarked that, overall, the 5G market is continuing to expand: As of September 2026, 392 operators have launched 5G services. “That’s a 14% increase year on year, which highlights just how quickly 5G continues to develop and scale globally,” she said.  

Of these, around 276 operators across 116 countries have launched a 5G FWA network. “This highlights not only the global reach of the technology but also how widely operators are prioritising fixed wireless as part of their 5G strategies. Compared to other 5G use cases, operators are moving quickly to deploy and monetise fixed wireless access, reinforcing its position as one of the most practical and commercially viable applications of 5G today,” explained Purohit.  

She further noted that this momentum is being supported by a steadily expanding device ecosystem. 

“As of now, 366 indoor and outdoor 5G fixed wireless CPE models have been announced. Importantly, this includes 14 new models added since the end of last year, demonstrating continued vendor investment and innovation in the space,” added Purohit. 

The GSA has been conducting an annual survey on FWA CPE shipments since 2021 in order to provide insights into a market that it believes was previously somewhat opaque and undocumented. Although annual results are not always comparable because of changes in sample sizes and participating companies, the idea is to offer an insight into market trends. 

Yazlle said a total of 15 vendors participated in this year’s survey, “and we estimate that this is a significant representation of the market for 3GPP-based fixed wireless devices”. The companies that responded were Askey, BEC Technologies, Changhong, Megatower/Da Ta Technologies, Gemtek, GreenPacket, Huawei, Jaton Technology, Shenzhen Jointelli, Netcomm, Tozed Kangwei, Vantiva, WNC, YaoJin Technology, and Xiamen/Four-Faith Communication Technology.

One company set to reap the benefits of increasing demand for 5G FWA CPE is Inseego, the wireless broadband technology specialist that has just completed the acquisition of Nokia’s FWA CPE unit, an M&A deal that was first announced in April this year.

- Anne Morris, Contributing Editor, TelecomTV