Join the GSA Research Team as they dig into the latest data, revealing the RedCap early adopters and how the vendor ecosystem is responding to the new IoT opportunities.

During this live webinar and Q&A you will learn:

• What is 5G RedCap?
• 5G RedCap Use Cases
• LTE-M and NB-IoT Status and Comparisons
• 5G Standalone and 5G RedCap Networks Status
• 5G RedCap Device Ecosystem
• New GSA initiatives to drive and support the RedCap ecosystem

The supporting presentation slides are available for download here: https://gsacom.com/paper/5g-redcap-webinar/

The post 5G RedCap appeared first on GSA.

This GSA Snapshot Webinar will draw upon a full year’s worth of GSA research to share a clear picture of the true state of 5G globally at the end of 2025.

What you will learn:

• The state of spectrum assignment/auctions around the world and the journey to 6G
• The growth in 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTN)
• The deployment status of 5G RedCap in commercial networks
• The best performing 5G operators’ speeds and ‘experiences’, including video streaming and gaming
• The switch-off of 2G/3G networks and operators’ evolution from 4G/LTE to 5G networks
• The speed of migration to 5G Standalone and 5G-Advanced
• Growing use of 5G for private networks
• The global status of 4G/5G fixed wireless access (FWA)
• Analysis of 5G chipset and device availability

Download the presentation: https://gsacom.com/paper/5g-in-review-december-2025/

The post 2025 – the year in review appeared first on GSA.

Designing the Next Generation of Fixed Wireless Access Antennas for 4G and 5G Connectivity

Link to full Insight Article here

Sponsored by Poynting Antennas
As 4G and 5G networks extend deeper into urban, suburban and rural regions, advanced Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) antennas are redefining how broadband is delivered. This article explores the research, design, and testing processes that enable robust FWA performance from 617 MHz to 7200 MHz.

A Changing Connectivity Landscape
The demand for reliable broadband has never been greater. From remote work and digital education to IoT-enabled agriculture and industry, the global reliance on high-capacity wireless networks continues to accelerate. Yet, in many regions, fibre and copper infrastructure remain economically unfeasible or physically impractical. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) bridges this gap—delivering broadband via radio links instead of cables. Its success, however, depends heavily on one component often taken for granted: the antenna system. The performance, design, and efficiency of these antennas determine how effectively FWA can serve both dense urban environments and isolated rural communities.

Research: Understanding Market and Spectrum Realities
Before design begins, FWA antenna development must start with research—mapping real-world deployment needs, available spectrum, and cost-to-performance trade-offs. At the lower end of the spectrum (617 MHz–960 MHz), extended coverage and better building penetration are achievable—ideal for rural connectivity where tower spacing is large. Higher frequency bands (up to 7200 MHz) offer higher data capacity and reduced latency for suburban and urban use cases. This balance between coverage and throughput defines the architectural decisions behind every new generation of FWA antennas. Emerging markets demand cost-effective outdoor antennas that enhance existing router performance, reduce cable losses, and maintain consistent throughput in variable weather conditions. Urban regions, meanwhile, prioritize compact, aesthetically neutral designs with precise directional control to avoid interference.

Design: From Concept to Electromagnetic Reality
The design phase converts these needs into practical engineering outcomes. It starts with concept development—selecting antenna types suited for FWA environments, such as omni-directional units for broad coverage and directional or sector antennas for high-throughput links. Modern antenna design leverages advanced electromagnetic simulation tools that predict performance under realistic conditions. These simulations assess parameters such as radiation pattern, impedance matching, and beamwidth. Materials are chosen not only for RF efficiency but also for resilience—UV-stabilized plastics, corrosion-resistant metals, and weatherproof sealing enable long-term outdoor operation.

Wireless Theory: Why Antenna Design Matters
Wireless communication relies on electromagnetic waves carrying data from transmitter to receiver. Modulation schemes like Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) embed information into the carrier wave by varying both amplitude and phase, allowing multiple bits per symbol. Even under perfect conditions, a signal weakens as it travels—a phenomenon known as Free Space Path Loss (FSPL). FSPL increases with both distance and frequency, meaning higher-frequency 5G links require more precise antenna gain and alignment to maintain stable connections. Effective FWA design compensates for FSPL through optimized gain, beam shaping, and careful alignment between transmitting and receiving antennas.

Simulation and Iteration: The Digital Testing Ground
Sophisticated 3D electromagnetic solvers now make it possible to simulate antenna behavior long before fabrication. By testing multiple prototypes virtually, engineers can iteratively refine parameters such as impedance bandwidth, isolation between ports, and overall radiation efficiency. The result is an antenna optimized not only for maximum gain but also for stability across frequency bands and operating environments. This virtual testing phase shortens development cycles and reduces costly physical re-spins.

Designing Next Generation FWA Antennas

The post Designing Next Generation FWA Antennas appeared first on GSA.

GSA partners with Opensignal to analyse the status and user experience of 4G and 5G networks and devices, expanding and enhancing the detail and scope of GSA industry reports. By integrating Opensignal mobile network experience data into GSA’s GAMBoD database, GSA Members and Associates can get a comprehensive view of not just where 5G is being deployed, but if it is delivering on its promise.

Join the GSA Research team, along with Sylwia Kechiche, Senior Director, Industry Analysis at Opensignal, where they share the latest GSA report incorporating Opensignal data on 5G experience.

What you will learn:

• 5G availability (% time) – including detail on countries based on performance
• 5G download and upload speeds – including average speed by region, plus the countries and operators with the best/worst speeds
• 5G video quality and gaming experience – including detail on countries and operators with the best experience

Download the full report: https://gsacom.com/paper/5g-experience-november-2025/

The post Global 5G Network Performance appeared first on GSA.

The GSA 4G-5G Fixed Wireless Access Forum today released the findings of its annual Fixed Wireless Access CPE market survey, revealing that FWA CPE vendors expect shipments to accelerate, growing 26% in 2025. Globally, 5G FWA is increasingly the norm, with, for the first time, over half the world (4 out of 7 regions) reporting that over 50% of FWA CPE shipments in 2024 were 5G-enabled. This marks a significant change since last year’s survey, where only US and India reported 5G-enabled FWA CPE shipments of over 50%. Today, 5G is also in the majority in China and RoAPAC, with North America and India now reporting share of 5G CPE shipments at 93% and 92% respectively.

Growth will continue, with the consolidated 5G FWA CPE shipments of the representative cross-section of FWA CPE vendors surveyed expected to grow to 20.1 million in 2025, a 19% increase. On top of the continuous wider adoption of 5G FWA value proposition by operators globally, several market developments will also contribute to this growth. For example, mmWave-capable 5G CPE shipments are expected to grow to over 1 million in the same period (+47% yoy) while the survey also reveals 41% of vendors expect to introduce a 5G RedCap-capable FWA product in 2025.

“This year’s survey confirms the global momentum and scale of 5G with increased adoption and uptake of 5G FWA across all continents, enabling operators to unlock new broadband service opportunities,” said John Yazlle, vice-chairman of the GSA 4G-5G FWA Forum. “Today, the majority of vendors believe that the main benefit of AI capabilities for 5G FWA CPE lies in improved 5G connectivity performance and experience. Millimetre-wave is proving its value across a range of broadband use cases, from dense residential areas, targeted enterprise deployments to closing digital divide in rural areas, and 5G RedCap is emerging as a viable complementary option for FWA in markets transitioning away from LTE. The survey results are not only encouraging news for the health of the FWA vendor ecosystem today but, with the more spectrum becoming available and the evolution of 5G networks to 5G-Advanced on the horizon, also clear evidence that the partnership between FWA CPE vendors and operators can continue to drive global growth through innovation.”

Key findings of the 2025 GSA Fixed Wireless Access CPE Market Survey include:

1. 2025 shipments are expected to grow 26% to reach 35.3 million units. Reported 2024 total CPE shipments were 28.0 million, a 22% increase compared to 2023.
2. 5G-enabled FWA shipments are now established as the mainstream globally, reaching 16.8 million in 2024. The growth of 5G FWA CPE shipments is expected to grow to 20.1 million, accounting for 57% of 2025 shipments and compared to 60% in 2024.
3. Asia Pacific accounts for 35% of the 2024 shipments, followed by Middle East & Africa at 30%. North America and India lead the share of 5G CPE shipments at 93% and 92% respectively.
4. The majority of FWA CPE shipments in 2024 were integrated indoor CPE (54%), followed by battery-operated hotspots (33%) and outdoor CPE (13%). 58% of the outdoor CPE were flexible self-install indoor/outdoor CPEs during 2024.
5. mmWave-capable 5G CPE shipments reached 739,000 in 2024 and are expected to grow to over 1 million in 2025.
6. FWA supporting 5G standalone (SA) adoption stood at 95% of 5G CPE shipments in 2024. 5G SA-enabled CPE shipments expected to grow 11% to 17.7 million in 2025 compared to 16.0 million in 2024.
7. The majority of vendors believe that the main benefit of AI capabilities for 5G FWA CPE would lead to an improved 5G connectivity performance and experience.
8. There is sustained interest for 5G RedCap FWA, with 18% of respondents claiming that they already have such a product in their portfolio and a further 41% expecting to introduce a 5G RedCap-capable FWA product in 2025.
9. Over 50% of respondents either already have (29%) or plan to launch in 2025 (24%) FWA devices with 8RX support in their portfolio.
10. 38% of respondents believe that price parity of 5G CPE will be achieved by 2027 in comparison with last year’s survey where price parity was expected to be reached in 2026.

A free executive summary of the survey report is available to download from the GSA website here https://gsacom.com/paper/fwa-cpe-vendor-survey-september-2025/.  The GSA research team and FWA Forum will also discuss the findings of the survey, along with FWA deployment insights from Telstra, during a its public Plenary, open to all industry stakeholders, on 30th September 2025. You can register to attend the online event here: https://gsacom.com/webinar/fwa-forum-plenary-8/.

The GSA 4G-5G Fixed Wireless Access Forum was established in late 2020 by 14 initial Partners and Members and now includes 58 members covering the majority of the infrastructure, chipset, module and CPE value chain for FWA. To mark the 5th anniversary of its foundation, the FWA Forum is curating Industry Insights from within its membership to delve deeper into the technology trends and monetisation opportunities shaping the fixed wireless access market.

“The purpose of the GSA 4G-5G FWA Forum is to bring together the FWA ecosystem and champion the role FWA technologies play in offering a fast, economically attractive and future-proof alternative to deploying broadband services, particularly for rural and less densely populated areas,” said Julien Grivolas, chairman of the GSA 4G-5G FWA Forum. “This unique survey plays an important role in providing facts and insights into the true state of the fixed wireless access market and how it is evolving and growing globally. The Forum is firmly established as the industry voice of the 4G-5G FWA ecosystem and we continue to welcome new members.”

The survey results present the aggregate answers of 17 CPE vendors that together form a statistically valid representation of the 3GPP-based 4G/5G FWA device market. All companies are members of the GSA 4G-5G FWA Forum and were surveyed on a range of topics including shipments, market trends, form factors and device features, current and future.

The GSA FWA CPE market survey was first conducted in 2021. The data for the latest annual GSA Fixed Wireless Access CPE market survey was collected between April-July 2025. Participants in the 2025 survey included: Asiatelco Technologies Co, Askey, AVM, BEC Technologies, Da Ta Technologies, Gemtek, GreenPacket, Huawei, Jaton Technology, MeiG Smart Technology, Nokia, Shenzhen Jointelli, SMAWave, Tozed Kangwei, Vantiva, WNC, YaoJin Technology.

The full report, together with supporting MS Excel tables, is available to purchase from the GSA reports library here. The full report, including additional analysis of questions asked, is available to all GSA 4G-5G FWA Forum members as part of their annual subscription.

Companies wishing to join the GSA 4G-5G FWA Forum please contact Joe Barrett at membership@gsacom.com. This is the fifth-edition GSA 4G-5G FWA Forum device ecosystem survey and the next iteration of this survey will be undertaken in 2026.

The post 5G-enabled FWA CPE shipments now the majority in 4 out of 7 regions globally appeared first on GSA.

In this regional spotlight webinar, you will learn about the true status of 4G, 5G and 5G SA in CALA and how the availability of spectrum shape the 6G future.

The GSA Research team share the latest data on:

• The commercial status of LTE and 5G across the region
• FWA and the consumer and enterprise connectivity it is enabling
• Private Networks in CALA, and the sectors leading the way
• NTN connectivity and the partnerships driving it
• Spectrum assignments, both recently completed and upcoming

Register for this webinar to receive a complimentary copy of the new GSA Regional Spotlight on the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA) region.

The post Mobile network evolution in LATAM appeared first on GSA.

The global transition away from 2G and 3G networks is gathering pace as operators seek to modernize infrastructure and reallocate spectrum for faster 4G and 5G technologies. By the end of June 2025, GSA had identified 278 completed, planned or in-progress 2G and 3G network switch-offs in 83 countries and territories — up from 77 in December 2024.

Europe leads globally in switch-off activity, accounting for 46% of all cases, followed by Asia (27%) and North America (8%). Despite a low share, Africa has shown notable recent growth.

This update also highlights that although some shutdowns are operator-led, others are mandated by governments or corporate groups. For example, the UK mandates 2G shutdowns by 2033, and Orange Group aims for full 2G and 3G phase-outs across Europe by 2030.

Other key points:

• 131 operators in 65 markets have completed or planned 2G shutdowns, with 51 of these already executed.
• 147 operators in 62 markets are progressing on 3G switch-offs, 78 of which have already completed the transition.
• 2025 is a key year, marking the peak of planned activity, with 37 2G and 39 3G switch-offs expected.
• A majority (57%) of operators retiring older networks are upgrading to both 4G and 5G.

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GSA Research

Mobile industry research is the backbone of GSA activity and covers topics from devices, chipsets and technology, to networks, features and spectrum.

The GSA research team is constantly following market dynamics and activity to ensure the latest data is available to GSA users via the GSA website.

Data is updated monthly and quarterly and can be referenced by users who register for free on the GSA website and download multiple reports, charts and videos of webinars. GSA welcomes any contributions on industry data from mobile operators, vendors and suppliers what want to ensure accurate industry data is shared globally.

GSA GAMBoD Database

GSA reports are based on extensive data contained in the GSA GAMBoD databases, which is a resource available to GSA members and associates. Companies and policy makers can subscribe, as a GSA associate, to gain access to GSA databases and member reports for additional insights into the source data behind reports, which can be used for their own research purposes.

Discounted annual subscription are available to regulators, government agencies and licensed mobile operators.

Please email info@gsacom.com for more information.

2G-3G Switch-Off July 2025

The post 2G-3G Switch-Off July 2025 appeared first on GSA.

During this GSA Snapshot Webinar you will learn:

• The 5G spectrum landscape – who is auctioning/allocating spectrum where, for what and for how much
• Global status of national usage of mid-band spectrum between 1.7 GHz and 5 GHz for LTE and 5G services
• The global status of mmWave spectrum auctions and network rollouts
• The pace of 2G/3G network sunsets and spectrum refarming
• The 6G spectrum landscape and what the future holds

Download the slide deck here: https://gsacom.com/paper/webinar-global-spectrum-update/

The post GSA Snapshot: Global Spectrum Update appeared first on GSA.

As technology has improved, operators have been turning to mobile networks to deliver residential and business broadband services. They are using LTE, LTE-Advanced and 5G networks to deliver services in locations that are poorly served, or not served at all, by fixed-line broadband technologies based on copper, coax or fibre.

Within this global momentum, RedCap is emerging as a viable alternative for FWA in markets transitioning away from LTE. With 5G SA networks expanding and spectrum refarming on the agenda, RedCap-capable FWA CPEs present a compelling opportunity to deliver broadband to underserved regions, while freeing up LTE assets and simplifying operators’ RAN portfolios.

In this webinar, the GSA research team will share the latest data on the status of FWA services globally and examine how operators are using FWA to help close the digital divide.

During this GSA Snapshot Webinar you will learn more about:

• The global status of FWA broadband services based on LTE and 5G
• Tarif models used by operators
• FWA service portability and speeds
• FWA devices, including vendor momentum and form factors
• 5G RedCap-capable FWA

Download full report here

The post GSA Snapshot: 4G-5G FWA appeared first on GSA.

Join the GSA Research team and explore topics including:

• Technology enhancements and features
  • Including eMBB, AI network integration, NTN, enhancements to positioning and sensing and XR support
• Standards and timelines
  • 3GPP Release 18 and look into Release 19
  • Commercialisation timeline
• Ecosystem landscape
  • Operator and country-level investments
  • Devices and chipset support
• Use Cases
• Spectrum and regulatory support
  • Backward compatibility with existing 5G networks
• 5G Advanced as a foundation for 6G

Download the full report here: https://gsacom.com/paper/5g-advanced-may-2025/

The post GSA Hot Topic: 5G Advanced appeared first on GSA.