Can new wireless broadband help cable TV win the fixed wireless access war?

October 03, 2024 at 15:03 PM EDT

DOCSIS wireless broadband and AI can fuel cable TV growth

Last week at the SCTE TechExpo 24 in Atlanta, I spoke with many executives and one thing that caught my attention, among others was how traditional industries like cable television, telephone and wireless are changing. How they are reinventing themselves to find new areas for growth. How they are starting to compete in new areas like wireless broadband.

New competition from technologies like fixed wireless access, or FWA, means wireless carriers can start to offer wireless broadband. While this technology is still early as it rolls out nationwide, it is much less expensive for the customer compared to traditional wireline broadband. That’s one reason it will likely continue to grow.

FWA and wireless broadband growth from wireless carriers is creating a sudden and real competitive threat to the cable TV industry, who relies on wireline broadband as their main service offering.

Air Wireless and Air5 help cable TV companies offer wireless broadband

So, is there a new wireless broadband service for the cable television providers?

The good news for cable TV is there are the first signs of life from a new wireless broadband service using data over cable service interface specification, or DOCSIS, technology.

At TechExpo 24, I found two companies using a version of cable TV technology called DOCSIS to offer wireless broadband and compete with FWA.

They are Air Wireless and Air5. These are new companies with new ideas using new technology. This is so new, very few know about it yet.

At this early stage, it is being tested by a several cable TV providers and broadband providers, worldwide.

DOCSIS wireless broadband for Xfinity, Spectrum, Altice, Cox

If it all works as they claim, this is the first, real, new idea for technology that can help the cable TV industry offer wireless broadband and combat the new competitive threat of FWA.

The cable TV industry includes companies and services like Xfinity, Spectrum, Altice, Cox and dozens of smaller firms in the United States. There are also hundreds of companies worldwide. Plus, there are countless broadband providers of all sizes as well.

DOCSIS wireless broadband could give early adopters a competitive advantage, for a while. That’s a huge potential, worldwide marketplace.

Where FWA and DOCSIS wireless broadband technology came from

Now, let’s pull the camera back and take a closer look at where all this new technology and competition suddenly came from.

Wireless was always a growth machine, but it had various stages along the way for rapid growth and slow growth. During the past decade, growth has slowed.

That’s why leading companies like AT&T and Verizon are starting to move in new and strange directions. AT&T acquired WarnerMedia, CNN, Warner Brothers Studio, DirecTV and more. Verizon acquired AOL and Yahoo.

Both were a failure. They finally got out of these new lines and focused on wireless, broadband and telecom again with 5G coming on strong.

FWA wireless broadband was threat to cable TV wireline broadband

However, they still needed to show growth to reward their shareholders. This was a real issue.

Step one was when FWA was used to create wireless broadband. This is a natural for all wireless carriers like AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, US Cellular, C Spire and others.

While FWA is still early, it is an obvious threat to the cable TV dominance in this space with their wire line broadband.

That means the cable television industry now needs a competitive response.

That’s where this DOCSIS based wireless broadband is getting its start. There is a need from the cable TV industry and broadband providers.

They need a competitive answer to FWA wireless broadband.

So, we will see how the wireless broadband marketplace evolves as it matures. We will see if the wireless carriers continue to grow using FWA and if cable TV companies can use this DOCSIS based wireless broadband to compete with the new threat.

Closing thoughts on SCTE TechExpo 2024

TechExpo 24 was a great event. I had the chance to speak with many senior executives and companies and learn what they are now focused on for this year and beyond.

The good news is new technology like FWA, DOCSIS wireless broadband and AI represent an enormous new potential growth opportunity.

There is a real risk, challenge and growth opportunity facing every competitor. That means every cable TV provider, broadband provider and wireless carrier will all be knee deep into new technology like FWA and DOCSIS for wireless technology going forward.

As always, some companies will do a better job compared to others. Knowing which will lead is always the big challenge and question for every investor.

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