Increasing Broadband Internet Penetration

In the OIC Member Countries

times between 2015 and 2020

. The costs of installing fiber in the last mile are considerably

high (US$ 2,000 in urban areas, $4,000 in suburban areas, and $12,000 in rural areas per home

connected). This puts pressure on operators to market additional services in order to generate

enough revenue to render the deployment business case profitable.

Fixed wireless last mile distribution

Since many countries lack ubiquitous access to new or transitional broadband wireline

technologies, fixed wireless options can provide a solution for serving many localities. Four

fixed wireless technologies exist: WiMax, Wi-Fi, Super Wi-Fi, and direct satellites.

WiMax (World Wide Interoperability for Microwave Access) refers to a microwave technology,

typically operating at 2.5-3.5 GHz frequencies, that can provide last mile broadband service at

speeds of up to 30-40 Mbps. WiMax provides the ability to extend wireless type access over a

larger footprint. However, as WiMax network demand grows and as users move further away

from a transmitter, actual achieved speeds decline. Operational WiMax networks typically

deliver broadband speeds ranging between 1 and 15 Mbps.

In its basic application, Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) can provide access to a wired or wireless

broadband service to multiple users within a small distance from a wireless router

. This

technology offers an extension of an existing broadband service, such as ADSL, cable modem,

or fiber optics. Wi-Fi service typically requires the installation of a wireless router operating

on unlicensed microwave spectrum at low transmission power. Tablets, smartphones and PCs

equipped to transmit and receive Wi-Fi frequencies can communicate with the Wi-Fi router

serving as an interface for downloading and receiving traffic from the Internet. Wi-Fi has been

also applied as a last mile distribution fixed wireless technology. For example, Wireless

Internet Service Providers (WISPs) rely primarily on unlicensed spectrum to offer broadband

accessibility in rural areas of the United States. While some WISPs utilize licensed spectrum,

the majority relies on UNII and ISM bands or lightly licensed spectrum in the 3.65 GHz band:

26MHz of unlicensed spectrum just above 900MHz, 50MHz in 2.4GHz and 100MHz in 5.8GHz.

While WISPs initially utilized the 802.11b platform, they have mostly migrated to 802.11n,

which allows them to deliver 10 Mbps service or higher to 200 customers from a single four

sector base station.

Super Wi-Fi is an enhancement of Wi-Fi technology which operates in the frequency bands

between 54 MHz and 698 MHz to deliver broadband within up to 10 miles with high

penetration at 20 Mbps download and 6Mbps upload speeds. It can extend the range of Wi-Fi

and provide broadband in rural areas. Super Wi-Fi relies on empty channels of spectrum

(known as white spaces) and uses Dynamic Spectrum Access that optimizes access to available

unused bands

CISCO (2016).

Visual Networking Index

In essence Wi-Fi constitutes an “access to access” service in the sense that it only provides a wireless and mobile option

within a closed and limited area, e.g., a home or coffee shop.

Users will predominantly use Super Wi-Fi networks

to access smart, radio-enabled devices that report their location to

an Internet database. The database will dictate the TV white spaces channels and appropriate power level based on in its