Is Fixed Wireless Internet Good?

With hundreds of businesses across the UK recently making the switch to fixed wireless internet, you’re likely considering whether it might provide a more suitable solution for your business.

And so in this guide, we’re going to break down both the pros and cons of fixed wireless internet and share some of the inside information that you won’t find elsewhere

The Pros Of Fixed Wireless Internet

Installation Is Super-Fast

Fixed wireless internet doesn’t rely on any ground-based cables, which means it doesn’t take very long to install. In fact, we can often get it fully set up in as little as just 14-days.

It’s Often Available Where Leased Lines Aren’t

Leased lines often can’t reach rural locations, as they require an underground infrastructure of fibre cables to be installed to the premises. This isn’t a problem with fixed wireless internet as the connection is delivered wirelessly via PTP.

It Costs Less To Install Than A Leased Line

As we just described, leased lines require underground infrastructure to be constructed, which is not cheap. Unless you’re in a major UK city, you’re likely going to pay 10’s, if not 100’s, of thousands for the installation aloan. With fixed wireless internet, you’re only ever going to pay a fraction of that (usually between £1,000 to £2,000).

Leased Line Speeds In Rural Areas

Fixed wireless internet is the only other internet connection that’s capable of leased line level performance, and it has far greater availability in rural areas. It’s capable of up to 10Gbps upload and download speeds, which is exactly the same as you can get from a good leased line.

It’s Not Hindered By Other Users

Because fixed wireless internet is an uncontended connection, it is not shared with various other users. This means it’s performance doesn’t decrease during peak hours, giving you a consistent and reliable connection to the internet.

99.99% Uptimes

Fixed wireless internet has uptimes exceeding 99.99%, which makes it more reliable than a leased line. This makes it perfect for mission critical applications.

Incredibly Low Latency 

In fact, fixed wireless internet is capable of less than 1ms end-to-end latency, whereas fiber optics has a latency of just under 1.6ms. Meaning the latency is lower on fixed wireless internet than it is on a leased line! This makes it perfect for VoIP, CCTV, Gaming, Video calls and more.

There Isn’t Much That Can Go Wrong

All connections that use ground based cables are vulnerable to floods, fires or even roadworks damaging the line and leaving your business without internet. Because fixed wireless internet doesn’t rely on physical ground-based cables, it’s far more robust. And in the rare event that something does go wrong, it doesn’t take very long to fix.

The Cons Of Fixed Wireless Internet

It Isn’t The Cheapest Solution

Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. Fixed wireless internet is a high-performance internet connection that’s uncontended and backed with an SLA. And that extra power and performance will come at a price.

Difficult To Install Without LoS

Because the Internet is delivered wirelessly over the air, it can be difficult to install fixed wireless internet at premises’ without a clear Line of Sight.

Not Available In Some Areas

Although much of the UK is covered by fixed wireless internet, some locations are still not possible (due to the above point). To find out if it’s available at your business’ premises, click on the button below to request a call back.