AI stole the show at this year’s MWC, penetrating every area of the technology industry. Fixed wireless access was no exception, and many suppliers showcasing how they can embed AI into customer premises equipment (CPE).
Considering the hype around AI, I believe this fusion of technologies will help fixed wireless access become more prominent as it offers enhancements in the performance and efficiency. Fixed wireless access has already seen success in India, Italy and the US, but the integration of AI can help the technology become even more competitive with wired broadband solutions.
Operators are showing a growing preference for outdoor CPE devices thanks to the coverage, speed and capacity offered. Outdoor equipment can also serve more customers than indoor CPE devices. Three UK has started to offer outdoor CPE, proposing a better user experience. However, customers are more likely to prefer indoor CPE to avoid needing professional installation. We note that there have been renewed efforts to remove some of the frustrations with outdoor fixed wireless CPE.
In line with this, Fibocom and Huawei announced CPE solutions at MWC 2025 that incorporate AI to provide a premium service by enhancing the consumer experience.
Fibocom launched a 5G AI CPE-based smart home solution that harnesses AI algorithms in the device. The incorporation of AI models allows for greater computing capabilities. The device can enhance smart home features like sound detection or even shape tracking by using learning models and algorithms embedded directly into the CPE. Presence detection isn’t new and has been incorporated into Wi-Fi routers, but Fibocom’s solution uses the 5G CPE to provide this service. This is different from other smart monitoring systems where AI is used in the camera system, which showcases Fibocom’s innovation.
A crucial part of Fibocom’s announcement is the latest software development kit (SDK) used as part of the Smart Home SDK solution. This aims to enhance the user experience and seamlessly connect homes and businesses. The solution is used in conjunction with other technology to create smart homes or even more intelligent security options. Importantly, it also supports other popular smart home platforms like Matter for a unified experience.
Indoor CPE has been the most popular option so far because it makes it easier to provide connectivity. Fibocom’s latest product disrupts the market because few manufacturers have thought about ways to improve equipment beyond transitioning to either hybrid CPE — a mix of indoor and outdoor CPE that provides the signal of an outdoor device but can be placed indoor on a window — or outdoor CPE. This offering highlights the growing prominence of AI and how it can enhance existing technologies and devices’ functionality for new applications.
Huawei has also revealed a new CPE product incorporating AI, which aims to enhance the user experience in several scenarios. For example, it claims to expand coverage to suburban and rural areas, increasing the signal strength.
Alongside this announcement, Huawei also released a reflector antenna that can be coupled with existing outdoor CPE devices. Its main aim is to extend the signal from the base station to buildings by reflecting the signal off a plastic dish. Signals can extend to 5 km beyond the base station thanks to its support for five-carrier aggregation. This means the device can combine the bandwidth from five frequency bands simultaneously to enhance the speed, capacity and reliability of the service. Huawei plans to release the device in the second half of 2025.
CCS Insight expects that these latest breakthroughs in AI-powered CPE will provide a premium service and maintain low costs, making fixed wireless access more accessible to customers worldwide.
For further analysis of fixed wireless access, see our recent Spotlight report.
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