Rick Seemann
The conversation around fiber vs. wireless often gets oversimplified. It’s easy to fall into a binary: fiber is the future, wireless is the past. But that ignores the operational, financial, and geographic realities broadband providers deal with every day.
In this episode of Bandwidth, we asked the hard question: “Is there ever a reason to choose wireless over fiber besides cost?”
The short answer? Yes. Many.
Balancing cost, speed, and strategy in today’s broadband buildouts
Terrain, Timing, and Tradeoffs
Let’s start with what’s often left unsaid: the terrain still matters. There are places where fiber just isn’t a practical choice. Rocky soil, remote farmland, or high-density urban cores with complex permitting processes can drag projects out for months (or years). Wireless, on the other hand, lets providers get to market faster. And sometimes, speed is the difference between gaining market share and losing it for good.
We’ve seen this play out time and again. A provider pops up a temporary tower, gets lit overnight, and locks in customers while competitors are still waiting on permits.
Wireless Is Not Just a Backup Plan
One of the themes that came up again and again is that wireless doesn’t just serve as a stopgap, it can be the strategy. Whether it's hybrid models (fiber to the tower, wireless to the home) or wireless diversity solutions for B2B customers, there’s a case to be made for thoughtful deployments that lean into both.
Fiber still wins on reliability, speed, and as a long-term asset. But wireless gives operators the margin they need to operate flexibly, and when done right, customers often can’t tell the difference.
Cost Per Home: The Metric That’s Reshaping the Industry
BEAD and other funding programs have put cost per home passed (or served, or connected) front and center. But let’s be honest: this metric is a moving target. Are we talking about passed homes, connected homes, or serviceable addresses?
How we define this metric changes the game, especially when comparing fiber to wireless. Wireless brings those numbers down dramatically, and in a funding environment where cost efficiency is everything, that matters.
The Banks Don't Speak Wireless
Another honest truth from the episode: wireless gear doesn’t carry the same weight on a balance sheet. Fiber is treated as an asset. Wireless is written down fast. That makes private funding harder to secure, but it also explains why so many fiber-only providers are blending in wireless to move faster and cheaper before their funding hits.
Customers Don’t Care...Until They Do
We also talked about how customers perceive delivery methods. Most don’t ask, but those that do probably are looking for a specific answer. But that doesn’t mean the education work isn’t worth doing, especially for those trying to establish trust in areas where wireless has historically been inconsistent. In the end, the majority of customers seem to care more about speed, price, and reliability.
So if you’re offering wireless, it better be good. And if it is, you’ve got a story worth telling.
Bottom Line: Obsolete Is a Strong Word
Wireless isn’t going away. In fact, it’s quietly powering some of the smartest growth plays in the industry. Whether you’re bootstrapping, bridging to fiber, or building hybrid from day one, there’s a role for wireless in the broadband future.
Especially when funding delays hit, plans change, or competitive pressure spikes, flexibility is king.
Listen to the full episode to hear:
- What “cost per home” really means (and why it’s so contested)
- Real-world hybrid deployment stories
- Why ISPs are rethinking what “fiber-first” really means
- The love-it-or-hate-it takes on LEO and government funding timelines
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