Wireless Versus Wireline – Competing Broadband Access Technologies

Compared to wireless access technologies, wireline access technologies give better performance in terms of bandwidth as well as quality of service but they lack ubiquity and affordability. Wireless networks can be deployed much faster with less initial investment and costs of service provisioning & network maintenance are also less. Although some of the equipment and electronics cost have declined, the cost of civil engineering, cell site acquisition, and laying fiber or copper cables remain high. It is, therefore, imperative to undertake cost versus benefit analyses when considering the deployment of wireless versus wireline access networks. This article first delves upon the advantages and disadvantages of the selected wireline and wireless broadband access technologies, and thereafter, discusses the various factors influencing the decision of the SP as well as the State in zeroing in on a particular access technology or mix of two or more access technologies for deployment in a particular region at any point time, particularly, under Indian context