Shipments of fixed-wireless access (FWA) customer premises equipment (CPE) are set to soar, with 5G devices forecast to account for almost 70% of sales globally, according to projections published by the GSA FWA Forum.

5G devices accounted for around 60% of reported shipments in 2025, but demand to future-proof broadband services, including in more rural and less densely populated areas, is driving shipments.

According to GSA FWA Forum findings, shipments of 5G standalone (SA)-capable equipment are expected to grow 34% in 2026, representing 15.4 million units compared to 11.5 million in 2025. Millimeter-wave (mmWave)-capable 5G FWA CPE shipments are also expected to increase to around 400,000 units in 2026, up by some 50,000 from the prior year.

Total 2026 FWA CPE shipments are expected to grow 16% to reach 23 million units, compared to 20 million in 2025.

The GSA FWA Forum’s findings stem from surveys conducted with leading vendors including Huawei, Askey, and Netcomm.

North America represents the largest share of reported 3GPP-based FWA CPE shipments, but emerging markets appear to be increasing the pace of both deployment and adoption. Africa, for example, represents 21% of total FWA CPE volumes in 2025, though 5G FWA shipments see the continent account for only 14%, compared to North America’s 45%. India joined North America in having intense demand for 5G-capable FWA CPE offerings.

“5G FWA is clearly proven globally as a technology to offer fast, economically attractive, and future-proof broadband services, particularly in rural and less densely populated areas,” GSA FWA Forum Chairman John Yazlle noted. “In markets such as North America and India, 5G FWA is capturing a large share of the high-speed broadband market; meanwhile, markets such as Africa are at the starting phase of that growth cycle.”

The survey did reveal, though, that the ongoing AI-induced memory shortage is impacting the FWA CPE market. Some 93% of surveyed vendors admitted to being affected by inflationary memory chip price increases, with 67% affirming that pressures in 2026 will impact final prices by more than 10%.

Despite inflationary pressures, almost half (47%) of respondents said they believe memory shortage issues will dissipate during 2027. Just 27% expect the crunch to last into 2028 and beyond – a timeline being espoused by leading memory makers like SK Hynix.

“The results from this year’s survey are really encouraging not just for the health of the FWA device ecosystem, but for what they mean for mobile operators’ ability to monetize their 5G spectrum and network investments,” Yazlle added. “As operators increasingly deploy 5G standalone networks, the device ecosystem and installed base of FWA devices stands ready to benefit from the performance and capabilities of 5G SA.”