New Street Research: Verizon 5G Fixed Wireless Competitive Threat is Modest at Best

A research note from New Street Research throws a little cold water on a potential 5G fixed wireless competitive threat to cable broadband. Verizon is expected to launch the fixed wireless service later in 2018 in 3 to 5 markets, including Sacramento (CA), a Comcast market.

Cable broadband would take a hit from Verizon’s fixed wireless moves, but it will be relatively manageable, thinks New Street. That is, if Verizon moves forward as they have discussed at all. New Street is skeptical. “We still have doubts that Verizon will roll out the product as aggressively as they have suggested or that they will gain as much share in the markets they do address as we have assumed here,” notes Jonathan Chaplin of New Street in the research report.