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A fixed wireless WISP is a wireless internet service provider that delivers broadband to fixed homes and businesses over terrestrial radio links instead of cable or fiber running to each building. “WISP” names the company. “Fixed wireless” names the way that company reaches the customer.
The definition, term by term
The Federal Communications Commission defines a WISP as “A company that provides end-users with wireless access to the Internet” (FCC 23-56, 2023). That definition describes the provider, not the technology.
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Fixed wireless describes the access link: the connection between network equipment and a customer location that does not move. It is not a single radio standard, a guarantee of line of sight, or a synonym for WISP. A WISP can serve some or all of its customers over fixed wireless, so the two terms overlap without being interchangeable.
A 2021 industry report associated with the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) and prepared by The Carmel Group uses the same vocabulary. It describes fixed-location transmitters and receivers arranged in point-to-point (P2P) and point-to-multipoint (P2MP) configurations, and it notes that WISP is a common acronym for Wireless Internet Service Provider. Because the report dates from 2021, it is reliable for architecture and terminology, but its market context is no longer current.
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How a fixed wireless connection is built
- The provider connects its access network to internet backhaul, the upstream link that carries traffic to the wider internet.
- A radio access point is mounted on a tower, mast, monopole, or rooftop.
- A subscriber antenna or customer premises equipment (CPE) at the home or business receives the radio link.
- Indoor equipment, often a Wi-Fi router, distributes the connection to devices inside the premises.
Indoor or outdoor subscriber antennas
CTC Technology & Energy’s June 2022 technical report on fixed wireless technologies describes access-point antennas communicating with subscriber antennas at the customer premises. Depending on distance and obstructions, the subscriber antenna may sit indoors or outdoors. An outdoor antenna can avoid the signal loss that occurs when the link passes through an exterior wall.
What affects availability and performance
Line of sight between the access-point antenna and the subscriber antenna is the ideal condition, according to the same CTC report. Ideal is not the same as mandatory: the report also notes that the choice between indoor and outdoor equipment depends on the location and the technology in use. The main factors that can degrade a path are:
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- trees and foliage between the two antennas
- buildings and other structures in the path
- distance from the access point
- antenna placement and height at the premises
- weather such as rain or fog
The term “fixed wireless” does not by itself tell you a speed, a range, or a service footprint. The FCC codes described below classify networks by the spectrum used for the last mile, not by performance. CTC also notes that real designs mix technologies to suit local conditions, so the same provider may deliver very different results from one street to the next. Speeds and availability are only established for a specific address, and you should confirm them with the provider.
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For Broadband Data Collection reporting in the United States, the FCC’s fixed technology codes divide terrestrial fixed wireless by the spectrum used for the last-mile connection (FCC Broadband Data Collection Help Center, Fixed Technology Codes, updated February 28, 2025).
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| Code | Reporting category | Spectrum used for the last mile |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | Unlicensed terrestrial fixed wireless | Unlicensed spectrum |
| 71 | Licensed terrestrial fixed wireless | Licensed spectrum, including specified hybrid arrangements |
| 72 | Licensed-by-rule terrestrial fixed wireless | Licensed-by-rule spectrum, including specified hybrids |
These are reporting categories, not a complete list of every product sold as fixed wireless. Backhaul spectrum alone does not determine the code when the last-mile spectrum is different. The FCC’s broadband maps track coverage by Broadband Serviceable Locations (BSLs), the address-level units described in the FCC’s Fabric help material (updated July 31, 2025).
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- COVERAGE IN EVERY ROOM: Covers up to 1,500 sq. ft. for up to 20 connected devices. Walls, floors, and interference can reduce range. Larger or multi-story homes may benefit from a NETGEAR Orbi mesh WiFi system.
How to check a fixed wireless provider at your address
- Ask for availability at the specific street address, not a ZIP code or town.
- Ask whether the link depends on line of sight, and whether an outdoor antenna is required or included in the service.
- Ask for expected download speed, upload speed, latency, and any data limit that applies at your address.
- Ask who supplies, installs, and owns the subscriber equipment, and what happens to that equipment if you move. Providers may specify their own CPE, so a generic retail antenna should not be assumed to work with any particular provider.
- Check the FCC’s broadband map for your address to see how the area is reported.
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