FWA vs fiber vs DSL vs cable: techno-economic comparison

Capital Expenditure Comparison

Each broadband technology has distinct cost structures that determine economic viability. Fiber-to-the-home requires the highest upfront investment, typically eight hundred to two thousand dollars per premises for trenching, splicing, and optical network terminals. Cable DOCSIS 3.1 upgrades cost two hundred to five hundred dollars per home using existing coaxial plant. DSL leverages copper telephone lines with minimal per-premises cost but limited speeds. FWA deployment costs three hundred to six hundred dollars per subscriber including CPE and cell site share, with no trenching required.