Verizon is trying to revive momentum in fixed wireless access.
The company says a new millimeter wave advance could extend 1-Gig broadband service. It targets 10 million to 15 million additional US metro locations. The move comes as Verizon’s FWA growth slows sharply.
CEO Dan Schulman described the shift during the company’s earnings call. “Our 1,700MHz of millimeter wave spectrum has suddenly become a differentiated and competitive advantage” that complements Verizon’s existing C-band spectrum, Schulman said on Monday’s earnings call. “This is a technological breakthrough for us with significant positive implications.”
However, Verizon has not fully explained the underlying technology. The company only said initial deployments should begin in late 2026. Broader activity should continue through 2027.
The clearest signal points toward apartment buildings and other multi-dwelling units. CFO Anthony Skiadas said Verizon is scaling its MDU program. That effort should support “fiber-like speeds” through an FWA connection.
This strategy likely connects to Verizon’s purchase of Starry. The startup built a gigabit-capable fixed wireless platform for apartment buildings. It also used millimeter wave links to serve dense urban areas.
Analysts believe Starry’s design may help Verizon reach more homes. New Street Research analyst David Barden highlighted its network layout. “Starry’s point-to-multipoint architecture offers better propagation than a traditional wireless network,” he explained in a research note.
That approach could help Verizon use its high-band spectrum more effectively. Millimeter wave can deliver very fast speeds. Yet it struggles over long distances and through obstacles.
Apartment buildings may fit this model better than scattered homes. One connection point can potentially serve many units. This can improve economics in dense locations.
Still, execution will not be simple. Building access requires landlord approval. Installations can also take careful planning. These steps could slow revenue growth.
Verizon needs the boost. In the third quarter, it added 159,000 FWA subscribers. That was down from 261,000 one year earlier. The company ended the quarter with 6.36 million FWA customers.
Schulman suggested Verizon now wants more selective growth. “If a customer needs a gig of speed and we can only offer them 300-Meg, we shouldn’t sell the service. It’s just going to be something that disappoints a customer,” Schulman said. “And then the second implication was like we need a much wider footprint in which we can provide 1-Gig or more of speed.”
That message indicates a shift from volume to service quality. It also reflects pressure from fiber broadband providers. Customers increasingly expect gigabit speeds from home internet services.
Meanwhile, Ookla data supports Verizon’s continued millimeter wave focus. Its RootMetrics testing showed Verizon using mmWave more than rivals. In urban and metro areas, mmWave appeared in 2.2% of Verizon samples.
The same report showed far lower readings for AT&T and T-Mobile. Verizon’s mmWave presence also expanded across more markets. Some cities delivered download speeds above 1 Gbit/s.
If Verizon scales this model, it could reshape urban broadband competition. The company has spectrum depth and Starry’s platform experience. But apartment access, deployment costs, and timing remain significant hurdles.
