As demand for high-speed broadband accelerates, Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs) are increasingly in focus. These environments present a two-fold challenge for network operators aiming to deliver ultra-broadband: first, the high cost and logistical complexity of bringing fiber to every building; second, the technical difficulty of distributing gigabit services within buildings that often rely on legacy wiring infrastructure.
To address both of these challenges, a hybrid solution that combines millimeter wave (mmWave) Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) with Gigabit Home Networking (G.hn) based in-building distribution offers a practical, cost-effective alternative to full fiber builds. This architecture enables operators to deliver fiber-grade services over wireless links and reuse existing in-building cabling, providing high-speed connectivity without extensive construction or rewiring.
The first major barrier is the last-mile fiber reach. Running new fiber to every MDU, especially in dense urban areas, can be time-consuming and cost-prohibitive due to permitting delays, physical obstacles, and rights-of-way issues. The second challenge lies inside the building. Even when fiber reaches the premises, distributing high-speed services to individual units requires dealing with outdated infrastructure such as coaxial or twisted-pair wiring, often not designed to withstand modern data rates.
A solution is needed that avoids the cost and disruption of fiber installation, while still achieving performance levels that support demanding applications. Combining mmWave wireless delivery with in-building G.hn distribution addresses both sides of the equation efficiently.
This approach leverages two distinct yet complementary technologies:
Intracom Telecom's WiBAS™ G5 Smart Base Station and WiBAS™ G5 GigaConnect+ Terminal Station bring carrier-grade wireless broadband to Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs) with unmatched speed, reliability, and scalability.
Operating in the 24.25-39 GHz licensed spectrum, the WiBAS™ Smart Base Station delivers over 5 Gbps per sector and supports up to 120 rooftop Terminal Stations, ensuring resilient and interference-free performance even in the dense urban environments. Thanks to advanced beamforming and multi-user MIMO technologies, operators can rapidly extend gigabit coverage without the delays and costs associated with FTTB solutions.
Each rooftop-installed WiBAS™G5 GigaConnect+ Terminal Station is engineered to deliver up to 2 Gbps of downlink throughput, acting as a powerful wireless gateway into the building's in-house distribution network. Featuring a compact radio design and rapid installation in under 15 minutes, the WiBAS™ G5 GigaConnect+ enables fast service activation with minimal disruption. By combining the high-capacity, low-latency performance of mmWave access with flexible in-building distribution over existing wiring, WiBAS™ empowers service providers to deliver fiber-like broadband experiences while dramatically reducing time-to-market and deployment costs.
G.hn is a broadband standard developed for high-speed transmission over existing wiring infrastructure. With data rates up to 1.7 Gbps per port, it enables gigabit service delivery without requiring new cable installations, significantly reducing time, labor, and cost. Performance depends on the medium:
G.hn also supports VLANs, QoS, and multicast, making it ideal for triple-play services. In addition, reverse power feeding from in-unit devices allows the Aggregation Multiplexer to operate without requiring local power at distribution points, simplifying deployment.
The combination of mmWave FWA with G.hn technology is suitable for a wide variety of building types:
The Intracom Telecom Unified Management Suite plays a central role in the end-to-end management of the MDU solution, providing comprehensive control over both the mmWave FWA and G.hn distribution layers. Initially, the WiBAS™ Terminal Stations and G.hn Aggregators are provisioned separately, using uni|MS™ and the G.hn Management Platform respectively, but the solution can converge toward full integration, enabling a true single-pane-of-glass management experience.
Zero-touch provisioning for WiBAS™ Terminal Stations is achieved through the uni|MS™ SON Gateway, which automates device discovery, service profile assignment, and activation based on subscriber policies. For G.hn devices, uni|MS™ can either manage them directly or integrate via a centralized G.hn Management Platform, supporting scalable deployments while reducing configuration errors and operational overhead.
The mmWave FWA segment acts as a Layer 2 "fat pipe," transparently forwarding traffic with high capacity, while the G.hn layer functions as the Layer 2/3 QoS enforcement point. This enables precise bandwidth shaping, subscriber-level traffic classification, and service differentiation based on VLANs and SLAs.
As the solution matures, full-service orchestration will allow operators to perform automated provisioning, real-time monitoring, alarm management, firmware upgrades, and performance analytics across all network elements through the uni|MS™, a full-blown management and automation platform. Key features include domain-wide fault and performance management, dynamic inventory tracking, audit logging, and seamless OSS/BSS northbound integration using open standard APIs. This unified approach accelerates troubleshooting and ensures consistent SLA enforcement across both wireless FWA (we suggest changing the word wireless with FWA to avoid any possible misunderstanding that wireless may also refer to the WiFi inside each home) and in-building wired segments, significantly enhancing the operational efficiency and customer experience for MDU broadband services.
The combined mmWave and G.hn solution offers several key benefits for network operators. First, it enables end-to-end cost optimization by avoiding the expenses and complexities associated with trenching and in-building rewiring.
Wireless backhaul, and the reuse of existing cabling allows high-speed services to be delivered without extensive civil works or infrastructure overhauls. Second, the solution ensures gigabit-class performance, combining the capacities of mmWave and G.hn technologies to support bandwidth-intensive applications such as 4K video streaming, cloud services, and video conferencing. Third, it offers flexible deployment options, supporting both indoor and outdoor G.hn Multiplexers with either direct or reverse powering schemes, making it adaptable to a wide range of MDU building types and installation scenarios.
Delivering ultra-broadband to MDUs is no longer limited by the availability of in-building fiber. By tackling both the external fiber access problem and the in-building wiring challenge, a combined mmWave and G.hn solution offers a clear, practical path forward. Operators can deliver gigabit-class services with speed, flexibility, and efficiency, without the delays or disruptions associated with traditional infrastructure upgrades.
This hybrid approach provides a future-ready architecture that is modular, standards-based, and optimized for high-density environments. It enables operators to rapidly scale service delivery while controlling both capital and operational expenditures, making it an ideal fit for the evolving demands of broadband connectivity in MDUs.