Solace Power Inc. (Solace) and Ausralian technology company NetComm Wireless (NetComm) are co-developing allegedly the world’s first wirelessly powered, window-mounted outdoor 5G customer premises equipment (CPE). The partnership brings outdoor-grade 5G performance to a self-installable form factor, with operator evaluations beginning in 2026.
Operators currently face a significant trade-off in Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) deployments. While outdoor CPE delivers superior signal quality, they traditionally require drilling, external cabling, and expensive technician visits. Conversely, indoor self-install units are easier to deploy but suffer from inconsistent performance due to home layouts and modern building materials. Specifically, Low-E coatings, now common in residential windows, can reduce indoor 5G performance by up to 50%.
Neil Chaulk, CEO of Solace Power, states:
“Operators are looking for a simple and scalable way to deploy outdoor FWA without the cost and delay of professional installation. Together with NetComm, we are delivering exactly that. This partnership accelerates the path to commercial deployments that help alleviate the network capacity constraints operators are currently facing.”
A “Self-Install” Outdoor Solution
The joint solution integrates Solace’s Wireless Power Through-Glass (PTG) module with NetComm’s next-generation AurusLINK CPE platform. This architecture allows the device to mount directly to a window and draw power wirelessly through the glass, eliminating the need for holes or cables.
By removing the physical power cable, the solution overcomes the final barrier to true self-install outdoor 5G deployment, offering the simplicity of an indoor installation while capturing the network efficiency and signal quality of an outdoor radio.
Intelligent Power for Global Deployment
The device features intelligent power transfer capabilities designed to work across a global range of housing types. The system enables a single CPE design that works on roughly 98% of residential windows worldwide. The AurusLINK platform dynamically optimises power transfer, intelligently adapting to single, double, or triple-pane Low-E windows of varying thicknesses.
“We have explored this for many years while waiting for the right technology to make it viable at scale,” said Adrian Macarthur-King, CEO of NetComm. “With Solace’s latest advances in through-glass wireless power, we can now integrate this capability into our next-generation FWA CPE in a cost-effective way while delivering a reliable, intuitive experience for end users.”
Availability
The wirelessly powered, window-mounted 5G CPE will be available to operators for technical evaluations and early proof-of-concept trials throughout 2026.
The joint solution will be featured at MWC Barcelona 2026 at NetComm’s stand (5F85). Operators interested in participating in trials should contact Solace or NetComm for further information.Â
