Google Fiber has made its commitment to point-to-point fixed wireless clear as part of its “hybrid” 1 Gbps service strategy with the much talked about recent acquisition of Webpass. Webpass focuses on high-speed data deployments to residences and businesses primarily using point-to-point wireless.

Milo Medin, VP of access services at Google Fiber, underlined the company’s interest in fixed wireless in a keynote address at last week’s Wispapalooza, which is a conference hosted by the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association.

“This is a space where innovative entrepreneurs are driving progress, and one of the only sectors in the telecommunications industry where we are seeing an explosion of new entrants,” Medin said in reference to the fixed wireless industry’s future.

In addition to Google Fiber’s positive outlook on that industry, a new report from industry analyst James Schaeffler of the Carmel Group predicts the number of fixed wireless subscribers will nearly double from approximately 4 million today to 8 million in 2021. The research has growth drivers including low barriers to entry, improving equipment, new spectrum resources and increasing awareness from the financial community. Fixed wireless also is starting to compete effectively in suburban and urban markets for residential, business, governmental and institutional customers, Schaeffler says.

The Wispapalooza conference, now in its sixth year, was held in Las Vegas Oct. 11-13 and reportedly had around 1,500 attendees from 46 states, the District of Columbia and 26 countries. More than 100 exhibitors showed wireless gear, tower technology, software, cloud services, VoIP solutions, consulting, mapping services and more, according to WISPA.