The following summary has been condensed for length and readability. To listen to the full discussion, click here. This episode is sponsored by ETI Software and VETRO FiberMap.
In this episode of The Broadband Bunch recorded at WISPAmerica 2025, host Brad Hine and guest Carl Guardino, Vice President of Government Affairs & Policy at Tarana Wireless, discuss broadband innovation, public policy, and the mission to bridge the digital divide in the U.S. and around the world.
Carl Guardino brings more than three decades of public and private sector leadership to his role at Tarana, including 24 years as CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. At Tarana Wireless, he champions policy and government affairs, helping communities—from rural towns to tribal lands—understand the game-changing impact of next-generation fixed wireless broadband.
Tarana’s origin story is remarkable: founded by three international PhD students at UC Berkeley who wanted to solve connectivity challenges in Africa, the company has grown into a global force. After 13 years of privately funded R&D and 30 patents, Tarana now operates in 24 countries and 47 U.S. states—delivering fiber-class performance over the air.
Guardino introduces what he calls the “four legs of the table” required for equitable broadband:
Affordability – because connectivity is meaningless if families can’t afford it
Reliability – 24/7 service with minimal downtime
High-Speed – both download and upload speeds that meet or exceed FCC standards
Low Latency – to avoid the dreaded “spinning wheel of death”
He emphasizes that all four legs must be present for broadband to be meaningful—and scalable—especially when deploying BEAD-funded projects or serving unserved and “unhappily served” communities that only have one provider.
Tarana’s unique value proposition lies in its ability to provide non-line-of-sight, fixed wireless broadband at high speeds and low latency—even in environments with tree cover, buildings, smoke, or temporary obstructions. With advanced radios that communicate 5,000 times per second, Tarana is able to dynamically maintain connections across a variety of terrains, including dense forests and urban corridors.
In one example, Guardino notes his own service at home delivers 530 Mbps down / 200 Mbps up with 13ms latency—for just $75/month, a stark contrast to the unreliable $220/month service he struggled with during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rather than relying on Zoom calls and pitch decks, Carl takes a boots-on-the-ground approach. Over the last 15 months, he’s visited 32 states and conducted 86 live tech deployment demonstrations to show broadband stakeholders—including state broadband offices, local ISPs, and policymakers—what Tarana’s technology can do in real-world environments.
He champions a technology-agnostic, standards-based approach to broadband policy, urging governments not to pick winners and losers, but instead to focus on meeting quantifiable benchmarks: high speed, low latency, and affordability.
Throughout the episode, Carl reflects on how the pandemic underscored the critical importance of broadband as a utility—on par with water and electricity. He shares personal stories of choosing between his kids’ education and running his business due to unreliable internet, a reality still facing millions today.
He reminds us that the $42.45 billion BEAD program represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity—and failure to act wisely could result in leaving behind yet another generation. His message is clear: we must deploy the right tools for the right communities—whether it’s fiber, fixed wireless, or hybrid networks—and we must do it efficiently, transparently, and inclusively.
While Carl can’t reveal everything, he hints at exciting new technologies coming soon from Tarana that will double performance and reach even further into unconnected communities. As fixed wireless continues to advance, Tarana is well-positioned to provide fiber-class broadband at a fraction of the cost and deployment time.
© 2025 Enhanced Telecommunications.
