From unconnected to empowered: The human side of next-generation broadband

Broadband isn’t just about speed—it’s about people.  This episode of Connected Nation highlights how Tarana Wireless is connecting families, schools, and small businesses AND inviting them to see how it all comes together with hands-on, behind-the-scenes technology tours.

Recommended links:

Tarana website
Carl's LinkedIn

Chapters

• 1:08 Technology tours
• 5:18 Tarana Wireless
• 9:02 Tarana's technology
• 11:12 Partnerships with ISPs
• 12:40 Carl's background

Transcript

Jessica Denson (00:08):

On this episode of Connected Nation, I take you back to the Broadband Nation Expo taking place in Orlando, Florida. This time we talk with a company that's actually inviting customers to see what they're doing behind the scenes to connect everyone. I'm Jessica Denson, and this is Connected Nation. 

I'm at the Broadband Nation Expo taking place in Orlando, Florida, and I keep running over to this booth that is Tarana Wireless. I've been looking for one gentleman that I saw on a panel yesterday that I thought was fantastic. His name is Carl Guardino. Right? Did I say it right?

Carl Guardino (00:47):

Carl Guardino

Jessica Denson (00:48):

 Guardino. You

Carl Guardino (00:48):

Have to get in the Italian sphere.

Jessica Denson (00:50):

 Guardino. Yes. I feel like if I put my hand like an Italian gesture, Guardino. I got it. He's the VP of Global Governor Affairs and I loved your panel yesterday, which is why I've been trying to chase you down ever since. Thank you for joining us,

Carl Guardino (01:03):

Jessica. Thank you. Yeah, I'm a big fan of Connected Nation.

Jessica Denson (01:06):

Oh, we're a big fan of you guys. I've heard that some of my colleagues are gonna get to go on a technology tour. Is that true?

Carl Guardino (01:11):

Yes. Over the last 18 months, Toronto Wireless has been hosting live technology deployment demonstrations, 38 states, 98 tours. Because when you've made the impossible possible with technology, people deserve to kick the tires, ask hard questions, and experience it for themselves.

Jessica Denson (01:34):

I would agree with you, and what a great idea, what a great visual. I, I'm, you're gonna have to get me on that tour so I can take some pictures and take part in that. Yes. That's So when you go on a technology tour, I'm quoting putting air quotes out there. What is that exactly? Are you getting to see them, uh, dig dirt? What is it?

Carl Guardino (01:51):

In 60 minutes or less? Uhhuh <affirmative>, we started a tower site where you're hearing from usually a local or regional internet service provider, ISP partner that you probably know in your community. So, you know their reputation, where they talk about for some of their deployments, why they have picked Toronto Wireless as their technology partner. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. 

So we go into depth there for 20, 25 minutes. Then we drive to a family or a business where they are in an unvarnished way, sharing their experience before Toronto Wireless and since Toronto Wireless.

Jessica Denson (02:33):

Smart. Yeah.

Carl Guardino (02:34):

Things are great because you're hearing from real families in their mm-hmm <affirmative>. Living rooms or on their front porch of what it truly has meant to their lives and livelihoods to truly be connected.

Jessica Denson (02:46):

And it's, is it, have you heard some stories that have surprised you? Or are you like, oh no, I knew this was coming.

Carl Guardino (02:52):

Yes. 98 live tech deployment demonstrations in 38 states. I've only been chased the street once by a dog <laugh>. Uh, and it's been incredible. The, uh, the mom with her two children literally crying about her experience during COVID mm-hmm <affirmative>. Of being completely unconnected while trying to make sure her kids still had an education and then being on Toronto Wireless. 

Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Uh, or the small business owner in Southern California who is able to stay open and connected. Or the rural school in beautiful Alami County, Northern California, surrounded by trees that is able to still educate kids in this literally one room schoolhouse for 40 kids.

Jessica Denson (03:42):

Mm-hmm

Carl Guardino (03:42):

<affirmative>. Because of Toronto Wireless. It's, it's both fulfilling and affirming that we're meeting needs in tribal, rural, suburban, and urban Americans.

Jessica Denson (03:53):

I was really struck by you on the panel. There were some things that were said that were, I won't throw anybody under the bus, but they were a little questionable in my mind about the need that people don't need to learn to use the internet still, that everybody knows how to use it. 

Uh, some things like that were said. But having said that, you seemed to approach every question in every agreement or disagreement with a smile on your face, engaging the next person and seem to bring it back to the human element. Why is that so important to you?

Carl Guardino (04:24):

You know, I try to live by a philosophy that we should listen, learn, and then lead

Jessica Denson (04:30):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>.

Carl Guardino (04:30):

And if we're not willing to hear people out, how are we ever gonna grow or even just have our own assumptions challenged Uhhuh <affirmative>. And that was an opportunity yesterday. But in terms of the point that one of the panelists was making, uh, it was a little bit of a head scratcher for me as a non technologist.

Jessica Denson (04:49):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>.

Carl Guardino (04:50):

Because if I'm suddenly provided with a new technology, whether that's a laptop or a cell phone or, or even a new car, that doesn't mean I know how to use that technology,

Jessica Denson (05:02):

Right?

Carl Guardino (05:02):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>. So we try to meet people where they are and bring them to where they need to be.

Jessica Denson (05:07):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Let's talk about Toronto Wireless and where you guys are. You named a bunch of different states. What's your footprint? Is it just national? Is it global? And what is your vision?

Carl Guardino (05:18):

Thank you. Toronto Wireless is just a fascinating story. <laugh>, it was three young, brilliant, big hearted, yet naive PhD graduate

Jessica Denson (05:30):

Students, Uhhuh,

Carl Guardino (05:31):

Who, uh, did their PhD thesis together. They wanted to help impoverish villagers in Ghana, in Africa, where none of them were from. Uh, so they did their PhD thesis, they got an A and they started a company. 'cause that's what we do with America's Innovation

Jessica Denson (05:46):

Economy. That's amazing. Uhhuh,

Carl Guardino (05:47):

Fast forward, the first 13 years was all research and development

Jessica Denson (05:52):

Uhhuh,

Carl Guardino (05:52):

And I don't say that lightly. It was $425 million all privately funded. They refuse government funds. Wow. Research and development and a lot of near death experiences that any company goes uhhuh, especially in the innovation economy. And they stuck to it. They had a dream. Their first deployment was a village in Ghana to help impoverished villagers. 

They kept their word, and that's their word today. Just four years since Toronto Wireless has been commercially available. We're serving families and communities in just four years, 28 countries, 47 of the 50 states in the United States. Three of the five US territories. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. 425 internet service provider partners, Uhhuh. And we now, uh, 20 million homes passed a quarter of a million people on our technology.

Jessica Denson (06:47):

Uhhuh

Carl Guardino (06:48):

Adding 2000 families every single month.

Jessica Denson (06:52):

So that research and development paid off, I think, <laugh>. It

Carl Guardino (06:55):

Really did. Yeah. And what's cool about it for a small company we're 31 PhDs, 300 engineers, 425 employees, and one political science major.

Jessica Denson (07:07):

<laugh>, that would be me that you, yeah.

Carl Guardino (07:07):

Yes. But we pour $80 million a year into ongoing research and development. So our initial product called not that creatively. The G one, the generation one, uh, is able, is capable 800 megabits per second.

Jessica Denson (07:25):

Wow.

Carl Guardino (07:26):

Uh, in either CBRS, which is licensed, or five gigahertz, or six gigahertz, which is unlicensed.

Jessica Denson (07:33):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>.

Carl Guardino (07:33):

One radio on a tower can serve in a 90 degree angle up to 256 homes and businesses. So if you're blessed to have customers all the way around the tower, four radios, a thousand people from one vertical asset,

Jessica Denson (07:48):

That's a, that, that's why you were able to scale so much so quickly. Yes.

Carl Guardino (07:52):

And, and so cost effectively

Jessica Denson (07:54):

Too. Yeah. Mm-hmm

Carl Guardino (07:55):

<affirmative>. So not only 800 megabits per second. However, your ISP provider and you as a customer wanna slice and dice a plan. Uh, but when we are direct line of sight, forget the euphemism last mile, we go 20 miles.

Jessica Denson (08:11):

Wow.

Carl Guardino (08:11):

When we're near line of sight, temporary obstructions, 10 to 12 miles

Jessica Denson (08:15):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>.

Carl Guardino (08:16):

When we're like my house at the base of a Redwood forest in Northern California.

Jessica Denson (08:20):

Nice.

Carl Guardino (08:21):

Completely obstructed

Jessica Denson (08:22):

Uhhuh

Carl Guardino (08:23):

With permanent or temporary obstructions,

Jessica Denson (08:25):

Those massive trees.

Carl Guardino (08:26):

Yeah. <laugh>. Yeah. And impervious to weather, rain, snow, et cetera. Three to five miles.

Jessica Denson (08:32):

Wow. With

Carl Guardino (08:33):

That type of speed. So my plan at home for the five members of the Guino family, 530 by 200 megabits per second, a latency of 13 milliseconds, well under the a hundred milliseconds, that that will keep your gamer kids from glitzing happy and Yes,

Jessica Denson (08:51):

Exactly.

Carl Guardino (08:52):

Or buffering. And it's just amazing. And it's a third of the cost of the technology provider that we had before Tarana.

Jessica Denson (09:02):

So let's talk about the technology itself. Is it, is it a just a device that you put on towers or put on things that are there? Do you put towers up as well, or do you partner with other groups? How does, how does it work?

Carl Guardino (09:14):

Thank you. So we're a technology company,

Jessica Denson (09:17):

Uhhuh <affirmative>.

Carl Guardino (09:17):

And our technology is the software. We, we don't use other people's software, which is why we're able to, um, not have the limitations of legacy fixed wireless,

Jessica Denson (09:29):

Uhhuh <affirmative>,

Carl Guardino (09:30):

Which had and has its place. We never put others down to lift ourselves up. But next generation fixed wireless is able to, uh, therefore do non-line of sight. Uhhuh, <affirmative>, it's able to cancel or mitigate interference because there's a lot of interference in both licensed and unlicensed spectrum mm-hmm <affirmative>. 

And we don't do it by jamming others. We're not bad neighbors. We null it, we quiet it so that those conversations are still going on, if you will. And ours are going on uninterrupted

Jessica Denson (09:59):

Uhhuh <affirmative>.

Carl Guardino (09:59):

It's part of the secret sauce of what these brilliant 31 PhDs have created <laugh>. So our G 1-800-MEGABITS per second.

Jessica Denson (10:08):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Nulls,

Carl Guardino (10:08):

No's interference one radio 90 degrees can serve up to 256 families, businesses, churches, schools, et cetera. Our G two, which we just launched on September 4th, doubles all of that.

Jessica Denson (10:24):

Oh, wow. Exciting. So

Carl Guardino (10:26):

Instead of one radio serving 256, it serves up to 512 in a 90 degree angle. It's both our licensed and unlicensed radio into one product. And it is doubles the speed from 800 megabits per second to 1.6 gigabits <laugh>. And we're already working on G three, which will be out in three years, doubling everything again to 3.2 gigabits

Jessica Denson (10:54):

Per second. So the, the next innovation they're already looking for the next innovation. That's fantastic.

Carl Guardino (10:58):

At, at its heart. We are, we're a research and development company

Jessica Denson (11:02):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>. And

Carl Guardino (11:03):

We're going to continue to grow to meet the needs of American families and businesses and community anchor institutions long into the future.

Jessica Denson (11:12):

So what is, what is your partnership portfolio look like? Is it small ISPs, large ISPs? Is it, uh, community organizations? What is it?

Carl Guardino (11:21):

And that's what's so exciting about Toronto Wireless too, is our partners, tribal, rural, suburban, urban, are everything from, uh, uh, literally a mom and pop trying to solve their own internet problems and growing so that they're just serving their local community.

Jessica Denson (11:39):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>.

Carl Guardino (11:39):

To, to, um, some great work that I can't tell you about.

Jessica Denson (11:44):

I understand. It's okay

Carl Guardino (11:45):

With multinationals.

Jessica Denson (11:47):

Oh, great.

Carl Guardino (11:47):

And multi-state, uh, uh, internet service providers too. Like, oh my gosh, next, next Link and Act Link and Element Eight and Whisper, and so many others that are already multi-state using Toronto for a lot of their trickier deployments.

Jessica Denson (12:06):

It's very exciting. It's, yeah. I like that you said we don't put anyone down to lift ourselves up. We all, we all get lift up. Uh, <laugh>, another reason I'll tell you that I was excited to talk to you is I looked over at my colleague and I was like, I want him to be my uncle. He's so cool. <laugh>, <laugh>. 

Just 'cause you were, you have a friendly, you have a friendly way about you, you're smiling when you talk to people. Um, is talk about yourself and your background and what brought you to what you're doing now and why you're so affable.

Carl Guardino (12:38):

<laugh>. I love it. Oh, Jessica, you're so kind. I, my wife Leslie, and I just lead a blessed life too. We have three children, uh, a 20-year-old, uh, biologically our daughter and a 16-year-old who we adopted at one day old

Jessica Denson (12:52):

In

Carl Guardino (12:52):

A small town in Utah.

Jessica Denson (12:53):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>.

Carl Guardino (12:54):

And a 9-year-old son who we foster adopted at three months old. And you know, when, when you have family and we're people of faith, uh, and caring deeply about our community, it's hard to have a bad day.

Jessica Denson (13:07):

<laugh>. Yeah.

Carl Guardino (13:08):

And with Toronto Wireless, we're making people's lives better every single day.

Jessica Denson (13:13):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>.

Carl Guardino (13:14):

And it's such a mission driven company, and we're a mission driven family, and our mission is we want to build better communities and lift others up in the process.

Jessica Denson (13:27):

I think that's wonderful and fantastic. It, it, it does mirror, I have to say at Connected Nation, we do care about that as well. We care about adoption, access, adoption, and use all three pieces, having it, understanding it, knowing how to use it, all of that. Um, so you have a background in political science. Talk a little bit about your professional background and what led you to Toronto.

Carl Guardino (13:48):

Thank you. And it's funny too because when I, when I sat down with our co-founder and, and a group of PhDs, I looked him in the eye and said, you know, I so respect your science backgrounds, but you do know that political science is the only true science. <laugh>

Jessica Denson (14:04):

Fantastic.

Carl Guardino (14:05):

And yeah, they laughed in my face differently, <laugh>, but my background, I, I had the pleasure of serving as the CEO for 24 years, Uhhuh, uh, leading an organization that David Packard, the co-founder of Hewlett Packard had created

Jessica Denson (14:17):

Oh, wow.

Carl Guardino (14:17):

Which was, uh, consisted of 400 innovation economy CEOs

Jessica Denson (14:22):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>.

Carl Guardino (14:23):

Where we worked on issues that mattered as much to, uh, people, CEOs in their boardroom as you and I in our living rooms.

Jessica Denson (14:30):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>.

Carl Guardino (14:30):

Uh, traffic, uh, affordable homes, education, equality environment.

Jessica Denson (14:35):

Oh, wow.

Carl Guardino (14:35):

Uh, clean drinking.

Jessica Denson (14:36):

That had to be really so rewarding. Yeah.

Carl Guardino (14:39):

So rewarding. Uh, and then I was so fortunate, uh, the, uh, uh, A CEO, um, uh, got a call from the CEO of Toronto Wireless and said, Hey, do you know Carl Guino? And would you introduce me <laugh>? And a 30 minute coffee turned into a 90 minute, he had me at Hello? When I heard about the technology. But equally important, the mission

Jessica Denson (15:04):

Yeah.

Carl Guardino (15:05):

And the culture of the company. This, this is home. This is what I want to do. We want to help families around the world. I mentioned unserved and underserved. There are 55 million American families Yeah. That are the unhappily served. They live in neighborhoods and communities where there's one choice of a broadband provider. Yeah. And one choice is no choice at all. It's

Jessica Denson (15:27):

Not,

Carl Guardino (15:27):

You don't have competition. If you don't have that iron on iron of competition, then you get lazy in your products, your services, your pricing,

Jessica Denson (15:36):

Your innovation, all of it. Exactly. Yeah.

Carl Guardino (15:38):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>. So we want to, uh, I'm a proud capitalist. We want to have competition. It's healthy. Let the best company and technology win. And I see that in Connected Nation too. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. And the vital work that you're doing throughout our country.

Jessica Denson (15:52):

Thank you. I <laugh> I'm, I'm proud of our teams, the good stuff we're doing in digital skills training, the stuff we're doing in planning, you know, and I like that we can sometimes have disagreements with groups, and it's a conversation. It's not a, a hate-filled thing. It's a conversation. And I, I appreciate that about the way we do, we do things well. Um, what, Carl, I gotta give you a last, last word. What do you want people to take away about Toronto Wireless and the work you do?

Carl Guardino (16:20):

I would like to offer anyone who listens to or works with Connected Nation, if you want me to fly out to your community and invest 60 Minutes with me for a live technology deployment demonstration, we want you to actually experience the technology, not a slick PowerPoint for 20 minutes on a Zoom call.

Jessica Denson (16:43):

Mm-hmm <affirmative>.

Carl Guardino (16:44):

When you're gonna have 15 other Zoom calls that day.

Jessica Denson (16:48):

Yeah. If you're

Carl Guardino (16:48):

Gonna make a big decision for your family, your community, your government agency, then take the time to be discerning and we want you to test Toronto and determine if it's gonna meet your needs.

Jessica Denson (17:03):

Well, I will include a link to the, the company website and to your LinkedIn. You have a LinkedIn, I assume I do. I in the description of this podcast to make it easy for people to find you. I really appreciate your time and I would like you to be my Uncle Corino. If you could

Carl Guardino (17:17):

<laugh> Jessica, I'd rather be your brother.

Jessica Denson (17:19):

Okay, brother. Let's do that. We'll go with Uncle. Let's do that. And you're such a delight. You are too. Thank you for the work you do. Thank you. We'll continue our coverage from the Broadband Nation Expo on future episodes of Connected Nation. Until then, I'm Jessica Nen, and this is Connected Nation.