MetaLINK, a well-established internet service provider (ISP) in the midwestern United States, and Tarana, inventor of the award-winning Gigabit 1 (G1) broadband solution, today announced network upgrades that will bring high-speed internet to 23 counties in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana.
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MetaLINK and Tarana today announced network upgrades that will bring high-speed internet to 23 counties in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. (Graphic: Business Wire)
Founded in an Ohioan basement in 1996, MetaLINK remains locally owned and operated, and is ranked among the top 25 independent ISPs in the nation. In addition to phone and other services, they offer data-cap-free internet service plans to homes and businesses via fiber and wireless technologies.
Tarana is the category creator of next-generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) — an entirely new technology engineered from the ground up to bring reliable, fiber-class broadband to the home with unprecedented network economics. Their G1 ngFWA platform is now narrowing the digital divide in 8 countries, bringing quality connectivity to un- and underserved communities in record-short timelines.
The MetaLINK team first heard about Tarana G1 from other ISP operators while searching for a technology advance that could improve their internet offerings and connect more homes and businesses in areas where it was not cost-effective to deploy fiber. After multiple reports that G1 was achieving fiber-like speeds along with increases in subscriber counts per tower, they piloted Tarana’s solution in the spring of 2022.
Their initial G1 results yielded download speeds of up to 600 Mbps in line-of-sight (LoS) conditions at a 6-mile radius from the tower, and 100 Mbps in non-line-of-sight (NLoS) conditions at distances up to 8 miles. These speeds are 5–6x faster than MetaLINK was previously able to achieve in the same locations and enabled them to reliably connect customers despite hills and dense woods around their homes.
MetaLINK was also comparing their G1 pilot’s performance to their experiences with other wireless technologies, including a 3GPP solution that repurposes mobile wireless technology for home broadband. With many libraries, schools, public safety organizations, and healthcare facilities in their service footprint, a reliable and high-capacity solution was of the utmost importance. Fernando Torres, Operations Manager at MetaLINK, shared, “I believe in using the right tool for the right job. Our testing concluded that G1 was the best solution for all of our greenfield locations, and a portion of brownfield as well; it propagated best and enabled the highest throughput.”
MetaLINK’s first G1 network went live last November in Putnam County, Ohio — a result of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding they were awarded to bring high-speed broadband service to the Putnam County community. They plan to do the same for Williams County, Ohio, where the locals’ current service options are limited to just 1-3 Mbps through DSL. With G1, MetaLINK will offer up to 200 Mbps plans.
A MetaLINK customer spoke about their prior challenges and new internet service on G1, “We had been experiencing poor internet service for several years and had been looking for a new option, but just couldn’t find one. After speaking with a MetaLINK representative about their new technology, I was convinced they were the answer. Their installation staff were extremely knowledgeable, efficient, and friendly. Our internet service has never been better, and we have seen no lost connections or degradation in connectivity during rain or snow storms. We are extremely happy with MetaLINK and would recommend their G1-powered service to anyone.”
MetaLINK plans to add 20 G1 towers across 23 counties in the tri-state area this year, ultimately passing 200,000 homes. To inquire about service in your area, visit www.metalink.net.
About MetaLINK
MetaLINK Technologies is a locally-owned and -operated ISP that has been serving customers since 1996. We proudly provide high-speed Internet, fiber transport, fiber to the premise, co-location, web hosting, and hosted phone services and systems to businesses and households. As one of the top 25 independent ISPs in the nation, our goal is to offer fast, reliable Internet access and professional, world-class technical support to keep our customers’ connections running smoothly in Northwest Ohio, Northeast Indiana, and Southern Michigan. We are active community members, continuing to reach out and help build on the strength of our hometowns.
About Tarana
Tarana’s mission is to accelerate the deployment of fast, affordable internet access around the world. Through a decade of R&D and more than $400M of investment, the Tarana team has created a unique next-generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) technology instantiated in its first commercial platform, Gigabit 1 (G1). It delivers a game-changing advance in broadband economics in both mainstream and underserved markets, using either licensed or unlicensed spectrum. G1 started production in mid-2021 and has been embraced by more than 200 service providers globally. Tarana is headquartered in Milpitas, California, with additional research and development in Pune, India. Visit www.taranawireless.com for more on G1.
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