MetaLINK, a Defiance, OH-based internet service provider, announced network upgrades that will bring high-speed internet to 23 counties in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana, using the Gigabit 1 (G1) next generation fixed wireless access platform (ngFWA) from Tarana.
Founded in 1996, locally owned and operated MetaLINK offers data-cap-free internet service plans to homes and businesses via fiber and wireless technologies, along with phones and other services. MetaLINK had been looking for technology that could improve its internet offerings and connect more homes and businesses in areas where it was not cost-effective to deploy fiber. The company piloted Tarana’s solution in the spring of 2022.
MetaLINK’s initial G1 results yielded download speeds of up to 600 Mbps in line-of-sight conditions at a six-mile radius from the tower, and 100 Mbps in non-line-of-sight conditions at distances up to eight miles. These speeds are 5-6x faster than what MetaLINK was previously able to achieve in the same locations. Tarana’s G1 ngFWA system enabled MetaLINK to reliably connect customers despite hills and dense woods around their homes.
MetaLINK was also comparing the G1 pilot’s performance to the company’s experiences with other wireless technologies, including a 3GPP cellular solution that repurposes mobile wireless technology for home broadband. With many libraries, schools, public safety organizations, and healthcare facilities in its service footprint, the company realized a reliable and high-capacity solution was very important.
Fernando Torres, MetaLINK Operations Manager comments, “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, OH, using American Rescue Plan Act funding that the company was awarded to bring high-speed broadband service to the Putnam County community. It plans to do the same for Williams County, OH, where current service options are limited to just 1-3 Mbps with DSL over telephone lines.
With G1, the company will offer up to 200 Mbps plans. MetaLINK plans to add 20 G1 towers across 23 counties in the tri-state area this year, ultimately passing 200,000 homes.
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