Carl Guardino, longtime former CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, has a new position as vice president for government affairs for Tarana, Inc., a Milpitas technology firm working to bridge the digital divide.
“Increased focus on the digital divide at all levels of the U.S. government, along with Tarana’s innovation in next-generation fixed wireless access, have created a unique opportunity to make material progress on America’s persistent divide more rapidly than ever thought possible,” the company said in a Nov. 15 statement..
“To help capitalize on this unique opportunity, Carl Guardino has joined the Tarana team,” the statement said, calling Guardino “a trusted public policy leader and advocate with over 35 years of experience guiding public/private engagement.”
“With this addition, Tarana can more readily assist public officials in understanding and leveraging [next-generation wireless technology] to ultimately give broadband programs wider reach and faster implementation.”
Since its commercial launch in late 2021, Tarana said its wireless platform, the product of over 10 years of research and development and $300 million in investment, has been adopted by190 internet service providers in eight countries.
Many of its deployments are explicitly targeting un- and underserved communities, according to Tarana.
“Fiber is clearly the default choice in the current policy conversation. It’s important to keep in mind that in some places it’s just not economically practical to deploy, given costs per mile and per household,” Guardino said in a statement. “I’m excited about this opportunity to expand access to fast, affordable, and reliable broadband in those challenging areas.”
Basil Alwan, Tarana Chairman and CEO, added “Our mission from the start has been to enable substantially faster progress in closing the world’s persistent digital divide. We’re looking forward to contributing toward greater success for both American and global broadband initiatives.”
Tarana is headquartered in Milpitas, with additional research and development in Pune, India.
Guardino announced in 2020 that he was stepping down after 23 years as president and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. He was hired several months later as an executive vice president at Bloom Energy and left that job in September of this year.
“technology firm working to bridge the digital divide”
sounds like Basil is taking a page from the Musk playbook and taping into those subsidized revenues
like Elon, Mr. Alwan is no dummy, one of the best in the valley, so chances are good he will clean up
Smart play Carl
“It’s important to keep in mind that in some places it’s just not economically practical to deploy, given costs per mile and per household.”
Hence the mention of “public officials” earlier. It’s so obvious.
Don’t stop in part of the South Bay. The East Bay flats beckon.
Like I said, the winner of San Jose’s recent mayoral election was none other than one Carl Guardino (https://sanjosespotlight.com/where-do-san-jose-mayoral-candidates-cindy-chavez-matt-mahan-stand-on-the-environment/#comment-115371). With more than a quarter-century as a key player in the local shadow government, he has been directly and indirectly responsible for policies and legislation that have battered and beaten the working people of our city and county in so many ways (https://www.sanjoseinside.com/opinion/uber-lyft-keep-it-in-family-with-help-from-the-guardinos/; https://sanjosespotlight.com/how-san-jose-mayors-ally-helped-bloom-energy-skirt-a-natural-gas-ban/#comment-49908; https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-mayor-sam-liccardo-ally-carl-guardino-bloom-energy-wrote-natural-gas-ban-exemption-to-his-benefit/#comment-83210).
That this piece reads like it was produced by Tarana, Inc’s communications department, rather than by a journalism medium, suggests it might be time for a name change for this online publication. Might I suggest “San Jose Insider?”