ISPs Provide Gigabit Wireless to Customers with netElastic and Tarana Wireless

Softcom

Softcom, a wireless internet service provider (WISP) based in Galt, California, has successfully delivered high-performance gigabit service to its customers by integrating netElastic’s virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) with Tarana’s fixed wireless infrastructure. This combination has streamlined operations, reduced costs, and improved the customer experience while scaling to approximately 2,500 subscribers.

A Unique Pairing That Meets Softcom’s Gigabit Wireless Performance Needs

Tarana Wireless delivers Softcom high-quality, high-speed, low-latency point-to-multipoint fixed wireless service at scale. netElastic delivers Softcom the 100G BNG router capacity required for subscriber management in a Tarana environment with its vBNG software running on affordable Supermicro x86 servers. The use of readily available server components also simplifies replacement if needed.

The Move to DHCP-based Provisioning Has Produced Clear Operational Gains

Prior to adopting Tarana, Softcom operated its wireless network using the netElastic BNG for PPPoE-based customer deployments. This required manual configuration of routers with PPP login credentials for each installation. The process added time for field technicians and increased support calls whenever customers needed to swap equipment.

With the shift to Tarana, Softcom transitioned all customer installations to DHCP provisioning through the netElastic BNG. Customers no longer need manually configured PPP credentials. Routers are automatically recognized on the network so field techs spend less time on installs and support teams spend far less time troubleshooting. Customers can even swap their own equipment without calling Softcom.

Conclusion

By pairing netElastic’s high-performance, cost-effective BNG with Tarana’s high-performance fixed wireless platform, Softcom has modernized its network, simplified operations, and delivered reliable gigabit service to thousands of customers, while avoiding the high costs and complexity associated with traditional networking vendors.

“netElastic and Tarana provide us with the true gigabit service performance that traditional fixed-wireless systems just can’t match. The combination has been a big operational and cost win for Softcom.”

— Brian Meredith, CTO, Softcom

Nextlink Internet

Nextlink Internet, headquartered in Hudson Oaks, Texas, is a regional broadband provider serving approximately 100,000 subscribers across 11 states and one of the largest independent Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) in the United States (US). The company’s network footprint reflects a hybrid approach, with roughly 80 percent fixed wireless and 20 percent fiber-to-the-home (FTTH). As Nextlink expanded its newer networks and accelerated FTTH deployments, leadership recognized the limitations of legacy platforms and traditional proprietary hardware systems.

Vendor Collaboration and Integration across the Network

As part of Nextlink’s broader network modernization, the company selected netElastic for carrier-grade network address translation (CGNAT), broadband network gateway (BNG) functions and netVision management. The software supports Nextlink’s hybrid fixed wireless and fiber network strategy as the company moves away from legacy platforms and proprietary hardware. Tarana Wireless is part of Nextlink’s fixed wireless access environment, with traffic from Tarana sites already running through netElastic platforms.

The deployment supports a multi-vendor network that includes significant Tarana fixed wireless infrastructure. Tarana sites in Texas already route traffic through netElastic platforms, with further migration planned across Nextlink’s primary Texas user base. High-availability systems based in Dallas support this deployment. Tarana provides fixed wireless access within the broader network, while netElastic provides BNG and CGNAT functions that support Nextlink’s network modernization.

Conclusion

Nextlink’s adoption of netElastic supports broader modernization of its hybrid fixed wireless and fiber network. Software-based BNG and CGNAT functions, netVision management, and available APIs give Nextlink flexibility in capacity planning and day-to-day operations. The use of standard servers also supports procurement flexibility and continued growth. Tarana deployments and applicable public funding requirements form part of this operating environment, while the central objective remains reliable service delivery and an architecture that can evolve with the network.

“Our work with netElastic is part of how we modernize and operate our network across fixed wireless and fiber. We need flexibility to add capacity, simplify subscriber operations, and adapt as the network grows. netElastic’s software approach and the team’s responsiveness support that work.”

— Cameron Kilton, CTO of Nextlink Internet

AeroNet

AeroNet Wireless Broadband, Puerto Rico’s leading hybrid fiber and fixed-wireless ISP serving nearly 20,000 homes and businesses, successfully deployed Tarana Wireless next-generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) technology integrated with netElastic’s virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) and Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT) products. The combination allows AeroNet to deliver gigabit-class performance where fiber is unavailable while managing subscriber sessions efficiently on standard server hardware.

netElastic and Tarana Deliver High-Capacity Fixed Wireless Service

Tarana’s G1 platform provides high-capacity, interference-resistant fixed wireless links capable of fiber-like speeds and non-line-of-sight performance across Puerto Rico’s varied terrain. Traffic from more than 50 Tarana-equipped tower sites is handed off by VLAN to netElastic’s virtual BNG, which handles subscriber authentication, per-plan rate shaping, and CGNAT. The solution integrates with Sonar’s billing and operations platform so that plan changes take effect automatically on the network.

Conclusion

The networking architecture supports AeroNet’s growth strategy by enabling capacity to scale incrementally, avoiding the need for large upfront hardware investments. While competing routers often lack the performance required for fiber and Tarana deployments, netElastic routers deliver the required performance with the ability to scale up to 1 Tbps of throughput in a single instance. This efficiency strengthens AeroNet’s ability to compete effectively with larger cable and telecommunications operators.

“In Puerto Rico, customers expect fiber-class performance even where fiber doesn’t reach. Tarana lets us deliver gigabit fixed wireless across the island, and netElastic’s virtual BNG and CGNAT give us carrier-grade subscriber management on standard hardware, so we add capacity as we grow instead of buying ahead of demand. That combination is a big part of how AeroNet serves nearly 20,000 homes and businesses and keeps winning customers from the cable and telco incumbents.”

— Gino A. Villarini, Founder and President of AeroNet

“Our Tarana subscribers across more than 50 tower sites terminate on netElastic’s virtual BNG. Tarana hands each service off by VLAN, and the BNG handles subscriber sessions, per-plan rate shaping and CGNAT, integrated with Sonar so a plan change in billing takes effect on the network automatically. Because it runs on standard servers, adding capacity is a license and a server, not a chassis upgrade.”

— Luis Cintrón, Network Director at AeroNet

Intellipop

Intellipop, an open-access fiber provider that also runs fixed wireless in Utah, now serves 38 cities across six states. By pairing netElastic's carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT) solution with Tarana Wireless equipment, the company has stretched limited IPv4 resources, delivered competitive gigabit wireless service, and kept expanding into new markets.

Intellipop Scales Multi-State Growth with netElastic CGNAT and Tarana Wireless

Intellipop uses netElastic CGNAT to share each public IPv4 address across multiple subscribers. This approach has allowed the provider to grow across multiple states without acquiring additional IPv4 blocks. The CGNAT deployment itself proved straightforward, supported by netElastic's team, and addresses can be converted to public IPs when needed for specific use cases such as home servers. Combined with Tarana's fixed-wireless technology, Intellipop offers gigabit wireless packages under a "price for life" model.

Conclusion

netElastic CGNAT has supported Intellipop's growth to more than 300,000 serviceable households and freed resources for sales, marketing, and customer support, with the netElastic and Tarana combination giving the company a stable wireless offering alongside its fiber network.

"The combination of netElastic CGNAT and Tarana equipment enables us to offer gigabit wireless service at a very cost-effective price. netElastic CGNAT has further reduced costs by stretching our public IP addresses, allowing us to expand across multiple states without purchasing more IPv4 space."

— Aaron Hildreth, Co-Founder of Intellipop