Digitel Talk
Digitel Talk is a podcast promoting doing good in the mobile, telecoms and related technology industries. The heart of the podcast is about the people, what they have done, how it has affected them, others and the planet and what great things we can expect.
We aim to share the stories of those champions who want to help others and have found a way of using mobile, telecoms and technology to achieve this.
As hosts who work in telecoms, if nothing else, the podcast aims to broaden the audience for these projects with hopes it might resonate with others who will be inspired to do something good themselves.
Digitel Talk
Dr Omar Bakr: Reimagining Cost Effective Wireless Connectivity
Fibre speeds without the fibre build?
In this episode, Ian sits down with Dr. Omar Bakr, Chief Scientist and Co-Founder of Tarana Wireless, whose mission is to accelerate global access to fast, reliable and affordable broadband.
Omar shares the remarkable story of how Tarana emerged from PhD research into a breakthrough wireless platform now delivering gigabit-class fixed broadband — even without line of sight. He breaks down the technology in refreshingly simple terms, explains why “the last 10 metres” is the industry’s biggest challenge, and reveals how smarter wireless could help democratise connectivity around the world.
A conversation full of insight, big thinking, and human warmth — including Omar’s reflections on purpose, resilience, and the legacy he hopes to leave.
Links & Resources:
Episode sponsored by IFG Consulting Europe– Supporting telcos with tech strategy, digitisation and growth.
Guests Bio:
As founder and Chief Scientist of Tarana Wireless Inc., Omar Bakr was a key architect behind the technology powering the biggest breakthrough in wireless non-line-of-sight communications in the past 20 years. His leadership and contributions to the company’s core technology development as well as in business development and financing have been instrumental in driving the company on its current trajectory of rapid growth. His prior experience includes design and deployment of WiLDNet, a revolutionary low-cost, high‑performance wireless network, as part of UC Berkeley’s TIER Group. He has published technical papers on multi-antenna beamforming, wireless spectrum reuse, and delay-tolerant networking, and has been granted several patents in wireless communications and adaptive array technologies. Omar received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT in 2001 and 2003, and Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science from UC Berkeley in 2010.
Podcast credits:
- Host: Ian Ginn
- Editor: Francis Wright
- Designer: Rebecca Ginn
- Project manager: Ivana Duric
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