Cruzio and Exalt Deliver Live High Definition Video for O'Neill Cold Water Classic Surfing Championship

CAMPBELL, Calif., Nov. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Exalt Communications, the leading innovator of next-generation packet-microwave backhaul solutions, today announced that Cruzio Internet, Santa Cruz County's oldest and largest Internet service provider (ISP) and long-standing customer of Exalt, is using Exalt microwave backhaul systems to carry live streaming video coverage for the 2012 O'Neill Cold Water Classic surfing competition, the penultimate event of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour. Cruzio has deployed Exalt ExtendAir all-outdoor 24 GHz systems to build a high-speed, point-to-point wireless network to connect video traffic, as well as Wi-Fi, voice, and data for the event, which occurs in Santa Cruz, Calif. Nov. 1–11, 2012. The venue is world-renowned Steamer Lane, which offers a number of different waves depending on size and swell direction. In huge conditions, the outer reef offers a great viewing spectacle on the cliffs and for the webcast alike. RedBull.tv is streaming the competition live at http://live.redbull.tv/.

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The Cold Water Classic brings world-title surfing to Santa Cruz and marks an important business partnership in the local community. Cruzio is partnering with Exalt and Santa Cruz-based sponsor O'Neill Wetsuits to provide a 100 Mbps packet-microwave backhaul link that runs two miles, from the cliffs of Steamer Lane back to the Cruzio data center on the west side of the city, allowing the ISP to broadcast  high-definition video streams out to the Internet. Cruzio's presence in the Santa Cruz community and its ability to deliver high performance, reliable network access over mountainous terrain made the company a natural fit to help O'Neill support the event.

"Other companies make high-capacity microwave radios, but when O'Neill called us with such an important project, we turned to Exalt," said James Hackett, business development manager at Cruzio Internet. "The O'Neill Coldwater Classic isn't just important to Cruzio as a company, but to the city of Santa Cruz as well, and we chose Exalt because no other company delivers the reliability and performance of Exalt systems. Making high speed Internet connectivity available and easy to use is what we do for local businesses and consumers. Now, we're helping high-profile business partners like O'Neill, and we are very pleased to be using Exalt throughout our network to support growth on both fronts."

The Association of Surfing Professionals upgraded the O'Neill Coldwater Classic to its 2012 World Championship Tour in celebration of O'Neill's 60th anniversary. The world's best surfers will travel to Northern California for the second to last stop on the 2012 ASP WCT, which may well determine the 2012 World Champion. "This year, the Cold Water Classic coincides with O'Neill's 60th anniversary and, in recognition of our significant contributions to surfing, the ASP has elevated the Classic to a World Title event," said Kieran Horn, Americas brand manager at O'Neill. "This means that many of the world's best surfers will be competing here in Santa Cruz to determine the overall 2012 World Champion. Working with a local, highly-regarded ISP like Cruzio and its partners allows us to have the right technology in place to stream live, high definition video to surfing fans worldwide so that they can follow the competition on their iPhones, iPads, or other connected devices wherever they are."

Cruzio is building one of the most advanced backbones in the United States for a service provider of its size, and is using Exalt not only to support this event, but as primary backhaul of end-to-end wireless customer traffic and secondary backhaul for its fiber network in Santa Cruz. Working directly with Exalt, Cruzio has deployed Exalt systems that use the 18 GHz, 23 GHz, and 5 GHz frequencies to reliably deliver Ethernet traffic over distances exceeding 20 miles. Each microwave link carries at least 100 Mbps full-duplex Ethernet today, and this can be expanded up to 1 gigabit per-second (Gbps) full duplex per link as other parts of the network are upgraded to handle the new capacity.

"We have the broadest product line of packet microwave systems in the industry, so customers can choose exactly the systems they need to build wireless backhaul networks quickly and reliably," said Greg Gum, Exalt senior vice president of marketing and business development. "As a California company, we celebrate the history of surfing here and are excited to help deliver live, high definition video over Cruzio's wireless network for the O'Neill Coldwater Classic. It's a continuing testament by Cruzio to the speed, quality, and reliability of our systems."

About Exalt Communications

Exalt Communications provides next-generation packet microwave backhaul systems to mobile operators, service providers, government agencies, and enterprises worldwide. Exalt systems are designed to solve the network bottlenecks associated with the growing demand for IP-based voice, data, and video applications and the resulting migration from TDM to IP-based networks. With a flexible architecture and universal product platform covering multiple market segments, Exalt provides a full range of packet microwave backhaul systems that meet the demand for cost-effective and flexible alternatives to fiber and leased lines. www.exaltcom.com

For further information, contact:
Pamela Valentine
Vice President, Marketing Outbound & Channel
Exalt Communications Inc.
(408) 688-0288
[email protected]

Joseph Rigoli
Davies Murphy Group, Inc.
(781) 418-2418
[email protected]

SOURCE Exalt Communications