On Tuesday, April 5, Siklu Inc., Cruzio and the City of Santa Cruz announced a project to bring gigabit internet speeds to local residential, business and community sites throughout Santa Cruz. Using hybrid fiber-wireless technologies – existing fiber connected to Siklu fiber-like wireless radios with service provided by Cruzio — this project will bring wireless gigabit service to Santa Cruz residents in just under 3 months. 

In a first-of-its kind deployment in the United States, this project will show how ultra-high frequency wireless technology can extend the reach of existing fiber to bring gigabit services to a community quickly and inexpensively, to the great benefit of city services, local businesses and residents. Santa Cruz is a member of Next Century Cities, which has been advocating for such partnerships to boost broadband in cities throughout the country.

The project will use Siklu millimeter wave radios attached to existing fiber from Cruzio. These radios can be attached to building facades, the top of buildings, poles and other points in the community to create an ultra-fast wireless extension of fiber. Using mmWave frequencies, the radios can transmit multiple gigabits reliably and with low latency, and no interference or congestion. But the radios can be installed and deployed much quicker and with less disruption than traditional fiber. So residents, businesses and community sites will have the benefits of fiber much quicker than a traditional gigabit deployment that uses all fiber.

“Siklu is proud to work with Santa Cruz and Cruzio to show how we can light up communities with ultra-fast broadband speeds with a wireless technology that can be put in place quickly,” said Izik Kirshenbaum, Founder and Chairman of Siklu, “We look forward to deploying this technology in other U.S. communities in the months to come, helping them complete their race to get a gigabit.”