Canadian 911 Center Deploys Exalt for Backbone Network

CAMPBELL, CA--(Marketwired - May 16, 2013) - Exalt Communications, Inc., the leading innovator of next-generation packet microwave backhaul systems, today announced that Capital Region Emergency Service Telecommunications (CREST) has deployed Exalt microwave backhaul systems to transport communications among 40 public safety agencies in British Columbia's Capital Region, supporting some 2,000 police, fire, and EMT personnel responding to an average of eight million calls a year.

CREST was formed in 2001 in the Capital Region of British Columbia to bring together disparate public safety agencies in a unified radio network. The agencies had been using over 30 different radio systems. In most cases, critical communications links among these systems were not possible -- putting both first-responders and the public in jeopardy.

In late 2012, CREST decided to upgrade its network to IP capability to support migration to next-generation P25 and 700 MHz radio networks. The Center developed a plan to replace existing 900 MHz links with 15 GHz microwave links and use 23 GHz microwave links to connect the network to various dispatch centers.

"We run an IDU/ODU split-mount configuration, and Exalt was the only manufacturer we were able to find that could supply radios in that configuration supporting 15 and 23 GHz frequency bands," said Bill Sidaway, operations manager at CREST. "Deploying the split-mount radios from the same manufacturer in all of my key locations makes it easier to spare and maintain the network, and to train my crew. The Exalt systems also offer us high performance and reliability. Since we installed the systems, we have had no system downtime."

"Network connectivity can be a matter of life and death for first-responders, and Exalt is increasingly the choice of mission critical network operators like CREST because of our system performance, reliability, and availability, and the broad selection of systems we offer to support any application," said Greg Gum, Exalt senior vice president of marketing and business development. "We are proud that CREST trusts us with their support of first-responders, and we will continue to deliver systems that enable public safety agencies to run more efficiently, prepare for the future, and better protect their first-responders and communities."

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 provide a compelling complement to fiber, and a cost-effective and flexible alternative to deploying new fiber or leasing fiber lines. www.exaltcom.com