Exec Details Cruzio Wireless Gigabit Plans Using Siklu

Wireless gigabit could be an alternative to fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) for delivering ultra-high-speed broadband service, as an announcement from Santa Cruz (CA)-based broadband provider Cruzio illustrates.

Cruzio wireless gigabit is based on point-to-point wireless technology from Siklu, which will deliver gigabit service for $99 a month, said James Hackett, Cruzio Director of Business Operations and Development. That’s a bit higher than the $70 a month that some service providers are offering for FTTP-based gigabit. But it could be an attractive price for enterprise customers that previously may not have had a gigabit option. Siklu also offers 100 Mbps service for $49 monthly using the Siklu equipment. Cruzio expects to break ground before the end of 2017 on a project that will make FTTP-based gigabit available at a price in the range of $60 to $70 monthly or less to the entire city of Santa Cruz. But even when that project is completed, Hackett expects to continue to use Siklu wireless gigabit for backup and to extend service beyond the city limits.