Gigabit mmWave: Siklu Radios Connect the Unconnected in Cleveland, Ohio

Siklu, a global provider of millimeter wave radios, has provided a network of gigabit millimeter wave radios to Connect the Unconnected, a Cleveland initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide.

156 public housing units and a homeless shelter were connected with Siklu radios, each receiving gigabit broadband speeds.

Civic organization Digital C has been working to “Connect the Unconnected” in Cleveland, a city where over 30% of residents have no access to the Internet. Connect the Unconnected program brought broadband connections to approximately 800 residents of Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority high rise communities, as well as residents of the Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries Men’s Shelter and students at Stepstone Academy. Recipients of the connectivity will also be provided with the opportunity to complete a basic digital literacy training course, teaching the fundamentals of computer and internet use, after which they will receive a refurbished computer to utilize at home.

The main challenge in connecting public housing buildings like the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority is the prohibitive cost of laying fiber between buildings, which is why Digital C turned to Siklu.

Siklu was able to provide fiber-like gigabit capacity over the air, connecting several CMHA buildings and a homeless shelter from a nearby fiber termination unit. Between 1-3 gigabit wireless antennas per building are providing each resident with a high-speed broadband connection.

“We believe in Digital C’s mission to use technology for community impact,” says Izik Kirshenbaum, Siklu President. ‘We’re excited to see how millimeter wave technology providing broadband speeds will impact resident’s lives.”

“The technical architecture of the Cleveland Connect the Unconnected program is scalable and replicable,” said Lev Gonick, Chief Executive of Digital C. “It’s a good example of using IT to advance the quality of life in a community and serve as a reference architecture for others.”