The partnership will help make broadband more affordable and accessible for unserved communities in rural areas of the U.S.
and globally
REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 4, 2018 /CNW/ -- On Thursday, Redline Communications (TSX:RDL) and Microsoft Corp. announced a new partnership that will help address the rural broadband gap using TV White
Space technology. Redline, a leader in private wireless networks, will provide its Virtual Fiberä radio technology in the TV
White Space band to Microsoft Airband Initiative partners. Together, Redline and Microsoft's partnership will help make broadband
internet more affordable and accessible to unserved and underserved customers in rural areas in the
United States and globally.
New cloud services and other technologies make broadband connectivity a necessity to start and grow a small business and to
take advantage of advances in agriculture, telemedicine and education. It is a vital part of 21st century infrastructure. Yet,
more than 19.4 million Americans living in rural areas lack access to broadband and miss out on the opportunities that
connectivity provides. According to a study from Boston Consulting Group, a connectivity model that uses a combination of technologies, including TV White
Space, can reduce the cost of extending broadband coverage in rural communities. TV White Space is an important part of the
solution, creating broadband connections in UHF bands and enabling communication in challenging rural terrains and highly
vegetated areas, all while protecting broadcasters and other licensees from harmful interference.
This partnership is part of Microsoft's Airband Initiative, which aims to close the broadband gap by extending access to 2 million unserved people in
rural America by 2022, using a mix of technology solutions, including TV White Space.
"Our work with Redline will increase the availability of competitively priced TV White Space technology, enabling internet
service providers (ISPs) to provide access to customers at an affordable price point," said Paul
Garnett, senior director of the Microsoft Airband Initiative. "This availability and utilization of TV White Space is
absolutely critical to closing the broadband gap. This partnership will bring rapid evolution to the technology, making a real
impact on real lives."
"With its Virtual Fiberä technology, Redline has been leading the TV White Space market and has been active in digital divide
projects for almost a decade," said Rob Williams, CEO at Redline. "In discussions with
Microsoft, we realized that we shared the same vision for approaching the rural broadband gap, and we each possessed critical
components to the solution. This partnership with Microsoft will help us address the digital divide more effectively in the U.S.
and around the world."
In addition to the partnerships with companies like Redline, Microsoft's Airband Initiative invests in partnerships with ISPs and other telecommunications companies, introduces
innovative solutions for rural connectivity, and provides digital skills training for people in newly connected communities.
About Redline Communications
Redline Communications (TSX:RDL) designs and manufactures powerful wide-area wireless networks for mission-critical
applications in challenging locations. Redline networks are used by Oil & Gas companies onshore and offshore, Mining
companies on surface and underground operations, by municipalities to remotely monitor infrastructure, and by specialized telecom
service providers to deliver premium services. Thousands of businesses worldwide rely on Redline to engineer, plan and deliver
ruggedized, secure and reliable networks for their IoT, voice, data and video communications needs. For more information
visit www.rdlcom.com.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent
edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News
Center at http://news.microsoft.com. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but
may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other
appropriate contacts listed at http://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.
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SOURCE Microsoft Corp.
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