Alpheus, RightRound and Alpha Omega Wireless deliver 1GB of bandwidth to SXSW 2013, meeting unprecedented demand for Internet access
AUSTIN, Texas – April 23, 2013 – With thousands of music, film and interactive fans pouring into Austin, each carrying two or three mobile devices to catch streaming video and stay connected with social media networks, South by Southwest® (SXSW®) 2013 needed Internet access like never before.
The legendary entertainment venue turned to its primary Internet consultant, Austin-based RightRound LLC, and two other local companies, Alpheus Communications and Alpha Omega Wireless, to design and implement a 1GB data circuit to support the needs of SXSW events, exhibitors and attendees.
“Creating the networks to run SXSW Interactive, Film and Music has always been challenging,” said Scott Wilcox, Director of Technology for SXSW LLC. “This year the partnership between RightRound, Alpha Omega Wireless and Alpheus has taken our events to a new level. I’ve always wanted Wi-Fi at our conferences and festivals to be like electricity – omnipresent and easy. I can’t say enough good things about these companies and the way they have worked so effectively together to help us achieve this goal.”
Alpheus Communications provided 1GB Internet access from its network hub/data center on East 6th Street in Austin and delivered connectivity directly to many venues. In addition, Alpheus’ bandwidth was extended wirelessly via Alpha Omega Wireless to venues beyond the SXSW host hotel in downtown Austin.
“It’s really good working with an enterprise-grade carrier like Alpheus, rather than a consumer-based service provider. When you work with Alpheus, you know their goal is to deliver bulletproof Internet connectivity, and that’s what SXSW needed,” said Cliff Skolnick, director and network architect at RightRound. “We also love that Alpheus is a local company. You can’t dismiss the value of daily, face-to-face conversations with Chase Sadler at Alpheus – that’s where our best ideas came from.”
In addition to overall project management, RightRound is the network solutions expert for SXSW, which has a long-standing relationship with Skolnick. RightRound provides services and equipment that exhibitors, sponsors and performers needed to properly deploy for streaming their events and performances.
As many of the SXSW venues are temporary, including tents set up in parking lots, clients often only need Internet access for a day or even a few hours. That challenge was met by Austin-based Alpha Omega Wireless, which delivered Alpheus’ Internet access via a microwave, point-to-point connection from the Alpheus network hub/data center to the SXSW host hotel in downtown Austin. From atop this 31-story hotel, Alpha Omega Wireless extended Alpheus’ Internet access via point-to-multipoint wireless connection to 30 to 40 venues where the firm also delivered high-density Wi-Fi that attendees accessed free of charge.
“Attendees should have the best interactive experience possible, and that means ensuring they can stream live video of performances, access social media and personalize their experience whenever and wherever they want. It’s in everyone’s best interest to have that kind of Internet access so that attendees have a great time, exhibitors and sponsors get the value they’re paying for, and the event itself gets great exposure,” said Joe Wargo, president of Alpha Omega Wireless. “We are able to deliver the best network experience for SXSW because of Alpheus. They are right on 6th Street, so we’re able to hit their core network directly to the Internet. We couldn’t get that service without Alpheus being local.”
Demand for Internet access during SXSW shows no signs of slowing. With just a casual look around the events, attendees each have at least two IP-enabled devices for watching streaming video, blogging and posting to their favorite social media sites.
“Alpheus knows how important Internet access is to SXSW. The high-performance network service that Alpheus provided to SXSW this year is a baseline that we believe will be surpassed quickly as the event, its attendees, exhibitors, sponsors and performers all demand more bandwidth,” said Scott Widham, CEO of Alpheus Communications. “With the terrific partnership of Alpheus, RightRound and Alpha Omega Wireless, there’s no doubt that SXSW will continue to set the standard for interactive entertainment events.”
To find out more about Alpheus Communications’ service, contact Enterprise Account Director, Chase Sadler at 512-485-3919 or chase.sadler@alpheus.net.
About Alpheus Communications
Alpheus Communications (www.alpheus.net) is a leading provider of Texas metro-regional fiber and networking solutions. With owned facilities in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley, Alpheus is flexible, content-neutral and responsive to customer needs when low-latency and uptime are essential. As the preferred fiber backbone for Metro Texas, Alpheus is in a unique position to support mission-critical information technology functions and cloud computing solutions through resilient SSAE 16-compliant data center platforms for colocation and disaster recovery.
About Right Round
RightRound (www.rightround.com) was created out of the successful Internet services delivered at SXSW including attendee WiFi, video streaming, and event production since 2005. Internet technology has an increasing role in events of all kinds. RightRound is the effort to provide the successful solutions that have been used at SXSW to others.
About Alpha Omega Wireless, Inc.
“AO Wireless” (www.aowireless.com) is a leading integrator of complete end-to-end wireless backhaul networking technology and solutions. Alpha Omega Wireless provides wireless site surveys, feasibility studies, engineering, spectrum analysis, path calculations, design, wireless installation, equipment sales, radio repair and maintenance, support, troubleshooting, and ongoing management & monitoring of point to point wireless links, point to multipoint wireless systems, WiMax backhaul, LTE, Wi-Fi, and wireless mesh. As well as SCADA telemetry radio, wireless video surveillance, and indoor RF. Alpha Omega Wireless works with unlicensed wireless Ethernet bridges and licensed microwave links.
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Contact:
Tony Katsulos
Jetstream PR for Alpheus Communications
(972) 788-9456 ext. 301
katsulos@jetstreampr.com
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