ALAMEDA, CA, DECEMBER 11, 2008—Clear-Com® Communication Systems, a Vitec Group brand, is pleased to announce that this year, companies across a diverse range of media fields have made the CellCom® digital wireless system an essential part of their operations. Impressed by the system's clarity, reliability and ease of integration, a U.S. weather network, two live performance centers, a church and a medical equipment manufacturer were among the record number of customers that installed CellCom in their facilities this year. 
They found that when it comes to wireless communications, CellCom is in a class of its own. Not only can it operate either as a standalone system or part of a wired setup, it combines DECT and wireless roaming technologies to ensure against the interference common to the wireless world. At the same time, its license-free operation in the 1.8 – 1.9 GHZ range means users won't need to fret over its viability after the FCC-mandated February 2009 reallocation of UHF bands. These are just some reasons why CellCom made such a splash in 2008.
Acclaimed weather network AccuWeather.com discovered these qualities when it installed CellCom, along with a Clear-Com Eclipse Median Digital Matrix intercom, at its headquarters in State College, Pennsylvania. The broadcaster is delighted with the freedom of mobility offered by CellCom, which provides AccuWeather.com staff with beltpack-based wireless communications throughout its operations floor, allowing up to 10 beltpacks to roam seamlessly between remote active antennas.
CellCom also found a home in 2008 in more live performance and theatrical venues than ever. Earlier this year, the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater, a historic performing arts center in Medford, Oregon, gave the wireless system a huge round of applause. Staff members enjoy the flexibility and efficiency of the system, which has become a major asset for the theater and is used for such diverse productions as elaborate Broadway-style live shows, dance performances and concerts, with crew sizes ranging from three to more than 50 people.
Zellerbach Auditorium, the 2,000-seat performing arts center operated by Cal Performances at the University of California at Berkeley, has integrated CellCom into its existing wired setup, realizing an immediate improvement in reception and reliability. Whereas the venue's previous wireless headset system, from another manufacturer, generated noisy interference and had numerous “dead zones,” CellCom operates with notable clarity and reliability. The Zellerbach staff is also finding it easier to integrate within its existing two-channel wired system, and uses CellCom for a variety of productions, ranging from rock concerts to opera and ballet.
“CellCom's success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our development staff, who designed the system from the ground up to offer an unprecedented level of clarity, connectivity and flexibility,” says Matt Danilowicz, Managing Director, Clear-Com. “It easily integrates with a facility's existing intercom system, works within a frequency range virtually free of interference and gives users the freedom to roam about a facility without the fear of losing connection to the base station. We're tremendously proud that customers have been able to take advantage of these features.”
Clear-Com has also made significant inroads with CellCom within the worship sector this year as well. One example is Crossings Community Church, a 4,000-plus-member congregation in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, which is using CellCom to coordinate the production of three weekly services featuring music by a 120-piece chorus and a full orchestra. CellCom gives the church's busy production staff the flexibility and freedom of unlimited access to roam around the large, 290,000 square foot facility while staying closely connected.
CellCom was also able to address the mission-critical communication needs in healthcare facilities this year. Fink Engineering, a manufacturer of hyperbaric chambers, therapeutic oxygen chambers generally used for chronic or severe wound care, is using CellCom to link operators and physicians working just outside the chambers with attendants inside administering to patients. This is no small feat as the completely sealed chambers, filled with hot and humid air, are under extreme pressure. Thanks to its robust design, CellCom has stood up to the test and works flawlessly in this challenging environment.
CellCom beltpacks can operate with the CellCom standalone intercom base station or with CellCom Integra within the Clear-Com Eclipse Matrix system. Major benefits include point-to-point and small group wireless communications accessible via multiple routes to the beltpack, frequency and channel-hopping technology, which automatically finds clear spectrum, remote “Active Antennas” that create user-defined coverage zones and full-duplex 7kHz “commentator” bandwidth for high clarity audio.
CellCom is equipped with an alert feature that maintains contact even when a headset has been removed, and also provides remote battery monitoring and remote microphone kill for greater control and information at the base station.
Note: CellCom® and FreeSpeak® are different brands representing the same digital wireless intercom system (with minor technical differences). Due to trademark limitations, CellCom and CellCom Integra (formerly CellCom50) are only available in the USA and Canada; and FreeSpeak and FreeSpeak Integra (formerly FreeSpeak50) are available in all countries other than the USA and Canada.
ABOUT CLEAR-COM
Clear-Com®, a brand of The Vitec Group plc, is the global leader of professional communication solutions for broadcast, live performance, military, government and commercial markets. For more than 40 years, Clear-Com's signature products such as Encore Party-line, Eclipse Digital Matrix, CellCom®/FreeSpeak® Digital Wireless and IP Communications systems have revolutionized broadcast stations, production trucks, houses of worship and performance venues. Recognizing Clear-Com for its history of intercom innovation, production teams around the world achieve ubiquitous communication with products to promote easy interoperability and global connectivity. More information can be found at www.clearcom.com.
ABOUT THE VITEC GROUP PLC
The Vitec Group plc is acknowledged as a global leader in the supply of equipment and services to the broadcasting, entertainment and photographic industries and has established a reputation for technical excellence and superior engineering along with an astute business strategy which has seen it grow by acquisition. Innovation is a cornerstone of the Group's activities and the organisation is committed to a policy of continuous product development. With revenues (2007) of $546m (£274m) and over 2200 employees world-wide, its products are distributed in almost 100 countries, through
a strong, fully-resourced distribution network or direct to the end user or corporate customer. More information can be found at www.vitecgroup.com