In this episode of Ceragon Connects, we are thrilled to have Ulik Broida, the Chief Product Officer at Ceragon Networks, share insights into what's brewing post-Ceragon’s acquisition of Siklu. Michael Schachter, our VP of Product Marketing and a recent addition to the team, couldn't help but express his excitement about what this means for everyone involved - especially our customers.

This partnership isn't just about adding new millimeter wave products to our portfolio; it's about enhancing how we serve our markets with a wider range of solutions from budget-friendly to high-capacity and performance. Ulik pointed out that this merger is all about creating more value, bringing together two legacies of innovation to launch products and solutions that wouldn't be possible otherwise.

Ulik also gave us a sneak peek into the future, hinting at how Siklu's strength in user-friendly interfaces for smaller networks will complement Ceragon's robust offerings for larger carriers. It's an exciting time ahead as we explore the potential of Siklu’s point-to-multipoint solutions and how they can expand to serve not just private networks and small carriers but scale to meet the needs of major service providers. This approach promises a new level of connectivity for a variety of applications, from corporate settings to educational campuses and residential areas. With such collaborative efforts, we're not just expanding our technological horizons; we're setting the stage to support our customers better, making high-capacity, efficient connectivity more accessible than ever before.

Full Transcript Below:

\\Hello and welcome to Ceragon Connects! Where we have candid conversations with telecom transport network leaders. On this episode, Ceragon Connects with Ulik Broida, The Chief Product Officer at Ceragon Networks. Ulik, thanks for joining us today.

\\Thanks for having me, Michael.

\\Before we get started, I've got to say, wow! I mean, what an exciting time it is to be working at Ceragon. As someone who joined just a few months ago Double wow! I mean, what great timing and what a great time it is for Ceragon customers Thanks in large part to the addition of so many powerful new solutions like the ones from Siklu.

\\Ulik, what can the industry as a whole and Siklu and Ceragon customers, more specifically, expect to see as a direct result of this new union? And as a quick kind of follow-up - Do you feel that Ceragon's acquisition of Siklu makes it a unique solution provider when compared to the competition?

\\Well, I would say there are two clear results of the acquisition. And yes, I think that they are both differentiators for Ceragon. First, Ceragon now has the widest portfolio of point-to-point millimeter wave solutions, covering every application and customer priority from the most affordable solutions on one end of the spectrum to the highest capacity and greatest performance on the other end of the spectrum.

\\That directly impacts and expands the range of markets we can serve now. Giving us the best-of-breed solution for every use case. I'd say that this is the first and most immediate result of the two companies coming together.

\\The second significant impact would be in reference to that famous quote that states that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. When you combine two companies that both have a long legacy of innovation in industry-leading products, we’ll definitely see the fruits of that innovative ethos reflected in future products and the roadmap we are developing.

\\Ulik, since you brought up future developments, can you give us a glimpse into what the team is working on and how the unique legacy strengths of the two companies might come together to benefit our customers?

\\Of course. All the technology we're developing will utilize the combined experience, expertise, and strength of both Ceragon and Siklu. For example, Siklu has an established reputation for creating clean and clear user interfaces, and they've done this amazingly specifically for small private networks. We will build on that strength and apply it to Ceragon’s solution for large carriers. This ‘best of both worlds’ hybrid will impact and enhance our entire portfolio of solutions.

\\Are there any specific products or applications that are currently being developed that you can give us some details on?

\\Without being too specific, I can tell you that we see Siklu’s point-to-multipoint solution as an enormous asset. It has a significant market presence and we recognize real growth potential there. It currently operates in unlicensed V band with a focus on private networks and small carriers. Adding Ceragon capabilities to the point-to-multipoint solution will widen potential use cases and business applications to include the large carriers and service providers, that Ceragon traditionally supports.

\\There are many operators in North America, India, and Europe who have already purchased frequencies in these bands. A Ceragon point-to-multipoint solution will allow our customers who have already invested in those frequencies to upgrade and expand their networks with fixed wireless access for applications covering everything from corporate office towers to expansive education campuses to large residential neighborhoods, providing multi-gigabits per second connectivity. This is something that doesn't currently exist for these 5G bands.

\\That is an incredibly exciting innovation to look forward to for large carriers and our Tier One service providers. How about something equally exciting for smaller network operators, ISPs, and private network owners like municipalities and utilities?

\\There are a lot of exciting new things being discussed and developed, but I think it's worth repeating that the merger of these two companies’ development teams and product families creates real value for our customers.

\\Ceragon wireless backhaul and transport technology combined with Siklu’s ‘street level’ edge-of-network innovations make for a powerful end-to-end solution. We will continue to invest in and develop what we are calling ‘street level’ networking for municipalities and small to midsize service providers that want to deliver last-mile services.

\\For example, for a multi-dwelling residential unit, for smart cities, industrial IoT, and many other use cases. The existing technology can already be installed in transportation hubs, bus stops, traffic signal poles, etc. covering relatively short distances, allowing for very cost-effective equipment that is easy to install, monitor, and manage while still delivering significant power and capacity.

\\Ulik, it sounds like there is a lot to look forward to, thanks to Siklu joining the Ceragon family. So, thanks for sharing all of that with us.

\\My pleasure!

\\And thanks to all of you for watching!
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If you have any questions or would like to learn more, visit us at Ceragon.com today or contact your local Ceragon representative.

Until next time I'm Michael Schachter and this is - Ceragon Connects//

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