TV White Spaces Delivering Enhanced Broadband Access and Telemedicine Applications to Healthcare Providers

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Spectrum Bridge, Inc., together with the Hocking Valley Community Hospital announced today the deployment of the first TV White Spaces broadband trial network for healthcare providers in Logan, Ohio. With its excellent propagation and building penetration characteristics, this TV White Spaces solution enables the community and supporting healthcare providers to utilize affordable broadband while providing data transmission for telemedicine applications.

“I’m excited about working with Google, Spectrum Bridge and the Hocking Valley Community Hospital to bring this new technology to our region” said Congressman Zack Space (D-Ohio’s 18th Congressional District). “I’m committed to always looking for new economic opportunities that will put Appalachian Ohio on the growth track. This new technology will mean better healthcare and a better quality of life for the Logan community.”

The Hocking Valley Community Hospital is the first hospital to utilize the TV White Spaces technology for new applications. “We are pleased to be part of an exciting new technology that can dramatically improve medical and healthcare services to the people of the Logan, Ohio community” said LeeAnn Lucas-Helber, President and CEO of the Hocking Valley Community Hospital.

TV White Spaces are the unused TV broadcast channels made available by the June 2009 transition from Analog to Digital TV, and are well suited for wireless data networks. As a part of the National Broadband Plan, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) highlighted the enormous potential of TV White Spaces for delivering cost-effective connectivity for a wide range of consumer, business and government applications. In support of the FCC’s goal to provide wireless broadband connectivity to hospitals, this deployment demonstrates the potential of TV White Spaces as a cost-effective broadband solution for healthcare.

"This is an exciting new deployment that demonstrates the potential of the TV white spaces to improve broadband and spark new applications in healthcare," said Larry Alder, business operations project manager at Google.

To improve broadband connectivity throughout the Logan, Ohio community, a wireless data link was established between a local ISP and the Logan-Hocking County Health Department, and other public areas providing improved broadband access.

Radios based on commercially available WiMax™ technology from Airspan Networks, Inc. were also strategically deployed in and around Hocking Valley Community Hospital to increase broadband access throughout the campus. The resulting applications include:

• Wireless data transfer from first responder’s vehicles
• Indoor broadband access, yielding enhanced connectivity throughout the hospital
• Outdoor video surveillance to provide additional security for hospital operations

”We are pleased to have worked closely with Google and the Hocking Valley Community Hospital to demonstrate the high value impact that TV White Spaces can bring to our daily lives,” said Richard Licursi, CEO of Spectrum Bridge. “We look forward to continuing to deploy these networks with strong industry partners.”

To ensure that the TV White Spaces network does not cause interference with licensed television broadcasts and other protected TV band users, the system operates under the control of Spectrum Bridge’s intelligent TV White Spaces Database. This database dynamically assigns non-interfering frequencies to white spaces devices, and adapts in real-time to new TV broadcast operations, as well as other protected TV band users operating in the area. TV White Spaces availability can be determined for any location in the US by using the free search tool at www.SpectrumBridge.com or by downloading the free Spectrum Bridge TV White Space application from Smart Phone Application Stores.

About Google Inc.:

Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top Web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall Web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.

About Hocking Valley Community Hospital:

Hocking Valley Community Hospital is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital, with an 18-bed Skilled Nursing Facility, and a 10-bed Geriatric Psychiatric unit, serving Hocking County, Ohio and surrounding counties in the Hocking Hills region. As a Joint Commission accredited hospital, they provide broad-based medical care through their own diagnostic and treatment capabilities and in conjunction with their medical staff which includes specialties in hospital medicine, family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, urology, pathology, oncology, general surgery, orthopedics, radiology, and emergency medicine. Our medical staff is comprised of over sixty physicians.

About Spectrum Bridge, Inc.:

Spectrum Bridge, Inc. (SBI) delivers software and services to wireless service providers and equipment manufacturers. SBI enables wireless networks to access and use all types of spectrum at any place or time via a database driven cognitive network architecture. The Company’s products are embedded in subscriber devices and network equipment to more efficiently allocate bandwidth throughout the entire wireless network. SBI’s technology provides customers greater capacity, coverage and utilization of scarce spectrum resources. Spectrum Bridge is privately held and headquartered in Lake Mary, Florida. For more information, contact us at (866) 598-7426 or visit SpectrumBridge.com.