Universal Studios Hollywood Goes Live with Clear-Com® CellCom

Theme park uses digital wireless system for two popular attractions

Orlando, Florida, June 4, 2009 – Clear-Com® Communication Systems, a Vitec Group brand, is helping the production team at Universal Studios Hollywood deliver thrills to visitors with its CellCom® digital wireless intercom system.  The theme park, impressed by CellCom’s ability to operate in a portion of the frequency band unaffected by the FCC’s recent RF spectrum reallocation, has installed the system at its popular Terminator 2: 3D™and WaterWorld® shows. It will also use CellCom on a new attraction it will be unveiling later this year.

Universal Studios Hollywood counts on a total of three CellCom systems with 22 beltpacks for communications between crew members responsible for pulling off daily displays of pyrotechnic explosions, daring stunts and other bare-knuckle spectacles. Prior to CellCom, the company had a third-party wireless system that utilized a portion of the RF spectrum that would have rendered it inoperable once the FCC reallocation took place.  This is not an issue for CellCom, which operates license-free in the 1.9 GHz frequency band.

Highly reliable communications are of critical importance to venues such as Universal Studios Hollywood, where performances can involve high-risk activity and need to be closely monitored for safety issues, according to Dave Auslender, Sales Representative for Location Sound, which handled the sale of the CellCom systems to the theme park.

“People’s safety is on the line, so losing communication is simply not an option,” says Auslender. “It’s a tremendous benefit that the CellCom system isn’t affected by the spectrum changes. It’s also perfect for this type of a setup, where staff are scattered about fairly large areas.  It allows users to be able to break up communications into six different groups, so that everyone can talk in a variety of different configurations. The flexibility of the system really makes a difference.”

Other features such as full-duplex digital point-to-point communications, easy linking to existing party-line channels and the ability to create custom groups all make CellCom ideal for the communications needs of Universal Studios Hollywood and other large-scale venues.  CellCom also offers six different talk options and base support of up to 20 beltpacks. The antennas can be powered through a CAT 5 cable, saving busy production staff the time it takes to run power to them.

“We’re gratified that such a high-profile venue as Universal Studios has put its trust in the CellCom wireless product, especially during this time of transition for the wireless device market,” says Jaz Wray, Western United States and Mexico Regional Sales Manager, Clear-Com Communication Systems. “It speaks to the confidence customers have in our ability to design systems that evolve along with their needs as well as the needs of the marketplace and regulatory environment.