PETALUMA, Calif., March 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calix, Inc. (NYSE:CALX), today announced Gibson Electric Membership Corporation (Gibson EMC) and its not-for-profit subsidiary, Gibson Connect, LLC, has selected Calix AXOS and Calix Cloud solutions for its fiber-based gigabit services network in Tennessee and Kentucky. Gibson EMC launched Gibson Connect in late 2017 to provide broadband services to unserved and underserved communities in their electric service area, which covers over 39,000 homes and businesses in 12 counties. Since that time, their GPON-based fiber network has been quickly expanding across its service area built on the Calix AXOS E7-2 Intelligent Modular System, GigaCenters, and Calix Support Cloud. With Gibson Connect now bringing world-class gigabit services to these markets, adoption rates have already exceeded expectations.
"In rural America, having access to broadband services is a requirement for our homes and businesses, and as a true cooperative, Gibson EMC is proud to enable all our members to benefit from the expansion of our fiber network and what it has to offer," said Charles L. Phillips, vice president of engineering and technical services at Gibson EMC. “The network we are building with Calix, using the AXOS E7-2 with GPON, gives our communities the ability to compete on a global scale and keep our residents and businesses located in our serving area. As we continue to sign up new subscribers to what is one of the most advanced networks in the U.S., we will translate this into a phenomenal subscriber experience in the home leveraging GigaCenters and Calix Cloud. We know we have the foundation in place with the Calix solutions to offer an unmatched service experience today and will continue to evolve our offerings in the future with the speed and agility that today’s consumers expect.”
Gibson Connect’s entrance to the broadband market was a result of the passing of the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act in 2017, which allowed electric cooperatives to offer retail broadband services for the first time. Recognizing the need for broadband from their members, Gibson Connect divided its service area into 27 zones. Pre-registration opened to its members in the fall of 2017 and set forth participation goals for each zone. In less than six months, three zones have reached their registration goals, and work has begun to serve these areas along with an area supported by a Tennessee broadband grant. Over 5500 members have pre-registered across the 27 zones, and new registrations are being completed every day.
Like Gibson Connect, any utility that is launching broadband services can leap ahead of the competition by building their networks with the world’s only Software Defined Access (SDA) platform – AXOS. In addition to deploying a next generation network that is fast, simple, and always on, they also gain the benefit of:
- Pay-as-you-succeed: Gibson Connect will keep initial costs low as they roll out their network by only paying for the AXOS software that they are actively utilizing while leveraging the modularity of the E7-2 to expand capacity as they add new subscribers.
- Always Innovating: Calix will add significant new functionality to the AXOS platform throughout 2018 and beyond, enabling service providers to collapse central office functions onto one platform. As Calix adds new automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to the platform, Gibson Connect can keep their network on the leading-edge through simple software upgrades.
Gibson Connect is implementing a future-proof network that has enabled them to deliver new services at the fastest pace possible while ensuring that operations remain simple and always on. Gibson Connect has gone a step further by also deploying Calix Support Cloud and GigaFamily premises systems to ensure carrier class reliability within their subscribers’ homes. With the remote management capabilities of Calix Cloud and the GigaFamily, they can proactively troubleshoot subscriber issues and provide an exceptional experience for their subscribers.
“Electric cooperatives like Gibson EMC are on the forefront of electrical service delivery in rural America, and Calix is the leader in equipping these cooperatives as they expand to offer their members broadband services,” said Michael Weening, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Calix. “Calix remains the only company in the world that has built a software defined access platform – AXOS. For any electric cooperative that is entering the broadband market, it is only logical to deploy their services on a platform that is five years ahead of the market. By leveraging the competitive benefits provided by AXOS, Calix Cloud, and our GigaFamily premises systems, they will maximize speed to market and ensure that their operating costs are lower than the costs of competitors who rely on legacy technologies. More importantly, they will set the bar for subscriber experience in their market. Gibson’s member relationships are built on more than 80 years of high-quality electric services, and we are proud to partner with them to expand those services to become the trusted provider for the connected home."
About Calix
Calix, Inc. (NYSE:CALX) – Innovative communications service providers rely on Calix platforms to help them master and monetize the complex infrastructure between their subscribers and the cloud. Calix is the leading global provider of the cloud and software platforms, systems, and services required to deliver the unified access network and smart premises of tomorrow. Our platforms and services help our customers build next generation networks by embracing a DevOps operating model, optimize the subscriber experience by leveraging big data analytics and turn the complexity of the smart home and business into new revenue streams.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are based upon management's current expectations and are inherently uncertain. Forward-looking statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this release, and we assume no obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking statement to reflect any event or circumstance after the date of this release, except as required by law. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from current expectations based on risks and uncertainties affecting Calix’s business. The reader is cautioned not to rely on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Additional information on potential factors that could affect Calix's results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov.
Press Inquiries:
Neila Matheny
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