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Nov 29, 2016
3 min read

Muni Pioneer Tullahoma Utilities Authority Looks to the Future: Selects Calix for Simple Evolution to Next Generation Fiber Network

TULLAHOMA, TN – November 29, 2016 – Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX), the world leader in subscriber driven access, today announced that municipal utility broadband pioneer Tullahoma Utilities Authority (TUA) is moving its fiber future forward with Calix. Since introducing LightTUBe fiber services in 2008, TUA has evolved its voice, video, and data offerings over the last eight years to include TV Everywhere service, numerous broadband speed upgrades, and most recently a gigabit services offering. TUA found itself in a position where it needed to rapidly adapt its network to be ready for the next leap in its transformation and was looking for the right partner. After significant testing and trials, TUA chose to partner with the “muni” broadband leader Calix, the company with unrivalled expertise in this space stemming from more than 55 municipal service provider customers across North America. Leveraging the Calix E7-2 Modular Access Systems, GigaCenters, and 700GE optical network terminals at each premises, and Compass cloud for subscriber experience management, TUA will take the broadband experience of its subscribers to new heights as it prepares its network for a graceful transition to 10 gigabit PON technology.

 

“We have been an early adopter of municipal fiber and we have seen the economic development benefits, first hand, of what fiber can bring to a community,” said Brian Skelton, president of TUA. “We were in a position where we wanted to move quickly to ready our network for the next phase of its evolution. It was crucial to our continued success to have solutions that were intuitive to manage and provision, fast and easy to integrate into our existing network, and provided the highest levels of reliability and quality of experience. With Calix, we found a partner that outpaced all others in each of these technical areas, as well as giving us a clear path to next-generation PON when we are ready for that step.”

 

As TUA embarks on its next phase of network evolution, they will replace legacy fiber equipment by snapping in 700GE optical network terminals (ONTs) at the subscriber premises, inserting modular E7-2 systems at the central office or into remote locations, and in some circumstances, bringing world-leading Carrier Class Wi-Fi to subscribers via Calix GigaCenters and the Compass cloud. As next-generation PON technologies like NG-PON2 and XGS-PON mature over the next year, the E7-2 will allow TUA to quickly deliver 10 gigabits per second (10 Gbps) services to businesses and residents across the community.

 

“Our unmatched experience with muni broadband and gigabit service providers gives Calix unique insights into the challenges and opportunities facing these operators as they look to take their subscriber experience to new heights and plan for the future,” said John Colvin, senior vice president of sales, The Americas at Calix. “In working with municipal utilities like TUA, we understand the importance of providing a path to the future of fiber, while allowing our customers to move as fast as is possible or necessary. With the Calix E7-2’s evolution to AXOS and next-generation PON technologies, we are providing TUA with the ideal transformational solution that allows them to keep pace with the accelerating rate of change in the world, and effectively deliver an unmatched subscriber experience via a software defined access infrastructure that primes them for success.”

 

About Tullahoma Utilities Authority

Having served fiber to the premise customers since 2008, TUA is the only provider in Tullahoma, TN offering Fiber-To-The-Premise services. In 2012, TUA officials announced that the utility would begin offering gigabit service. At the time, TUA put Tullahoma on the map as one of only a few cities in the United States to offer Gigabit speed—and the smallest city at the time to do so. Gigabit service helped bring more businesses to the Tullahoma area, as they demanded ultra-high-speed broadband capabilities.

 

Presently, TUA has more than 200 miles of fiber optics within the city, serving nearly approximately 40% of the Tullahoma market. For more information on TUA and its telecommunications services, visit www.lighttube.net

 

About Calix

Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX) pioneered Software Defined Access and is a global leader in platform innovations for Access Networks. Its portfolio of access systems and services combines AXOS, the revolutionary platform for access, with Calix Cloud, innovative cloud services for network data analytics and subscriber experience assurance. Together, they enable communications service providers to transform their businesses and be the winning service providers of tomorrow. For more information, visit the Calix website at www.calix.com.

 

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.

 

Calix Press Inquiries:
Neila Matheny

707-766-3512

Neila.matheny@calix.com

 

TUA Press Inquiries:
Chelsea Short

931-455-4515

cshort@tub.net

Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX)— Calix is a cloud and appliance-based platform and managed services company. Broadband service providers leverage the Calix broadband platform, cloud, and managed services to simplify operations, engagement, and service, innovate for their consumer, business, and municipal subscribers, and grow their business and the communities they serve.  
 
Our end-to-end platform and managed services democratize the use of data enabling our customers of any size to operate efficiently, acquire subscribers, and deliver exceptional experiences. Calix is dedicated to driving continuous improvement in partnership with our growing ecosystem to support the transformation of our customers and their communities.

Press Inquiries:

Alison Crisci
919-353-4323
alison.crisci@calix.com

Zach Burger
669-369-1991
zach.burger@calix.com

Investor Inquiries:

Jim Fanucchi
investorrelations@calix.com