Calix CEO Michael Weening on Rural Broadband, SmartLife, and AI

Calix President and CEO Michael Weening outlines how the Calix One™ platform helps broadband providers of all sizes simplify operations, innovate for their subscribers, and grow their business and communities. Weening walks through the SmartLife™ managed services portfolio—covering residential cybersecurity, parental controls, managed Wi-Fi, small business services, and MDU connectivity—and explains how AI capabilities are being built directly into the platform to support call center teams, field service technicians, and marketing functions.

The interview also highlights the real-world community impact broadband investment is delivering in rural America. A study involving Calix customers showed communities experiencing more than 150 new businesses, a 30 percent reduction in poverty, and a 23 percent economic growth—driven by fiber and broadband investment. Weening shares the story of Tombigbee Electric Cooperative in northern Mississippi, which extended its Wi-Fi footprint to serve first responders across rural communities where cell and radio coverage falls short.