PETALUMA, CA–(Marketwired – April 19, 2016) – Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX), the world leader in enabling service providers to deliver a gigabit experience to their subscribers, today announced the industry’s premier solution for delivering an unmatched broadband experience to people living in apartments, dormitories, and other multi-dwelling unit (MDU) buildings. MDUs suffer higher subscriber churn rates, performance issues from congestion, building access challenges, retrofit restrictions in historic buildings, and from aging copper and coaxial cabling. As a result, MDU residents — a group that we call “People Packed in Places” — have been disproportionately underserved. Now, a new solution from Calix makes it possible to deliver a world-class broadband experience to over one billion people worldwide living in MDUs, representing one of the largest, new revenue growth opportunities for service providers.
The new end-to-end solution from Calix combines cutting-edge wireline and wireless technologies with advanced software to enable service providers to deliver and manage an unmatched broadband subscriber experience for People Packed in Places. It consists of (1) AXOS-based G.fast access nodes that eliminate building access constraints, (2) Compass cloud software for remote management and service quality analytics, and (3) G.fast and Ethernet-fed premises systems delivering Carrier Class Wi-Fi. Service providers can apply these new technologies in three important ways for MDU subscribers:
Embrace Subscriber Self-care — The Calix solution includes several features and applications to improve operational efficiency through subscriber self-care. Using Calix Compass software, service providers can leverage self-care to cut costs, reduce service calls, and roll fewer trucks while giving MDU subscribers the broadband experience they crave.
- NetValet is a Calix subscriber smart phone application that can be branded by the service provider and offers simple to use controls for managing home Wi-Fi settings.
- Northbound APIs for Consumer Connect Plus enable service providers to integrate the same features found in NetValet into their own mobile applications.
- Self-installation of 844E GigaCenters allows subscribers to quickly set-up the GigaCenter, while the service provider retains full visibility, management, and control of the experience remotely through Consumer Connect Plus.
Overcome Wi-Fi Challenges — Parks Associates research reveals that today more customer service inquiries are related to Wi-Fi than any other single issue. By utilizing the Calix Carrier Class Wi-Fi features of the GigaFamily and Compass software suite, service providers can greatly reduce the operational burden of Wi-Fi related support calls.
- The 844F GigaCenter brings the gigabit experience to each MDU living unit via G.fast, delivering high performance Wi-Fi that is less prone to interference than traditional home routers and gateways, with greater throughput and superior coverage.
- The 801F provides a powerful, compact termination point for G.fast and enables service providers and subscribers alike to best locate their service delivery unit — like an 844E GigaCenter — wherever it optimizes Wi-Fi reach and performance.
- Especially useful for large MDU complexes, Calix GigaCenter software streamlines the installation and configuration process for multiple GigaCenters to be networked together to provide the industry’s best Wi-Fi coverage and performance across large MDU common areas.
Eliminate Access Constraints — Many MDUs are difficult to rewire cost effectively with fiber, or lack the economic incentives for building owners to have fiber brought to their location. With Calix AXOS-based G.fast systems, service providers can leverage existing copper or coaxial infrastructure to quickly overcome these constraints and deliver an unmatched subscriber experience.
- Because AXOS is SDN native, it means that a service provider can choose to use their existing third-party SDN orchestrator to provision and manage the Calix nodes. This dramatically simplifies back office integration resulting in increased service velocity and operational savings.
- The E3-16F G.fast DPU is a self-contained, sealed and environmentally hardened node designed to overcome MDU access obstacles. The E5-16F is a compact G.fast node for deployment in basements and closets using AC power. Both systems include G.fast vectoring and bonding to optimize performance over existing wiring and deliver gigabit services.
“Multi-unit buildings are a golden opportunity for service providers to deliver an unmatched broadband experience to a part of the market that has yet to gain access to the full benefits of gigabit services,” said Shane Eleniak, Calix vice president of product line leadership. “With this powerful, comprehensive solution, Calix enables service providers around the world to eliminate MDU access constraints and Wi-Fi challenges. Service providers can now meet the high service expectations of their MDU subscribers and take advantage of the significant growth opportunity represented by People Packed in Places.”
For more information about the Calix People Packed in Places initiative, visit www.calix.com/MDU and watch our video series available at this location and on YouTube.
