WK&T won the largest broadband stimulus funded last mile project using wireline technology, at $124 million, and they have selected Calix for an active Ethernet FTTH deployment. When completed, the project will represent one of the largest active Ethernet FTTH deployments in the U.S., bringing the FTTH technology to over 21,000 homes and 99 anchor institutions across rural Kentucky and Tennessee.
“Our rural region and its subscribers will now enjoy the benefits of a world class fiber network infrastructure,” said Trevor Bonnstetter, CEO of WK&T in a Calix press release. “We are looking at this project as a strategic investment in the future of our communities, stimulating economic development and providing the residents and businesses in our service area the foundation for long-term economic growth.”
WK&T won a combination $62 million grant and $62 million dollar loan for the project, one of the largest from the $7.2 billion dollar broadband stimulus program. Luckily for Calix, WK&T had an existing relationship with Occam Networks, which has since been acquired by Calix.
Calix is clearly the major winner of the broadband stimulus windfall amongst broadband access vendors. With the WK&T win, they now claim to have won projects totaling over $1 billion in aggregate broadband stimulus awards. Of course, that $1 billion doesn’t represent total sales to Calix. It represents the total dollar amount of broadband stimulus awards that Calix customers have won. Those funds also have to pay for engineering services and a variety of other project expenses.
