RED SPRINGS, NC — (Marketwired) — 10/07/14 — (NYSE: CALX) today announced that (LREMC) has selected the Calix and (ESAPs) and (ONTs) to deliver voice, video, and high-speed data services to residents and business in North Carolina–s Robeson County. With over 50,000 electric members across 2,500 square miles in four counties, LREMC expanded its service offering to include broadband services in 2012. A previously underserved area, LREMC was awarded a $19.9M Broadband Stimulus combined grant and loan to bring fiber-based services to approximately 15,000 residents, 1,600 businesses, and 100 anchor institutions. The LREMC open access network will utilize gigabit passive optical network (GPON) technology for service delivery.
As an electric cooperative, LREMC applied for Broadband Stimulus funding with the intent to attract an established telecommunications service provider to deliver services to subscribers. By utilizing an open access network model, LREMC has been able to solicit a contract with Connected Investments, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Calix customer of Conway, South Carolina. Connected Investments will be doing business as Bluewave Communications and plans to offer voice, video, and high-speed data services to subscribers connected to the LREMC fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network.
“In order to run the internal systems we use as an electric cooperative, we had built a fiber backbone network some years ago,” said Jeff Jackson, director of information technology at LREMC. “As the Broadband Stimulus program launched, we decided to expand that network to bring broadband to an area that was underserved and significantly grow our network to more than 500 miles of fiber. In working with Calix and HTC, who have a long history of working together, we have been able to deliver on the intent of the stimulus program and extend the reach of broadband to members and non-members alike in Robeson County.”
Calix has established itself as the leading provider of fiber access equipment to the electric cooperative market, extending the company–s long history and leadership in bringing advanced broadband services to rural America. Calix has enabled the fiber broadband deployments of more National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) members than all other vendors combined, according to the Broadband Communities Magazine fiber deployment database (). For more information and case studies on fiber deployments by electric cooperatives and other community owned networks, download a collection of articles by Broadband Communities Magazine at .
“In working with a number of electric cooperatives in recent years as they roll out fiber networks in some of the most underserved areas of the country, it is clear that their commitment to meeting the needs of their members is their number one priority,” said John Colvin, Calix senior vice president of North American sales. “Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation is another great example of an electric cooperative that found an innovative way to bring broadband service to its area by partnering with another service provider. As the FCC opens new avenues for electric cooperatives to address the broadband needs of consumers in underserved markets, we are excited to see this great example of utilities and telcos working together to bring the promise of broadband to the residents of Robeson County.”
About Calix
Calix (NYSE: CALX) is a global leader in access innovation. Its Unified Access portfolio of broadband communications access software, systems, and services enables communications service providers worldwide to transform their networks and become the broadband provider of choice to their subscribers. For more information, visit the Calix website at . For more information about gigabit networks, visit .
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 the Company–s business. The reader is cautioned not to unduly 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 reports on Form 10-Q for the second 2014 fiscal quarter and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year 2013, filed with the SEC and available at .
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