PETALUMA, Calif., March 22, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Calix, Inc. (NYSE:CALX), today announced BARC Electric Cooperative (BARC) and its BARC Connectssubsidiary have selected Calix Mesh Enhanced Carrier Class Wi-Fi and Calix Cloud to deliver managed, whole home Wi-Fi services for their rapidly growing subscriber base in Virginia. BARC has already launched a multi-year, fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network expansion project built on Calix E7-2 Intelligent Modular Systems. By extending this world-class broadband network to all 13,000 members in its five-county area, BARC provides a leading example of a progressive electric cooperative entering the broadband market. BARC is now taking the next step by leveraging the Calix GigaCenters, 804Mesh satellites and Calix Cloud to deliver new managed, whole home Wi-Fi services to every Internet subscriber and positioning themselves to own the smart home of the future.
“For over 75 years, BARC has been faithfully serving the best interests of our members, demonstrated through our move into broadband services,” said Mike Keyser, CEO of BARC. “Our investment in a world-class fiber network and our partnership with Calix brings unprecedented opportunity to our historically underserved communities. We are seeing an overwhelming response from our members with installations accelerating each month. As we extend the reach of our fiber network to include Carrier Class Wi-Fi services in each home, our members will receive the broadband experience they deserve.”
A key component of BARC’s broadband offering is their managed Wi-Fi service. Powered by Calix GigaCenters, 804Mesh satellites, and Calix Cloud, the BARC managed Wi-Fi service is included with every Internet sign-up. By providing in-home connectivity solutions and managing the home network proactively, BARC is able to guarantee a better Wi-Fi experience to its members and eliminate any need for them to purchase complex and expensive consumer-grade Wi-Fi routers from retailers. Through Calix Cloud, the BARC customer support team will also be able to quickly diagnose Wi-Fi related connectivity concerns through unmatched visibility into all connected devices and potential interference issues. By proactively managing the home network, BARC anticipates faster call resolution times and a reduction in costly truck rolls.
“Innovative electric cooperatives like BARC are on the forefront of building next-generation networks that deliver world-class service to their members. Today, Calix is the technology partner for over 80 percent of electric cooperative fiber broadband projects in the United States,” said Michael Weening, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Calix. “With fiber as the foundation of service delivery, the critical offering in these projects is managed, whole home Wi-Fi. This new offering positions electric cooperatives and other innovative service providers to be the leading brand for managing the subscriber experience. We are thrilled with the strong response we have seen from our customers who are seizing this opportunity. Many are creating entirely new revenue streams by bundling 804Mesh satellites with other services. Historically, many subscribers looked to the consumer electronics industry – not to their service provider – for cutting-edge technology and have paid the price with expensive and complex solutions prone to rapid obsolescence. By taking charge of the home network and removing the need for Wi-Fi solutions sold by big-box retailers, BARC is creating a competitive advantage that will position them to own the smart home of the future.”
