Senior Director, Services Marketing, Calix

linkedin.com/in/thomasschroer

Two weeks ago, we announced a new Remote Monitoring Service that employs machine learning and predictive analytics to help CSPs identify, assess, and address network issues before they impact subscribers. The Calix Remote Monitoring Service is a cloud-based Managed Services offering that:

• Monitors a CSP’s end-to-end access network 24x7 to ensure that all issues are automatically identified and assessed
• Leverages machine learning technology developed through thousands of Calix Support Services engagements with CSPs to correlate alarms, filter extraneous events, and identify critical issues
• Provides incident notifications to CSP team members that include the nature, location, and severity of events to help reduce mean time-to-repair

Valley Telecom Group, an early adopter of this transformational offering, incorporated the service into their overall issue resolution methodology and we are happy that they did! In less than one month, armed with these new capabilities, they reduced the number of incidents that require technician intervention by 83 percent while helping their team resolve network issues 50 percent faster. 

An additional benefit was an increase operational efficiency. They can now be proactive rather reactive on network and subscriber impacting issues which they believe will have a positive impact on their company’s brand and overall user satisfaction.

When we set out to build this service, our goal was to deliver an intelligent, cloud-based service that would enable CSPs such as Valley Telecom to accomplish these goals at a fraction of the cost of any stand-alone solution that they could implement and maintain on their own. This approach helps CSPs improve both operational efficiency and ultimately the subscriber experience.

I encourage you to watch this video to learn how Tim Bowbly, IT/Broadband Supervisor and Valley Telecom Group are reducing operational costs while improving customer satisfaction with the Calix Remote Monitoring Service. To learn more about the Remote Monitoring Service, click here.
  

Director, Solutions Marketing, Calix

linkedin.com/in/gregbathrick

@BathrickGregory

July 2019 is just around the corner and it's crunch time for Service Providers to put their CAF testing and reporting architectures in place.  Starting earlier this year, Calix rolled up its selves studying the FCC order, worked with Washington DC experts and provided educational workshops. 

I am pleased to share that today we announced that we will incorporate Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II performance testing into the currently available Smart Home and Business solution with the next release in February 2019. Highlights include:

• This new capability will cover all published requirements for CAF II funding.
• Customers deploying the EXOS-powered GigaSpire with Calix Support Cloud will be able to ensure compliance without additional capital investment or network disruption.
• This is months ahead of the FCC-mandated July 1, 2019 deadline to ensure customers achieve and maintain compliance.

The seamless addition of CAF II testing is the latest enhancement to Calix Smart Home and Business solution, shipping today, the only end-to-end smart home solution that enables communications service providers to elevate subscriber experience.

Armed with this latest upgrade, CSPs of every size and type can comply with CAF II requirements while building a foundation to deploy new smart home services for their subscribers and generate new sources of revenue.

Learn More

On December 14, 2018 we hosted one of our most highly attended CAF II webinar where we provided details on this simple, easy to implement performance testing capability that minimizes impact to day-to-day operations while meeting our obligation to the FCC. I encourage you to listen to the 30-minute webinar to find out what you missed.

If you are interested in learning more about these CAF II capabilities and resources, please click here.        

AVP, Product Marketing Subscriber Experience,

Calix

linkedin.com/in/fergusonpam

@IoTPamF

Calix has made some incredible strides this year, but if you haven’t been paying close attention to Calix Cloud in particular, here’s what you missed in 2018.

1. Triangle Communications steals the show at ConneXions--This year, Triangle not only celebrated one year of Calix Cloud and an impressive 30 percent reduction in total marketing OPEX, but also won the first Innovations in Marketing award at ConneXions. Check out their award submission video.
2. Calix Cloud lays the right foundation for your smart home business--From ensuring that your customer care organization is armed with the right intelligence, to helping marketers identify the right subscribers, Calix Cloud makes tapping into the smart home revenue opportunity much easier. Take a closer look at the Smart Home lens.
3. ALLO Communications raises its Net Promoter Score (NPS) by 15 points--While rapidly growing to connect Lincoln, Nebraska and eight other communities with fiber, ALLO has found new customer support excellence with Calix Support Cloud. See how they are boosting subscriber satisfaction.
4. Self-Heal makes its debut in Calix Support Cloud--Now you can automatically find and fix Wi-Fi issues proactively across your entire subscriber base with a single click. See how Self-Heal lowers trouble tickets and improves subscriber experience.
5. Midwest Energy & Communications increases its annual revenue by 20 percent--Not shy about pushing the boundaries of what is possible to drive new levels of success, Midwest takes a data-driven approach to marketing for reaping amazing business results. View webinar replay to follow their journey.
6. Acquiring new prospects gets easier--By extending the intelligence hidden in your existing subscriber behavior, Calix Marketing Cloud introduces a revolutionary approach to growing your business profitably. See how to identify high-value prospects with the new insights.
7. Dakota Central doubles revenue on Managed Wi-Fi services--Through a data-centric marketing approach enabled by Calix Marketing Cloud, Dakota Central saw impressive campaign results for Managed Wi-Fi, including a 41 percent take rate on new offers. Learn more about how marketing insights are driving this success.
8. Losing subscribers to competitors stops being an option--Churn insights on Calix Marketing Cloud automatically identify at-risk subscribers based on common churn triggers allowing you to engage proactively before losing them. Take a closer look.
9. Nemont sees impressive take rates of up to 59 percent on new campaigns--With Calix Marketing Cloud, Nemont dramatically improved broadband service tier upgrades and managed Wi-Fi campaign results. View webinar replay to discover their 3-step formula.
10. Customer Care gets redefined for Heidi Tietz, a Tier 2 Technical Support Specialist--With SmartCheck, the red/yellow/green color-coded dashboard, and immediate access to the right information, support calls become a lot more pleasant and easier for both Heidi and the customer. Read blog for more on our conversation with the CSR.

As you can see 2018 was not only filled with great success for Calix Cloud customers, but also marked another year of continual innovation. Looking ahead to 2019, you can expect to see new insights to accelerate your Smart Home business, solutions to meet CAF II requirements, predictive analytics to foresee your business outcomes, and many more enhancements to improve user experience.

Senior Director, Premises Marketing, Calix

linkedin.com/in/owensgreg

@Gregzky99

It’s been a busy year in premises innovations here at Calix. Let’s take a look back and the highlights of 2018. When we launched the GigaCenter in 2014, it was one of the most advanced gateways on the market and allowed you to deliver a system that is as good (or better) than anything available from consumer retailers. But, perhaps most importantly, the Calix GigaCenter (when combined with Calix Support Cloud) has allowed you to get into the Managed Wi-Fi business.

It all starts with Managed Wi-Fi 

There are many reasons consumers prefer to get their residential gateway from their service provider, including simplicity, peace of mind, and affordability. For service providers, Managed Wi-Fi also results in many benefits, like improved subscriber satisfaction scores and lower customer support costs. Over the past year, many of our customers shared their Managed Wi-Fi successes in press releases. Hear the stories from Consolidated Telcom and West River Telecom, to name a few.

Elevate your Brand, Service, Revenue, and Experiences: Deliver the Ultimate Smart Home Experience

Evolving beyond Managed Wi-Fi, at ConneXions 2018, we launched the Calix Smart Home and Business solution, which includes these four elements:

• Calix EXOS, the Smart Home Operating System, which reduces development cycles and allows new services to be brought to market faster than ever 

• The Calix GigaSpire MAX and GigaSpire BLAST (shipping today), which are not typical residential gateways, but premium smart home systems

• Calix Cloud, which converts your subscribers’ vision of a smart home into a revenue opportunity, while tackling the chaos and complexity 

• Calix Smart Home Enablement Services, which are designed to help get your people and processes ready to deliver and manage the Smart Home experience for your subscribers

Ready to get Started? Book a Consult Now

Calix offers free consultations, designed to help you build your go-to-market strategies for Managed Wi-Fi and Smart Home services. These discussions are not product pitches; instead, they’re intended to share best practices and a variety of materials for use in your campaigns. We consulted with more than 200 service providers in 2018. If you’d like to be next, get in touch and schedule a free marketing consultation today. 

Looking Forward

Next year you can look forward to more new initiatives, new products, and at least one new face. A couple highlights include: 

• a new ‘co-marketing’ initiative to create customized, targeted marketing campaigns that will drive sales of Managed Wi-Fi, Whole Home Wi-Fi, and Smart Home subscriptions

• the launch of the Calix Solutions Exchange, which will feature pre-integrated smart home solutions from an expanding ecosystem of integrated partner and private label solutions bundles 

Finally, we recently welcomed Bridget Watkins to the Premises Marketing team. Bridget’s name is likely familiar from her most recent role at All West Communications and her time with TCA & Nex-Tech. Bridget recently relocated to Arizona and, as a consequence, left All West. We are so happy that she has joined our team and that her experience is now available to you for marketing consults and as part of our new ‘co-marketing’ initiative. Please reach out to Bridget directly to connect.

Senior Director, Solutions Marketing, Calix

linkedin.com/in/teresamcgaughey

@t_mcgoo

It’s that time of year again, full of holiday decorations, shopping, and receiving cards in the mail. I like cards that include a letter where friends and family share everything they have done during the year. I always find those interesting as I get ideas of something I’d like to do or something I didn’t know. So, if The Beacon is our holiday card to you, here’s my letter to you, where I share where AXOS was in 2018.

AXOS Builds Momentum

2018 has been a very exciting time for the AXOS team here at Calix. We now have over 280 customers deploying AXOS across the E-Series portfolio, which includes the E9-2 Intelligent Edge system, the E7-2 Intelligent Modular System, the E3-2 Intelligent PON Node, and the Gfast portfolio. Other AXOS innovations in 2018 have included:

• The AXOS Diagnostics Toolbox: The toolbox allows you to remotely diagnose many network issues, so you can avoid rolling a truck out to a cabinet in the snow. Instead you can diagnose issues from the comfort of your office or even your home. 
• The Intelligent Access Edge: Launched at ConneXions, the solution will enable you to greatly simplify your network. With the Intelligent Access Edge solution, you can reduce the number of elements in your network for managing subscribers and their services. By doing this you can reduce the steps in your workflows by over 50 percent.
  

Verizon Benefits from AXOS

It was a big year with Verizon as well, as we achieved several milestones, including: 

• Verizon completed the task of back office integration to directly to the AXOS E9-2 Intelligent Edge System in three months.
  
• Calix announced that Verizon had chosen to deploy AXOS for its NG-PON2 rollout in Tampa, FL.
• Verizon sees at least 8GB of actual guaranteed bandwidth for subscriber services over NG-PON2.

I also had the opportunity to talk with many of you several times  in our AXOS Tech Talk series where we went through many topics in detail and had the chance to answer some of your questions. In the tradition of learning things from holiday letters that you might not have known, here’s your opportunity to pick up all kinds of good information in our last AXOS Tech Talk of 2018 on December 19. We’ll take you on a retrospective journey in more depth on 2018 as well as give you a glimpse of the many things coming in 2019. Please join me and Kevin Kuo as we close out the year of AXOS.

Here’s wishing you and your family and friends a wonderful holiday season!

Senior Director, Thought Leadership Marketing, Calix

www.linkedin.com/in/alan-dicicco

We’re celebrating the conclusion of our first-year publishing Calix Perspectives and so it’s time for a reflective perspective, if you will. Calix Perspectives pages are a place where service providers, analysts, industry executives, and solution providers share their ideas and inspiration.

The Year of Software Platforms

We’re no Time Magazine, but I’m declaring 2018 the Year of the Software Platform. We highlighted how software platforms are profoundly impacting the business, networks, and operations of service providers. Here are a couple of the most popular articles:

• Who are you building your network for? Calix Chief Development Officer Michel Langlois addressed this fundamental question with a discussion on subscriber-first software-centric network design.
• Virtualization: Transforming broadband access with software. this short blog announced an IHS Markit webinar where the impact of software platforms was discussed.

These and more can be found on the Next Generation Networks perspectives page.

Is your home WIRED?

In the second half of 2018, we shifted our attention inside the home and were graced with a wealth of articles and white papers on managed Wi-Fi and the emerging IoT smart home opportunity for service providers, including:

• Evolution of the Smart Home: Three steps in the journey. Calix Greg Owens kicked off our smart home perspectives series with a blueprint for success in the smart home.
• Reinventing the Smart Home with Universal IoT Support. Calix Pam Ferguson kicked off the conversation on Universal IoT and shared ideas on how to remove cost and complexity from the smart home.
• This fall we invited WIRED Brand Labs to provide their perspective on the smart home in a three-part exploration of the issues, opportunities, and solutions for service providers as they enter the brave new world of the smart home. Links to each article are on the Smart Home Opportunities perspectives page.

It pays to be informed about what’s happening in Washington D.C.

Valuable news came out of Washington D.C. once again this past year and our Regulatory Updates perspectives kept up to date with the regulatory, industry, and funding information you need to know. The inside story is brought to us by Tom Cohen, partner at Kelly Drye & Warren, working in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.

Looking ahead to 2019

I’m excited about Perspectives in 2019. Some of my early plans for new topics include:

• Network Telemetry and Analytics, consumer and network intelligence that will feed automation, machine learning, and ultimately AI
• 5G networks, pushing past the hype to understand the fundamental “5G services” defined by the 3GPP
• Edge computing, which is coming to subscriber services in interesting ways

Finally, I intend to get more voices involved. We’ll be starting 2019 with perspectives from IHS Markit and an opportunity to hear from your industry associations and standards organizations. And of course, we want to hear more from service providers. If you know someone you would like to recommend as a contributor to Perspectives, please let me know.

Have a great end to 2018 and I look forward to hearing from you in 2019! 

Here is a stat that may be in your best interest to get familiar with: the cloud voice industry earned an estimated $94.1 billion nationwide last year alone and is widely seen as one of the US economy’s largest growing segments. All that revenue means companies added more than 11.1 million lines, and predictions are estimating $194.5 billion in global hosted voice revenues by 2024.

This has many established operators questioning how to best leverage their existing infrastructure and customer base so they can get their piece of this pie and begin offering cloud voice. Unfortunately, what many are learning is that launching a reliable voice solution is easier said than done and that the infrastructure and customer base are really just the launching points.

A lot goes into creating a cloud voice offering, including:

• Creating a launch plan
• Integrating the product set
• Developing a marketing plan and sales materials
• Processing implementations
• Supporting the end customer
• And more

To address these hurdles, many traditional providers are turning to cloud voice partnerships.

This reason is why Momentum Telecom has been dedicated to actively enabling operators to take advantage of the cloud voice marketplace.  Momentum enables them to capitalize on the explosive growth potential though a turnkey cloud solution with unparalleled access to resources on an industry-leading network.

Now, while “Cloud-based” solutions aren’t all created equal - many claim to be a full service offering, but in reality don’t have a telecommunications infrastructure of their own - Momentum’s cloud voice is a true cloud offering built on a rock-solid, industry-leading geo-redundant network backed by the cloud voice expertize of more than 17 years.

Partnering with Momentum is your chance to trust your customers to the only leader of voice, data and support solutions in the marketplace. Momentum empowers your organization to go up against the big guy and deliver a unified, comprehensive approach to all your services and empower you to go out and win more business.  

With over 39,000 electric meters served in northwest Tennessee and western Kentucky, Gibson Electric Cooperative has been dedicated to electric service delivery for more than 80 years. After building out a fiber network in 2005 to connect its electric substations and take advantage of smart grid applications, Gibson EMC had the foundation in place to provide rural broadband services.

After the passing of the Tennessee Rural Broadband Act in 2017, Gibson EMC embarked on a journey to deliver broadband to its members, as surveys showed 92 percent were interested in the services. With a 600-mile Phase 1 underway in Lake County, Tennessee and over 7000 members already pre-registered, the Gibson Connect subsidiary is now connecting subscribers. 

The Calix AXOS E7-2, along with the Calix GigaCenters and Calix Support Cloud, is anchoring Gibson Connect’s GPON network. With AXOS, Gibson Connect is looking forward to a faster time-to-market and the ability to make real-time upgrades with no service disruption to subscribers through the platform’s Always On capabilities.

Learn more about Gibson Connect’s AXOS network build-out and how the electric cooperative is relying on the platform to prepare it for next generation PON and the next 20 years of broadband services.