May 8, 2020 by Jeff Gavlinski

Backing Customers from the Front of the Industry, Calix Joins FISPA Board

 

As we progress toward Memorial Day and the temperatures begin to creep up, communications service providers find themselves dealing with changes much more significant than the weather. Whether it’s the competitive landscape, regulatory environment, or spikes in demand and network usage, COVID-19 has fundamentally altered the telecommunications business—especially for regional service providers.

One of the industry organizations committed to helping them navigate this “new normal” is FISPA. Dedicated to protecting the principles of competitive telecommunications, FISPA provides programming, educational, and advocacy resources for middle market service providers.

Translation: our customers.

FISPA, like Calix, is tailored to the needs of mid-market service providers, and highlighting this alignment, we now hold a place on the FISPA board as its vendor member. The responsibility includes representing the entire vendor community in this collective effort to better the industry for all communications service providers.

The position entails the expected budget tracking, operations, and executive oversight, but the piece that maps to my own background is the one that faces outwardly to the industry—event management.

Seven years ago, I took over a small event in western Colorado and have built it into a national, 700+ person broadband development event. The attendance growth is nice, but what has really set Mountain Connect apart is the content—specifically its relevance to the attendees. Over the years, we have evolved the content to focus on topics relevant today while keeping an eye on the future and challenging the industry eco system to think outside the box.

As FISPA maintains its focus on small- and mid-sized service providers, Calix will be with it every step of the way. We have our customers’ backs, and with this new board seat, we can expand the resources we offer them—while reaching new prospects as well.