Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom chooses Calix for broadband stimulus FTTH plus FTTN upgrades

Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX) says that Vermont independent telco Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom (WCVT) will use elements of the Calix Unified Access portfolio in a three-year network transformation project that includes both fiber to the home (FTTH) and fiber to the node (FTTN) elements. The FTTH project will use funds from the broadband stimulus program.

For the FTTH portion of the network upgrade, WCVT will use the Calix Ethernet eXtensible Architecture (EXA) powered Calix E7 Ethernet Service Access Platforms (ESAPs) and the 700GE family of optical network terminals (ONTs), including the 716GE-I indoor ONT. Specifically, WCVT will deploy a mix of 716GE-I ONTs for residences, 766GX ONTs for business customers, and 725GE RF return ONTs to deliver video services in certain areas. The new GPON architecture will target 1,300 businesses, residences, and anchor institutions, supported by $5.5 million in Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) broadband stimulus funds.

Outside of the area covered by the BIP award, WCVT will use Calix B6 Ethernet Service Access Nodes (ESANs) to supply services via ADSL2+.

WCVT serves the Mad River and Central Champlain Valley regions of Vermont, which includes such ski resorts as Bolton Valley, Mad River Glen, and Sugarbush.

"It is extremely important for WCVT to upgrade our network as efficiently as possible in order to bring the fastest broadband speeds to market without a lengthy and costly deployment period," said Lee Cheney, central office manager at WCVT. "After a very thorough trial process, we are confident that the Calix Unified Access portfolio provides us with the reliability, flexibility, and capacity to deliver the speeds our customers are looking for, without requiring major new construction or an overhaul of our existing network. As we begin this project that will cover over 669 square miles, we believe that the flexibility and ease of deployment of the Calix solutions complemented by the experience of the Calix team will help us to transform our network and deliver an extraordinary broadband experience to our subscribers."

"Communications service providers like WCVT are looking towards the future and preparing their networks and overall businesses for the bandwidth-intensive applications on the horizon," said John Colvin, senior vice president of North America field sales and marketing at Calix. "With this network transformation, we are confident that WCVT will be able to quickly and efficiently roll out new services over the Calix platforms within minimal capital expenditure."

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