The widely-deployed AXOS E7-2 Modular Access System demonstrates rapid new service turn-up; Points to a future of faster time-to-revenue over a converged infrastructure with dramatically reduced costs

MARSEILLE, FRANCE – February 14, 2017 – Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX), the world leader in Subscriber Driven Intelligent Access, today announced that NG-PON2 has made the leap from promising technology to business transforming reality with the world’s first NG-PON2 demonstration in a live network. New Zealand’s Northpower Fibre leveraged the same E7-2 Modular Access System that it is deploying throughout its network to deliver 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) speeds over multiple wavelengths to 812NG GigaHubs located in a business premises and residential home in Whangarei. This landmark achievement ushers in a new era for service providers, as they begin to fully leverage the true potential of fiber for both an unmatched subscriber experience as well as for business transformation. 

As Northpower Fibre begins in the future to deploy more widely NG-PON2 enabled systems armed with Calix AXOS, the world’s only true Software Defined Access (SDA) architecture, the company can begin to dramatically drive down its OPEX and CAPEX profile by further converging disparate business, residential, and backhaul services onto one simple-to-operate network. In time, NG-PON2 will enable Northpower Fibre to continue to truly differentiate itself in a growing Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) marketplace stimulated by the New Zealand government’s second phase of its UFB programme. A new video, showcasing this world first, can be viewed here: https://calix.wistia.com/medias/8o7488r9g0

“New Zealand is undergoing a major broadband vitalization effort, and we see the emergence of NG-PON2 technology as a major enabler going forward,” said Darren Mason, CEO of Northpower Fibre. “As attention in the second phase of UFB shifts from the cities to bring fiber broadband to more rural areas, Northpower Fibre will be leading the way having committed to connect 12 new towns to fiber within the next four years. With Calix as our partner and the AXOS E7-2 supporting the deployment, we have been amazed by how quickly we had jaw-dropping speeds and services up and running. We’ve shown the world that NG-PON2 is real, and we are excited for all of the new efficiencies and opportunities NG-PON2 will bring to our future business.”

NG-PON2 provides Northpower Fibre with new business efficiencies in their open access model. Multiple wavelengths on a single fiber can be divided up for use by different service providers, instead of each service provider requiring a separate PON. NG-PON2 enables the isolation of services between the providers, allowing one to make service updates and changes, with no impact on the other providers. In addition, with the AXOS “always on” capability, Northpower Fibre can make its own live upgrades without service disruption or impact to the multiple service providers utilizing their fiber infrastructure.

“Calix has been the leader in PON technology from the beginning, starting more than a decade ago with the first GPON deployments, and now ushering in the new era of NG-PON2,” said Shane Eleniak, Calix vice president of product line leadership. “This is more than just a world first with a groundbreaking technology – it’s a demonstration of the power of AXOS, which allowed Calix to integrate advancements in NG-PON2 technology into our solutions well before anyone else. Northpower Fibre has the vision and desire to set the bar for the rest of the industry, paving the way for AXOS and SDA to bring true 10 gigabits per second multi-wavelength services over NG-PON2 to service providers around the world.”

Visit Calix in Booth G20 at the FTTH Conference 2017 this week in Marseille, France to learn more about AXOS and see the full portfolio of industry-leading NG-PON2 solutions on display.