Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association Selects Calix GigaSpire Powered by EXOS to Elevate Member Experience in the Smart Home with Best Available Wi-Fi


GigaSpire BLAST combines Wi-Fi 6 connectivity with full network management capabilities through Calix Support Cloud, enables Winnebago to deliver an unparalleled broadband experience

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX) today announced Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association (WCTA) has selected the GigaSpire BLAST, the industry’s first Wi-Fi 6 system available exclusively to communications service providers, as the centerpiece of its smart home offering. Powered by EXOS, the Experience Operating System, the GigaSpire BLAST delivers the best available in-home connectivity. This enables WCTA members to dramatically improve their Wi-Fi coverage to support smart home functionality without service interruptions. WCTA will also manage its members’ Wi-Fi networks through Calix Support Cloud (CSC). This will give its customer support teams the visibility to proactively spot and remotely solve network problems before they impact the member experience.

The GigaSpire is the first residential system that combines industry-best Wi-Fi coverage with the open ecosystem of EXOS and seamlessly integrates with the full remote management capabilities of Calix Support Cloud. The modular design of EXOS enables service providers to access a vast ecosystem of pre-integrated smart home partners, significantly increasing their ability to deliver and monetize new solutions to members while decreasing time to deployment. Because the software layer is abstracted from the hardware, the system is always on, allowing service providers to push updates without incurring downtime. The GigaSpire will also support WCTA members looking to upgrade to more advanced residential services, as it can optimize bandwidth delivery across hundreds of devices connected to a smart home network.

“Calix is a trusted partner in delivering on our mission of providing our members with top quality communications solutions and first-class customer service,” said Mark Thoma, general manager for Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association. “As the demand increases for bandwidth-intensive services in the smart home, we have enhanced our managed Wi-Fi offering to provide the best available residential connectivity. In addition to the powerful smart home system, Calix has armed us with a complete set of tools and analytics that will enable us to ensure our members’ networks continue to run flawlessly.”

Based in Lake Mills, Iowa, WCTA is comprised of more than 70 companies, which serve 27 communities in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. The rural broadband provider has partnered with Calix for 15 years connecting members spanning a unique geographic footprint to its robust FTTH network. WCTA is now expanding this partnership into its members’ homes and leveraging the cutting edge technology Calix provides for the premises and via cloud platforms.

“Throughout our partnership, WCTA has experienced remarkable growth, yet remained steadfast in their commitment to providing all members with the best possible broadband services,” said Michael Weening, executive VP of field operations for Calix. “We are excited to continue our partnership with WCTA as it raises the bar once again, delivering the best available home Wi-Fi that will elevate their member experience now and in the future.”

Visit Calix online for more information on the GigaSpire or other Calix Smart Home and Business solutions.

About Calix

Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX) – Innovative communications service providers rely on Calix platforms to help them master and monetize the complex infrastructure between their members and the cloud. Calix is the leading global provider of the cloud and software platforms, systems, and services required to deliver the unified access network and smart premises of tomorrow. Our platforms and services help our customers build next generation networks by embracing a DevOps operating model, optimize the member experience by leveraging big data analytics and turn the complexity of the smart home and business into new revenue streams.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are based upon management's current expectations and are inherently uncertain. Forward-looking statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this release, and we assume no obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking statement to reflect any event or circumstance after the date of this release, except as required by law. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from current expectations based on risks and uncertainties affecting Calix’s business. The reader is cautioned not to rely on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Additional information on potential factors that could affect Calix's results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov.

Press Inquiries:
Dale Legaspi
408-474-0056
dale.legaspi@calix.com