Calix doubles GPON port density on E7-2 Modular ESAP

Calix, Inc. has announced the addition of the GPON-8 card to the widely deployed Calix E7-2 modular Ethernet Service Access Platform (ESAP), significantly enhancing the flexibility and economics of high density fiber access deployment. The new card doubles the GPON port density of the E7-2 ESAP, enabling an industry-leading 16 GPON ports, 8 gigabit Ethernet (GE) ports, and multiple 10GE uplink ports in each 1 rack unit (1RU) E7-2 modular chassis. With this enhancement to the E7-2’s unique pay-as-you-grow architecture, communications service providers can leverage pluggable optical interface modules (OIMs) on each card slot to incrementally grow their fiber access deployments to deliver broadband service speeds of up to one gigabit per second to over 1000 subscribers with each modular E7-2 deployed.

The enhanced port density of the E7-2 highlights the expanding portfolio of fiber access resources available to Calix customers that continually improve their economics of deployment and opportunities for new advanced broadband services. While the increased port density of the GPON-8 delivers new CAPEX efficiencies, new Calix software tools like Smart Activate provide OPEX savings through an intuitive, easy-to-use interface for deployment of CALIX optical network terminals (ONTs) and Residential Services Gateways (RSGs). With Smart Activate, Calix ONTs and RSGs can easily be identified, provisioned, and with one touch activated from common mobile devices like tablets and smart phones. In addition, with the recent announcement of Home Gateway upgrades to 700GE ONTs and the availability of 836GE RSGs for Calix E7 GPON customers, Calix service provider customers can efficiently deploy RSGs at every fiber-fed premises, providing new service opportunities for in-home network management – especially when used in conjunction with CALIX Consumer Connect software.

“Calix continues to provide us with new innovations that not only drive costs out of our existing fiber access deployments, but also enable new service revenue opportunities across our fiber access subscriber base,” said Gary Johnson, CEO of Paul Bunyan Communications. “The GPON-8 card in the E7-2 form factor gives us the right combination of high capacity, density, and flexibility to cost effectively address residential and business subscriber growth in our network, as well as the ability to aggregate services from copper-fed deployments we have at MDUs, mobile home parks, and even campgrounds. For us, it’s all about constantly improving to provide our subscribers with the best possible broadband service experience, and Calix continually provides us with powerful new tools to get us there effectively and efficiently.”

“Fiber access deployment has transitioned from a ‘nice-to-have’ to a ‘must-have’ service for many service providers as they seek out new opportunities for service expansion and differentiation,” said Robert Balsamo, CALIX vice president of product strategy. “With the latest additions to the Calix Unified Access portfolio, we are providing our customers with the tools to significantly improve the economics of fiber access deployment and enable the necessary changes for true business transformation. The combination of the GPON-8 card and the E7-2 is unique in the industry and, along with a constant stream of new Calix fiber access innovations, highlights the key advantages that Calix customers have when competing in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”