After a Hurricane, Local Broadband Providers Heroically Rally To Reconnect Communities Leveraging Calix SmartTown
Days after Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina and Georgia, local broadband providers—French Broad EMC, Riverwave Broadband, and Clearwave Fiber—utilized the Calix Platform and SmartTown to restore connectivity so residents could reach loved ones and access vital emergency information
Today, Calix, Inc. (NYSE:CALX) recognizes the impact its customers are making in Hurricane Helene-affected communities by leveraging the Calix Broadband Platform—featuring the industry's most extensive Wi-Fi systems portfolio—and Calix SmartTown® community Wi-Fi. The efficiencies of the Calix Platform enabled broadband service providers (BSPs) like French Broad Electric Membership Corporation (French Broad EMC), Riverwave Broadband, and Clearwave Fiber to deploy temporary hotspots and community Wi-Fi within days so residents could reconnect with loved ones and access recovery services. This swift action highlights the critical role that local BSPs play in keeping communities connected during emergencies while further reinforcing their role as trusted partners.
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The cloud-enabled Calix Platform, combined with hands-on Calix Success support, streamlines a BSP's ability to deliver secure, reliable broadband access to their communities. With Calix GigaSpires® and GigaPros®—from the unparalleled Calix Unlimited Subscriber portfolio of indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi systems—BSPs can quickly provide seamless, long-range connectivity across homes, businesses, and communities. Integrated with the Calix Platform, these Wi-Fi systems support rapid deployment, efficient network management, and scalability through Calix Cloud®. Geomapping in Calix Operations Cloud enhances network visibility, simplifying community Wi-Fi planning and accelerating SmartTown deployments to connect entire towns.
After Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the southern United States, Calix customers sprang into action:
- French Broad EMC quickly restored power to western North Carolina and reconnected communities with SmartTown. When Hurricane Helene struck, French Broad EMC, an electric cooperative, swiftly restored power to their communities. But they did not stop there. Collaborating with Calix Success as electricity was turned back on, they fast-tracked their plans and deployment for SmartTown community Wi-Fi. As power became available, French Broad EMC activated residential GigaSpires, adding to the strength of SmartTown and bringing secure, seamless connectivity to homes and public spaces when it mattered most.
- Riverwave Broadband quickly established an emergency Wi-Fi network for affected North Carolinians. Leveraging the Calix Platform and GigaSpires, Riverwave Broadband provided open access points to ensure communities stayed connected during Hurricane Helene. Understanding the critical role of communication during recovery, the Riverwave team went further—personally guiding residents to the strongest signal locations and sharing access details, ensuring they could stay connected to loved ones and vital resources in their time of need.
- Clearwave Fiber deployed eight hotspots powered by Calix Wi-Fi systems, enabling Georgians to access recovery services. In Valdosta, Georgia, Clearwave Fiber similarly utilized Calix innovation to set up temporary hotspots, aiding in Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. These GigaPro and GigaSpire-powered hotspots provided coverage reaching up to one mile per site—extending the number of residents who could depend on a secure, reliable connection. Additionally, Clearwave provided device charging stations and bottled water at each location.
"Hurricane Helene devastated our region, wiping out bridges and roads, which made restoring power and internet extremely challenging," said Jeff Loven, general manager and chief executive officer at French Broad EMC. "Without the internet, our community was left unable to do basic things, like contacting loved ones, making calls, and accessing emergency information. Prior to the hurricane, we recognized that SmartTown could greatly impact our community, and we were planning our deployment. In the wake of Helene, we realized the immediate need for SmartTown. As power was gradually restored to our members, the Calix Success team stepped in to provide the extra support we needed and successfully completed our full deployment."
SmartTown, a cornerstone of Calix SmartLife™ managed services, exemplifies how Calix helps BSPs transition from speed-and-price-driven models to true broadband experience providers, meeting every broadband need within their communities. Even before Hurricane Helene, Calix customers were delivering significant value with SmartTown—connecting public parks, community centers, parking lots, and entire towns. With ubiquitous connectivity, BSPs ensure students can reliably complete homework after school and grandparents can stream their grandkids' football games when they can't attend. SmartTown has also enabled BSPs to provide free network access for first responders in rural areas with limited cellular coverage, ensuring critical emergency services can reach every resident when it matters most.
"In times of crisis, it is the local broadband provider who works tirelessly to keep their communities connected—not the massive carriers or satellite providers that focus solely on delivering a basic connection and collecting data," said Matt Collins, chief commercial operations officer at Calix. "The Calix Broadband Platform empowers these trusted local providers with efficient, secure, data-driven broadband solutions like SmartTown community Wi-Fi that deliver the next-generation connectivity people expect today. Whether connecting families, first responders, or essential personnel, our customers have leveraged SmartTown to transform how their communities stay connected. Seeing our customers leverage Calix innovation for disaster recovery after Hurricane Helene is a powerful testament to their dedication, and we are proud to stand with them as they rebuild stronger than ever."
Learn how SmartTown community Wi-Fi can impact communities, and watch "SmartLife Evolution" on ConneXions @OnDemand to learn even more about life-changing Calix managed services.
About Calix
Calix, Inc. (NYSE:CALX)—Calix is a platform, cloud, and managed services company. Broadband service providers leverage Calix's broadband platform, cloud, and managed services to simplify their operations, subscriber engagement, and services; innovate for their consumer, business, and municipal subscribers; and grow their value for members, investors, and the communities they serve.
Our end-to-end platform and managed services democratize the use of data—enabling our customers of any size to operate efficiently, acquire subscribers, and deliver exceptional experiences. Calix is dedicated to driving continuous improvement in partnership with our growing ecosystem to support the transformation of our customers and their communities.
This press release contains 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.
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