BOYCOM Leverages Public-Private Partnership and Calix Platform To Bring Life-Changing Connectivity to Underserved Stringtown, Missouri Homes
BOYCOM Cablevision transforms the unincorporated community of Stringtown—where, just a year ago, residents struggled to send texts from home—into a hub for the best residential broadband services in southeast Missouri thanks to a public-private partnership and the flexible Calix Broadband Platform
Calix, Inc. (NYSE:CALX) today announced that its customer BOYCOM Cablevision (BOYCOM), a rural cable operator serving southeastern Missouri for 35 years, has successfully brought fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connectivity to the unincorporated community of Stringtown. This transformative project, funded by a public-private partnership with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Missouri Office of Broadband Development, addresses decades of connectivity challenges in one of the state's most underserved regions. Once a thriving logging hub serving the Ozarks, Stringtown has been long neglected by major broadband and cellular service providers, leaving residents with limited communication options. Until last year, many had to drive into town just to send a text or make a phone call.
"But for our public-private partnership with the NTIA and Missouri's Office of Broadband Development led by director BJ Tanksley, connecting Stringtown with reliable fiber would not have been possible," said Patricia Jo Boyers, president and chief executive officer at BOYCOM. "For the first time in Stringtown's history, families can reliably access emergency services, connect their children to online education, and work remotely. Telemedicine, health monitoring devices, and other essential Wi-Fi-enabled technologies are finally accessible in a community with limited cell service. These aren't just conveniences—they're lifelines."
Stringtown residents are eager to switch from satellite-based systems to the more reliable BOYCOM broadband solution. BOYCOM recently connected 32 percent of households in just 30 days, leveraging the flexible and secure Calix Broadband Platform—including Calix Cloud® insights for support and operational efficiency, Intelligent Access for seamless connectivity, and Unlimited Subscriber to enhance subscriber experiences and drive growth. With installation training and provisioning support from Calix Success, BOYCOM is on track to connect 70 percent of Stringtown households by April 2025. Residents will receive a Calix GigaSpire® Wi-Fi system and access to Calix SmartHome™ managed services like the easy-to-use CommandIQ® app for intuitive network management, ProtectIQ® advanced cybersecurity, and ExperienceIQ® content controls.
"With support from Calix, the NTIA, and the state, we turned Stringtown from one of the least connected places in southeastern Missouri to one of the best—all in just one year," said Boyers. "After over three decades of serving rural Missouri, we knew Stringtown would be a big challenge. Yet, funding support and the flexible Calix Broadband Platform made it possible—allowing us to overcome the unique hurdles of connecting rural communities by combining fiber, hybrid coaxial, and cloud-based solutions to deliver high-quality broadband efficiently. Our success in Stringtown proves we can bring broadband to underserved areas, and we're now pursuing Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program (BEAD) funding to expand this impact across more underserved Missouri communities."
Boyers, who also chairs the board of America's Communications Association (ACA Connects), co-founded BOYCOM with her husband to bring cable service to their home when no other providers were available. Under her leadership, BOYCOM has grown to serve communities across Butler, Wayne, Carter, and Ripley counties, continually evolving to address the broadband needs of rural Missouri.
"Patty and BOYCOM exemplify true dedication to the betterment of the communities they live in and serve," said Michael Weening, president and chief executive officer at Calix. "We are proud to support their lightning-fast, on-budget, ahead-of-schedule deployment into Stringtown with the Calix Broadband Platform, as their team transforms lives in rural Missouri. Our automation will help BOYCOM maximize their return on investment, while Calix SmartHome managed services will enhance education, remote work, and access to life-changing broadband for their subscribers. I frequently speak with Patty and am continually inspired by her relentless commitment to the communities she serves and the entire rural broadband industry as chairman of the board at ACA Connects. Stringtown is just the beginning as BOYCOM continues to transform and lead, and we are proud to be their partner."
Discover how Calix supports broadband service providers as they apply for BEAD funds to connect more rural communities with exceptional broadband experiences.
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.
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