According to a recent release, Calix has released two new EDGE Systems, the GigaSpire BLAST u6.1 and u6.2, second generation Wi-Fi 6 systems that reportedly enable communications service providers (CSPs) to expand subscriber experience offerings. Marketing, support, operations, field technicians, and compliance teams can launch the new BLAST systems, the company said, which will serve as digital storefronts thanks to the integrated capabilities of the EXOS platform.
Calix has offered Wi-Fi 6 since 2018 and says it has spent 18 months expanding use cases and platform functionality, and now the BLAST u6 is designed to enable subscribers to avoid consumer routers, the company asserts.
“Wi-Fi 6 has been in our roadmap, and with the BLAST u6, Calix has enabled our business to go beyond the high-end subscriber,” said Kerry Alvey, COO, South Central Communications, in Utah. “Calix has always been forward thinking with its service provider-exclusive solutions. These fully managed cutting-edge systems are quick to launch as they run on a single integrated platform and allow us to offer the Revenue EDGE to our entire subscriber base. They continue to be the only Wi-Fi 6 systems with the end-to-end visibility to gather subscriber insights for our marketing and support teams, enabling us to deliver unparalleled experiences in our market. Our data is ours, our subscriber is delighted, and our decade long relationship with Calix has proven that they put our success first.”
CSPs have occasionally in the past had to rely on consumer Wi-Fi products, but offering those products meant CSPs were ceding the home to a consumer brand, said Calix in the release. The new BLAST systems shift that system, the company said, by delivering:
- Design: The BLAST u4 and u4m feature a sleek tabletop design
- Practical Mesh: The BLAST u4 allows for optimal placement in a room, unlike typical mesh units that are limited to the height of power outlets
- Carrier Class: Integrating into the unifying Revenue EDGE solution, CSPs reportedly will be able to launch the new system in only a few weeks
“We have looked at consumer products and they have never been good enough for our subscribers,” said Gary Johnson, CEO and GM, Paul Bunyan Communications, in Minnesota. “They want to own our subscribers’ data, put their brand first, and offer no support tools. Those are compromises we are not willing to make. That is why we have been with Calix since the launch of the Revenue EDGE. Earlier GigaSpire BLAST models allowed us to be the first to offer Wi-Fi 6 in our market, and the u4 systems will allow us to offer a fantastic consumer look and feel that will look and perform great on a bookshelf or a kitchen counter. We look forward to providing them that choice while ensuring that we can manage their services, offer great solutions, and deliver on the promise of GigaZone.”
Ken Briodagh is a storyteller, writer and editor with about two decades of experience under his belt. He is in love with technology and if he had his druthers would beta test everything from shoe phones to flying cars.
