AcenTek Wins the Calix Innovations “Giant of Sustainability” Award For Reducing Energy Consumption 73 Percent at the Network With Calix Intelligent Access EDGE—and Reducing Home System Energy Consumption 50 Percent With Calix Revenue EDGE

SAN JOSE, CA—December 15, 2022—Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX) has recognized AcenTek as a “Giant of Sustainability” and a 2022 Customer Innovations Award winner. Announced at Calix ConneXions 2022, the award honors AcenTek for their innovative approach to becoming a “green broadband” service provider. AcenTek leveraged energy-efficient Calix Intelligent Access EDGE™ and Calix Revenue EDGE™ platforms to deliver exceptional energy savings of 73 percent in network access edge energy consumption and 50 percent in the subscriber’s home network. AcenTek differentiates by deploying sustainable broadband technology to deliver amazing Calix managed services to subscribers in an energy-efficient and cost-effective way. By dramatically reducing energy consumption end to end while lowering OPEX, AcenTek is taking giant steps to ensure a sustainable future for their community.

AcenTek’s pioneering green broadband strategy incorporates both the Intelligent Access EDGE and Revenue EDGE platforms to optimize energy savings. As a result, AcenTek is able to:

• Reduce energy consumption by 73 percent in the network access edge. AcenTek used the Network Innovation Platform’s advanced routing module (ARm) and subscriber management module (SMm) to consolidate service-enabling network functions within the E9®-2 Intelligent EDGE System and deployed the Aggregation Service Manager (ASM) card. Eliminating the number of network devices and the associated optical connections contributed to lowering energy consumption at the access edge by 73 percent.
• Extend 50 percent energy savings to the subscriber’s home network using the Revenue EDGE GigaSpire® BLAST. AcenTek launched the Calix GigaSpire BLAST system to deliver managed Wi-Fi services—and energy benefits—to subscribers. A single GigaSpire BLAST provides complete, whole-home Wi-Fi coverage in more than 90 percent of AcenTek subscriber homes that have it. This eliminates the need for additional energy-consuming hardware such as mesh units or pods and reduces home network energy consumption by more than 50 percent.
• Reduce energy consumption an additional 85 percent by eliminating energy-hungry remote cabinets and outdated DSL systems. AcenTek also vastly reduced energy consumption by upgrading DSL subscribers to the fiber-based E7®-2 Intelligent Modular System. This upgrade enabled AcenTek to remove more than 100 high energy-consuming remote cabinets and DSL systems and replace them with central office-based E7-2 systems. The DSL system replacement reduced access network energy consumption an additional 85 percent. 

“We are honored to be recognized by Calix with this award,” said Ethan Webinger, chief operating officer at AcenTek. “Calix has been an invaluable partner as we’ve developed our green broadband initiative and built our green broadband network. We’ve reduced our core routing power footprint by 73 percent by eliminating routing systems with the Intelligent Access EDGE E9-2 system. We’ve also increased network capacity and simplified operations and management as a result of deploying the Network Innovation Platform on all our systems. After 17 years we can confidently say that Calix is the only company that consistently delivers innovative, end-to-end sustainable broadband solutions to rural communities like ours. Where industry giants overlook us, Calix honors us for our commitment to a sustainable future. Thanks to Calix, we will be able to continue our green broadband initiative and grow our value in the community for generations to come.”

AcenTek began in 1950 as the Fillmore County Telephone Cooperative, formed by a group of farmers determined to improve rural telephone service in rural Minnesota. Today, AcenTek (“Ascending Technology”) brings broadband innovation and transformation to 17,000 subscribers in 33 communities. 

“We believe that communities should not have to sacrifice sustainability in order to get fast broadband and vital managed services,” said Shane Eleniak, executive vice president of products at Calix. “We have invested more than $1 billion over the past 11 years to develop the world’s greenest subscriber-facing broadband network architecture. With the Intelligent Access EDGE platform, BSPs can consolidate multiple network systems and subscriber functions into the fewest network components—dramatically reducing both energy and OPEX. By partnering with Calix, service providers can deliver the world-class broadband their subscribers demand with the simplest and most efficient operating model in the industry. AcenTek’s innovative next-generation network demonstrates their commitment to sustainability while establishing themselves as a giant in their community. That’s the power of partnerships and innovation.” 

Visit the Calix Green Broadband page to learn more about how Calix platforms support green broadband initiatives and sustainability programs.

About Calix

Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX)—Calix cloud and software platforms enable service providers of all types and sizes to innovate and transform. Our customers utilize the real-time data and insights from Calix platforms to simplify their businesses and deliver experiences that excite their subscribers. The resulting growth in subscriber acquisition, loyalty, and revenue creates more value for their businesses and communities. This is the Calix mission: To enable broadband service providers of all sizes to simplify, excite, and grow.

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