OC Fiber Grows Customer Lifetime Value 30 Percent in One Week by Transforming Go-to-Market Strategy With Calix

SAN JOSE, CA—September 11, 2024—Today, Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX) announced that Orange County Fiber (OC Fiber) has transformed their go-to-market strategy with residential offerings that enhance experiences for subscribers and significantly boost value for their communities. As larger competitors enter their Indiana market, OC Fiber has deepened their partnership with Calix to evolve a go-to-market strategy that has enabled them to thrive. Subscribers and members swiftly adopted five new tailored Wi-Fi packages from OC Fiber that align with how people use the internet and boost security. These packages feature Calix SmartLife™ managed services like network-level cybersecurity, connected cameras for property protection, and secure community-wide Wi-Fi. The launch drove hundreds of Calix GigaSpire® Wi-Fi system upgrades—including 100 in the first 48 hours. Within a week of launch, OC Fiber increased total customer lifetime value (CLV) by 30 percent.

Founded in 2018 by a nearly century-old electric cooperative, OC Fiber initially invested in the Calix Broadband Platform to bring secure and reliable broadband to southern Indiana at the lowest possible operational expense (OPEX). As competition grew, they employed additional support from Calix Success to revamp their approach. In just eight months, OC Fiber expanded their residential offerings with SmartLife managed services. They also transformed how they communicate these offerings to subscribers and members. Seamless integration with the Calix Platform enabled swift deployment of these services, while deep cloud insights ensure OC Fiber can communicate them to the right subscribers at the optimal time.  

Leveraging SmartLife managed services, OC Fiber appealed to the needs of their residential subscribers with differentiated, tailored Wi-Fi experiences that:

• Make secure, community-wide Wi-Fi accessible to everyone. OC Fiber stands out by including home network protection and community-wide internet access in every plan. Their “Essential Plan” features Calix SmartHome™ managed services like advanced network-level cybersecurity through ProtectIQ® and access to the OC Fiber app (powered by CommandIQ®). The plan also includes Calix SmartTown® community-wide Wi-Fi, ensuring subscribers stay securely connected as they move around town.
  
  
• Provide advanced network controls and property protection for families and remote workers. OC Fiber’s “Connected Family” plan includes everything in the “Essential Plan” plus ExperienceIQ® advanced network and parental controls. For remote workers and gamers, the “Work from Home” and “Gamer/Streamer” plans feature device prioritization through ExperienceIQ and an Arlo Secure doorbell camera. All three plans cater to people who use their networks often and require advanced security—a need OC Fiber meets effortlessly through quick deployment of new services.
  
  
• Offer comprehensive security packages with benefits that extend beyond the front door. OC Fiber’s “SmartHome” plan includes all the features of other plans plus added benefits like indoor and outdoor Arlo cameras and enhanced outdoor Wi-Fi with the fast-to-deploy GigaSpire u4hm system. This premium plan delivers complete protection for the home network and property, giving subscribers seamless control over their digital lives inside and outside of the home.

“Our success stems from a deep understanding of local needs, amplified by the efficiencies of the Calix Platform,” said Matt Deaton, general manager and chief executive officer at OC Fiber. “The resources saved with Calix allow us to further our mission of supporting our communities. I’m proud that our cooperative has already invested over $50 million back into southern Indiana—and we’re just getting started. When I spoke with Calix CEO Michael Weening this spring, he challenged us to consider overhauling our residential broadband packages. You don’t know what you don’t know—but after meeting with the Calix team, we fully embraced residential managed services to offer greater security and protection to our communities. Going all-in with Calix was the right choice, and their support has been instrumental in strengthening our commitment to improving life in southern Indiana.”

“You cannot achieve success in broadband as a utility provider, which is a dead-end business model,” said Michael Weening, president and chief executive officer at Calix. “In just eight months, OC Fiber has transformed their fiber business by delivering comprehensive offerings that safeguard both the online experiences and physical property of their members and subscribers. They also took the essential step of overhauling their go-to-market. With a simple refinement of how they communicate their broadband offerings, OC Fiber saw an incredible lift in customer lifetime value in just one week, further enabling them to invest back into their communities. This is a cooperative that is truly living their values. We are thrilled to support their continued success.”

Explore how Calix helps BSPs like OC Fiber revolutionize their go-to-market strategies to captivate subscribers, drive value for their members, and gain a competitive edge.

About Calix
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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