Calix enhanced its revolutionary GigaSpire BLAST u6x system by adding a module that simplifies broadband operations with a single end-to-end solution - from the access edge to the subscriber premises.
With the modules’ built-in flexibility, broadband service providers (BSPs) can, for the first time, choose from several easily swappable small form-factor pluggable (SFP) modules that support GPON, 10G Active Ethernet, 10G Ethernet—and now XGS-PON. This enables them to easily address rapidly growing use cases—from gamers to work-from-homers—that demand additional bandwidth and blazing fast speeds. The modules offer improved operational efficiency that allows BSPs to reduce installation times by up to 50 percent. The SFP modules double the system’s lifespan compared to a typical system, which provides a strong hedge against supply chain issues and cuts inventory management costs in half. Additionally, as an integrated Wi-Fi 6 system, the GigaSpire BLAST u6x reduces power consumption by more than 50 percent when compared to solutions requiring an ONT and gateway combination.
Broadband teams face new challenges today as subscribers demand higher bandwidth to accommodate the ways they live, work, and play. Now, even the smallest broadband operations teams can now satisfy these new use cases. The GigaSpire BLAST u6x with an XGS-PON swappable module, brings a number of benefits to 10G deployments, enabling broadband operations teams to:
- Shorten installation times 50 percent. For BSPs using Intelligent Access EDGE, the integrated ONT and residential system allows BSPs to simply upgrade GPON to XGS-PON with the insertion of a new SFP module. The rest of the provisioning process is completely automated, eliminating time consuming multi-step provisioning that must be coordinated across the network. Further, as part of the Revenue EDGE, the GigaSpire BLAST u6x runs on the same common platform as all other GigaSpire BLAST systems, reducing the initial deployment time by 50 percent.
- Streamline inventory management and cut costs 50 percent. Swappable SFP modules transform the GigaSpire BLAST u6x into a Wi-Fi 6 system with an integrated ONT and residential system capable of supporting virtually any access technology. These small modules eliminate the need to stock multiple systems, lowering CAPEX. The availability of swappable SFP modules also extends the lifespan of the BLAST u6x to 10-years, further reducing inventory and CAPEX.
- Curtail power consumption for a greener network. Broadband service providers looking to deliver a sustainable network experience for their climate-conscious subscribers can count on the BLAST u6x to provide an integrated Wi-Fi 6 system that reduces power consumption by more than 50 percent versus the need to have separate ONTs, Wi-Fi systems, and mesh satellites. In fact, 93 percent of subscribers with a single GigaSpire BLAST system do not need a mesh satellite to achieve full-premises Wi-Fi coverage.
Shane Eleniak, EVP Products, at Calix
With the new XGS-PON SFP module, we’re providing our customers with exclusive end-to-end broadband services across the entire 10G spectrum. We designed and built this module to work for all BSPs. Adding the SFP module extends the benefits of the GigaSpire BLAST u6x so that BSPs can address a more demanding set of subscriber use cases. We have successfully laid the foundation for the next generation of revolutionary Calix innovations that help BSPs further simplify operations, excite subscribers with an ever-expanding array of managed services, and grow value for their communities and themselves.
