Northern Lights Fiber Leverages Calix to Simultaneously Deliver Canada’s Fastest Residential Internet Service and Excite Subscribers With Premium Wi-Fi Services

Privately funded service provider excites subscribers and meets pent-up demand in underserved communities across Western Canada with end-to-end Calix solutions that deliver popular premium managed Wi-Fi services over a lightning-fast network—dramatically growing its value in one year

Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX) announced today that Northern Lights Fiber, a newly created brand under fiber network builder, owner, operator, and service provider Canadian Fiber Optics (CFOC), is signing up premium managed Wi-Fi subscribers at a record pace with the end-to-end capabilities of the Revenue EDGE and Intelligent Access EDGE solutions. Specifically, excited residents across rural Alberta communities are embracing the extensive set of parental controls available via ExperienceIQ™ and the home network security of ProtectIQ™—two value-added EDGE Suites applications delivered via Northern WiFi, the branded version of the CommandIQ® mobile app. These add-on offerings are boosting average revenue per user (ARPU) projections by 25 percent in the pre-sales stage alone and before most of the fiber broadband networks are even built in these communities—satisfying pent-up demand for these popular services in previously underserved areas. Northern Lights Fiber’s new XGS-PON fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network builds will leverage the Network Innovation Platform (AXOS®) and the Intelligent Access EDGE to streamline operations—including rapid back-office integration—and deliver an Always On experience. As a result, Northern Lights Fiber will roll out service in the community of Valleyview later this summer with speeds up to 10 Gigabit, making it Canada’s fastest residential internet service.

Northern Lights Fiber was founded in 2020 as a subsidiary of CFOC to specifically serve rural and remote residential as well as small and medium-sized business customers. Following the rapid, five-month buildout of its fiber broadband network in the community of Grande Cache, Northern Lights Fiber began rolling out its three tiers of managed Wi-Fi service offerings to residents. Each tier includes the blazing-fast GigaSpire® BLAST u6 Wi-Fi 6 system, which is powered by the Experience Innovation Platform to enable rapid installation and deployment that reduce both capital and operating expenses.

To further grow its value, Northern Lights Fiber is selling EDGE Suites cloud applications as add-ons for a nominal monthly fee. Alternatively, subscribers can upgrade to its Experience package, which offers both ExperienceIQ, ProtectIQ, and a GigaSpire BLAST u4 system for use as a Wi-Fi mesh extender. To date, the Experience package boasts a 40 percent take rate, and Northern Lights Fiber expects to double the number of customers who sign up for at least one other add-on service by the end of the year. The same pricing structure applies to the Alberta municipalities of Valleyview, Wembley, and several other rural communities—where construction of the Calix-powered fiber broadband networks is either underway or scheduled to begin soon and pre-sales demand for these services is driving up ARPU projections.

“It’s not a typical strategy—but we’re not a typical company,” said Johann Reimer, director of marketing and sales for both Northern Lights Fiber and Canadian Fiber Optics. “We are a privately funded, fiber-first organization that is deeply embedded in and committed to investing in our communities. We are simply dedicated to helping residents and businesses in rural Canada realize the significant economic and social benefits of broadband internet, and Calix has enabled us to get to market quickly with a compelling offering that resonates with subscribers across the province.”

In addition to EDGE Suites, which some Calix customers are using to achieve up to 99 percent uptake of their premium managed Wi-Fi services, Northern Lights Fiber is also in the process of implementing Calix Support Cloud and Calix Marketing Cloud. Support Cloud will give Northern Lights Fiber full visibility of its subscribers’ network experience, simplifying customer support, reducing and quickly resolving trouble tickets, and decreasing unnecessary truck rolls by up to 60 percent. Marketing Cloud provides advanced, data-driven insights that will allow Northern Lights Fiber to segment, target, and offer services that excite subscribers and drive new revenue opportunities.

“Northern Lights Fiber is an innovator that is shaking up the service provider landscape in rural Canada,” said Alan Lieff, vice president of sales for Calix. “By partnering with Calix on everything from cutting-edge fiber infrastructure to advanced subscriber-facing solutions, Northern Lights Fiber is well on its way to achieving its 80 percent take rate goal and delivering Canada’s fastest residential internet service by the end of the year. The combined value of the integrated Intelligent Access EDGE and Revenue EDGE solutions will help Northern Lights Fiber grow its value for years to come, exciting subscribers across rural Alberta with popular services at incredibly high speeds and putting them firmly in control of their connected home experience.”

Learn more about EDGE Suites and view a replay of our recent webinar, “How to Offer the Premium Services That Subscribers Want.”

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.

This press release may contain 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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