Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX) has this month launched its GigaSpire BLAST u4, a Wi-Fi 6 router and access point with a minimalist, consumer-conscious design that allows communications service providers (CSPs) to offer a system that can effectively place their brands in the living rooms of even the most design-conscious subscriber. By eschewing design choices that can reduce reliability, such as internal fans, Calix says the u4 ensures carrier-class reliability while delivering advanced capabilities such as TR-069, IPTV support via multiple LAN ports, and cloud analytics.
“The GigaSpire BLAST u4 is a perfect balance between a beautiful consumer aesthetic and carrier-class reliability, management, and insight. There are no compromises in this system as evidenced by the industry leading Wi-Fi 6 performance that enables a CSP to deliver the ultimate Wi-Fi experience to their subscribers,” commented Michael Weening, chief operating officer for Calix.
The manufacturer says a single BLAST u4 delivers optimized performance within a small to medium-sized residence, while multiple systems can be easily configured to cover large homes or small businesses. Optional wall-mounting capabilities and a separate power cord means the BLAST u4 can be placed anywhere in a home—unlike mesh systems that plug directly into electrical outlets which are typically too low to the ground for optimal performance.
All BLAST systems can operate as an intelligent mesh satellite for an existing system, making the BLAST u4 and the Mesh BLAST u4m the ideal systems to extend and optimize Wi-Fi connectivity, contends Calix. Further, the BLAST u4 incorporates advanced security features, such as WPA-3 and physically unclonable functions (PUF). These features, along with the Calix ProtectIQ suite, ensure subscribers who work or learn from home are safe from attacks on their devices, as well as viruses, malware, and other internet-based intrusions.
Calix adds that, because it’s powered by the company's EXOS platform and part of its Revenue EDGE system, the BLAST u4 will help CSPs of all sizes eliminate churn, increase average revenue per user (ARPU), and attract new subscribers. Any service provider using the Calix Revenue EDGE system can integrate a BLAST system into its back-office operations in a matter of days. To make launching this new system even easier, the BLAST u4 is pre-integrated into the Calix Support Cloud, so CSPs can take advantage of the company's support center, and the Calix Marketing Cloud, so CSPs can leverage data-driven marketing campaigns. Finally, as with all BLAST systems, in the u4 platform, the CSP’s branded CommandIQ mobile app and Calix EDGE Suites are fully integrated, establishing the CSP’s branded virtual storefront with revenue-generating services in multiple rooms in the home.
Calix's Weening concluded, “We have always asserted that the greatest threat to the CSP is a consumer brand entering the home. Consumer product companies are focused on putting their brand first, owning the subscriber, and eventually turning the CSP into a dumb pipe that can be easily swapped out. The BLAST u4 and the Revenue EDGE solution ensure that subscribers get cutting-edge performance, a competitive price, and an aesthetic that eliminates consumer routers from consideration. This unique combination will ensure that the CSP’s brand is front and center in the home while delivering the lowest OPEX possible for customer support reps and field technicians. As Calix expands our ecosystem of Revenue EDGE suites, the u4 will support completely new subscriber experiences that CSPs can launch with virtually zero integration time and the full support of the Calix Customer Success team, which is the best way to eliminate churn, grow ARPU, and attract new subscribers.”
Register here for Calix's September 30 webinar entitled, “Right size the subscriber experience: New ways to deliver the BLAST ultimate Wi-Fi experience.”
