Westman selects Calix E7 to bring advanced fiber access services to Brandon, Manitoba

NOVEMBER 29, 2010 -- Westman Communications Group (Westman) and Calix Inc. have announced that the Calix E7 Ethernet Service Access Platform (ESAP) and 725GX optical network terminals (ONTs) will be deployed to residents in Brandon, Manitoba. The companies will bring advanced fiber-based services to Manitoba’s second largest city, marking the first fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployment in western Manitoba.

By extending a fiber-optic connection from Westman’s headend to residential subscribers, FTTH enables ultra-high capacity broadband services, including high-speed data, voice, and interactive radio frequency over glass (RFOG) video services, says a company spokesperson. Westman’s FTTH subscribers, initially located in the new subdivision of Oakridge Estates but with future regional expansion plans, will receive these services via gigabit passive optical network (GPON) technology, capable of delivering broadband speeds of up to one gigabit per second (Gbps).

“As technology evolves, we must meet the changing needs of our customers and fiber-to-the-home ensures that we remain at the forefront in providing the most advanced video entertainment and the fastest, most reliable high-speed Internet,” says Dave Baxter, president and CEO of Westman.

Westman will deploy the modular, EXA-powered Calix E7-2, the adopted access platforms that have been deployed by more than 150 communications service providers across North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Calix 725GX ONTs, which combine industry-standard GPON with new Society for Cable Technology Engineers (SCTE) RFOG standards, will be deployed at subscribers’ homes, enabling the MSO to deliver legacy and advanced new services over a single, fiber-based architecture.