3 Rivers Increases Productivity by 50 Percent with Calix Professional Services

Montana-based service provider recovers hundreds of technician hours with Deployment Enablement Services

Calix, Inc. has announced that 3 Rivers Communications has engaged Deployment Enablement Services, accelerating their network build outs and improving resource efficiencies by 50 percent.

Previously, the Montana-based communications service provider (CSP) estimated it had lost several hundred technician hours. By leveraging the automation tools, best practices, and quality reviews of the services, 3 Rivers has started to dramatically reduce the inefficiencies tied to access systems deployments. These improvements in deployment productivity have accelerated their aggressive fiber-to-the-home build out projects.

“Our mission is to provide superior communications services that enhance our members' lives and improve the communities we serve,” said Dave Gibson, general manager and CEO for 3 Rivers Communications. “The Calix Professional Services team is helping us improve and expand business opportunities and increase the quality of life for our members at a faster pace. The Deployment Enablement Services are helping us to optimize our budget by increasing productivity and allowing us to nearly double the number of projects we can take on. With the help of the Calix team, we believe we can get 50 percent more productivity from our technicians which will help expand the broadband services we offer our members.”

Originally founded as a rural telephone cooperative, Fairfield, Montana-based 3 Rivers Communications is dedicated to improving the quality of life in rural communities with fast, reliable broadband services. 3 Rivers is now increasing its efficiency, saving on labor and installation costs and enabling existing implementation resources to take on more projects. Part of this effort is evaluating an expansion of its existing Active Ethernet network with AXOS® and the new Gigabit Ethernet line card for the E7-2 Intelligent Modular System. AXOS provides a common operational, management, and provisioning model that enables CSPs to abstract services while still benefitting from the point-to-point connections of Active Ethernet.

Deployment Enablement Services are comprised of Project Playbooks; the MobilePRO app, which provides step-by-step guidance and automated, electronic documentation sharing; and quality assurance assistance for rapid, remote reviews of project quality. Together, they help CSPs reduce overall deployment intervals, enabling them to complete more network transformation projects while ensuring buildout consistency and quality.

“Calix Deployment Enablement Services are field proven and draw on experience accumulated from more than 5,000 successful projects,” said Matt Collins, chief marketing officer for Calix. “We are helping 3 Rivers increase productivity and reduce operational costs as they build out their network to bring service to more western Montana communities. Deployment Enablement Services deliver the advanced information sharing tools, quality assessment expertise, and the standards and best practices needed to ensure successful installations.”