Calix Partners with Ready.net to Simplify BEAD Program

Calix, Inc. has announced an exclusive partnership with industry-leading funding solution provider Ready.net, Inc. The partnership enables Calix to leverage Ready.net’s powerful tools as part of its existing Funding Consult Program and connect over 1,600 Calix customers with a streamlined portal to apply for and win grant funds, secure capital, and adhere to public funding requirements.

At the same time, Calix will be the exclusive broadband platform and managed services provider featured on the Ready.net platform. With this partnership, both broadband service providers (BSPs) and their state broadband offices will be able to dramatically simplify every stage of the funding process for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program and others like it.

Calix BSPs face urgent deadlines in 2024 to apply for BEAD—a once-in-a-generation $42 billion federal funding initiative to connect underserved areas across the United States. In September 2023, Calix reaffirmed its commitment to “Build America, Buy America,” required by BEAD, to ensure customers leveraging its end-to-end broadband platform and Wi-Fi systems comply with federal funding requirements.

BEAD aligns to the vision Calix was founded on 24 years ago—to support rural USA and the BSPs that serve those communities. By investing $1.2 billion and more than a decade to innovate the world’s only end-to-end broadband platform, Calix ensures that any BSP, regardless of size, can provide innovative experiences to millions of subscribers while seamlessly expanding to serve multiple markets—residential, business, multi-dwelling unit (MDU), and local government—and efficiently leveraging public funding to strengthen their business. In 2023, customers leveraged the Calix platform to conduct a collective 323 million automated FCC latency tests and over 17.5 million FCC speed tests for compliance reporting. Over the past three years, the Calix funding team has helped hundreds of BSPs secure over $2 billion through federal and state funding programs.

Ready.net brings extensive knowledge of broadband business models to the partnership with Calix. With deep experience in innovating solutions for network planning and analysis, they deliver valuable insights for cost estimation and average revenue per user (ARPU). Ready.netalso automates project management, tracking, compliance, and reporting for state broadband offices—increasing process efficiency for the state, stakeholders, and BSPs.

“We’ve made it our mission to demystify the funding process for BSPs, regardless of their size,” said Jase Wilson, founder and chief executive officer at Ready.net. “Since the inception of Ready.net, our core focus has been to connect all communities to better broadband services and safeguard families, regardless of geography and socio-economic status. Our partnership with Calix allows us to scale the impact of the solutions we have innovated specifically for the broadband industry. It is about amplifying our impact to ensure BSPs have access to funding opportunities extending to 2030 and beyond. It is an exciting journey ahead, and we are just warming up.”

“Ready.net saved us hundreds of hours, streamlining our path to secure millions of dollars in state funding,” said Darren Farnan, general manager at United Fiber. “We are thrilled to see Calix and Ready.net collaborate to make the funding process significantly easier for customers like us. It comes at a perfect time. When you run a rural broadband business, the partners you choose to work with are crucial to your success. Both Calix and Ready.net exemplify the innovative partnerships that help United Fiber deliver exceptional value to our Missourian communities.”

“Calix was founded 24 years ago with the vision to support the success of rural American BSPs,” said Michael Weening, president and chief executive officer at Calix. “We have maintained our unwavering commitment for decades, as evidenced by BSPs like ALLO Communications, Midwest Energy & Communications, SCTelcom, Tombigbee Fiber, and United Fiber, who leverage the power of the Calix Platform to succeed for their members, investors, and the communities they serve. BEAD is a complex program. Calix believes that complexity should not prevent local BSPs from securing the funding essential to living their values and enabling their subscribers with services that are transforming lives for the better. Together, Calix and Ready.net will simplify the funding process so even the smallest BSP can win with BEAD to create vital communities across rural America.”