MaxxSouth Broadband Taps Alepo to Launch FreeNet

American internet service provider MaxxSouth Broadband has launched ad-supported free internet in Mississippi using a solution by award-winning digital enablement company Alepo. The service provider aims to replicate the success of sister company Buckeye Broadband’s FreeNet service, which was launched last year in partnership with Alepo.

“Alepo’s WiFi platform has helped Buckeye Broadband ensure that the FreeNet service is a huge success with customers in Ohio, with rapid ROI for the project, which encouraged us to recommend a similar route for our Mississippi-based MaxxSouth Broadband,” said Geoff Shook, President and General Manager, Buckeye Broadband.

FreeNet enables MaxxSouth Broadband’s customers to access the internet at home for free in exchange for watching a video advertisement. They can upgrade for uninterrupted access with ad-free browsing.

The service is particularly beneficial in bridging the digital divide that has widened in the pandemic, benefiting underserved populations that are increasingly more reliant on residential internet. While attracting new customers as well as encouraging existing ones to upgrade, it also enables the operator’s existing subscribers’ continuity of accessing the essential service.

The operator, meanwhile, can continue generating revenue through advertisements, while catering to a large segment that may be working or studying from home.

Alepo has been able to reuse some of Buckeye Broadband’s existing infrastructure for the MaxxSouth project, enabling the operator to limit upfront investment. This includes Alepo’s WiFi Service Management Platform (SMP) and captive portal, which are part of its Carrier WiFi solution. MaxxSouth Broadband’s customers are redirected to the captive portal to access the service, where the operator can display contextual advertisements. The WiFi SMP captures user data and helps generate valuable BI reports that enable the operator to provide more relevant advertisements and offers.

“Alepo’s deployment has helped Buckeye Broadband in forwarding our shared mission of bridging the digital divide and has now enabled MaxxSouth Broadband to replicate the success of FreeNet in our service area. Our demographic has needs similar to those of Buckeye Broadband’s, and already we see that our customers are benefiting equally from this service that enables them to easily access quality internet at home for free without compromising on the company’s revenue,” said Tom Bailey, Director of Technical Operations, MaxxSouth Broadband.

Sunil Diaz, Chief Executive Officer, Alepo, said, “We’re proud to have the opportunity to work on this unique project, first with Buckeye Broadband and now MaxxSouth Broadband. At Alepo, we’re aware that customer experience is pivotal in driving revenue today, and we are constantly innovating to build creative solutions that are mutually beneficial to operators and their customers. The FreeNet service aligns with our philosophy of connecting the unconnected through CX-focused and high-ROI offerings that are accessible to all segments.”

MaxxSouth Broadband provides high-speed internet, cable TV, and digital phone services in Alabama and Mississippi in the United States. Its cable internet service caters to an estimated 260K people, making it the 31st largest cable operator in the US in terms of coverage area. In addition to cable broadband, the operator also provides fiber internet services to approximately 28,000 people.