Forked deer electric high speed internet

Web Exclusive

December 10, 2019

• Calix
• Conexon
• Forked Deer Electric Cooperative

SAN JOSE, CA — Forked Deer Electric Cooperative is deploying Calix AXOS as the centerpiece of its next generation network transformation. This new FTTH network from Forked Deer will deliver fast, reliable broadband services to communities in rural western Tennessee that were previously unserved. AXOS enables Forked Deer to turn up and deliver broadband services for their subscribers quickly and easily while dramatically simplifying network operations. The rural deployment will enable Forked Deer to deliver symmetric bandwidth between 200 Mbps and 1 Gbps over fiber to its member base. Working with Calix Professional Services to deploy the E7-2 Intelligent Modular System and the SMx Connector, the rural cooperative is delivering a next generation experience to its membership.

“We are proud to be the first to deliver broadband services to rural communities who have never had it before—just as we did with electricity when we were founded,” said Brian Vaughn, vice president of operations for Forked Deer Electric Cooperative. “The goal is to deliver FTTH broadband to every member that receives electricity from us, which translates to about 10,000 meter locations. As we looked to deploy broadband, Calix was the obvious choice because of the combination of the flexible platform and the partnership with the Professional Services team. By combining both, we simplify our operations, deploy our next gen network in an expedited manner, and launch advanced broadband services to our members at a much faster rate.”

Formed in the 1940s, Forked Deer Electric Cooperative provides electricity to a sparsely populated 435-square-mile coverage area in western Tennessee. Recognizing that broadband has also become a utility that its members lacked, the rural cooperative formed Forked Deer Connect, as a wholly owned, not-for-profit subsidiary. The rural cooperative engaged with Conexon to begin this broadband project a year ago with a feasibility study, network design, and project management services. Ultimately, Forked Deer chose to deploy GPON with Calix since the modular AXOS platform future-proofed its access network and streamlined its operations. It also accelerated its time to revenue by simplifying its OSS/BSS integration with AXOS and billing and provisioning systems integrator GLDS in only a few months.

$3 Million Investment from USDA ReConnect Program

Forked Deer Connect also worked with Conexon to secure nearly $3 million from the USDA’s ReConnect Program to invest in serving its members and their communities — many of whom have never had reliable broadband service before. The households covered will be set up for advanced services like smart home, streaming, and gaming — all of which are next on Forked Deer’s roadmap. The rural cooperative is currently offering whole home Wi-Fi with the GigaCenter and Calix Support Cloud.

“Forked Deer recognizes that broadband service has become an essential utility—every bit as necessary to quality of life as water or electricity,” said Mark Johnson, regional VP of sales for Calix. “To provide the unparalleled broadband experience its members demand, Forked Deer must first have the most reliable, scalable network possible. Not only are they able to provide critical broadband services, but they can do so quickly with AXOS, which automates and simplifies network operations by providing a common service model. With AXOS, Forked Deer can maintain an always on, reliable network while saving on operational costs and positioning themselves to reinvest those resources into the experience it provides its members.”

The Conexon Impact

Forked Deer’s plans to deploy broadband emerged from multiple requests from its members, and in early 2018, the co-op began to explore the process in earnest. Knowing that Conexon was working with a neighboring cooperative, Vaughn contacted Conexon partner Randy Klindt, and after a few conversations, requested a feasibility study. "We had looked at a couple of companies, and were most comfortable with Conexon because we felt Randy and the team were conservative and realistic about what we could expect,” Vaughn said. “Others seemed to give falsely optimistic hope, projections that we didn’t think were real. And as it turns out, the projected take rates in Conexon’s plans are very close to what we’re achieving.”

The co-op also leaned on Conexon to help identify and secure possible government broadband funds – an area in which Conexon Partner Jonathan Chambers excels. With a territory over 98% rural residential, Forked Deer has no businesses, schools, hospitals, or government entities to offset the costs of providing rural residents with broadband. This characteristic contributed to a financial boon realized with Conexon’s help– a $2.85 million ReConnect grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “We lacked the potential revenue opportunities from businesses that others may have had,” said Vaughn. “In fact, we were actually the first to get a ReConnect grant. Conexon was a huge help in navigating that process."

"The ReConnect funding will move up our break-even point for Forked Deer and allow us to shave nearly a year off the original three-year deployment,” said Newman. “Conexon has been an invaluable partner in funding support. The ReConnect grant creates a totally new financial picture for us and allows us to serve all our members faster than we had anticipated.”

Conexon has also provided network design services and on-going consulting for all aspects of the build.

A Pleasant Surprise or Two

Forked Deer’s network currently passes just over 4,000 meters with internet take rates hovering between 36% and 38% for residences passed, and around 25% of internet customers subscribed to telephone service also – all without any marketing other than basic broadband education, social media activity and “coming soon” postcards. Part of the easy sell happens when customers realize the money they’ll save – anywhere between $50 and $100 each month – by leveraging the robust network for streaming and replacing cable or other TV options, or by simply changing telephone providers alone!