Geoff Burke recaps the recent NTCA 2012 EXPO in San Diego and highlights what is on the mind of many of the country's rural service providers.  From regulatory changes ahead, the leaders of the telecom cooperatives shared their thoughts on how they will embark on network transformation projects and what new services for potential new revenue generation are on the horizon.

This week's photos have me in a vacation mood! A few weeks ago, our West Coast sales team attended the Pacific Telecommmunications Council's annual Conference at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. The team assured me that they were able to fit some work in after spending some time on the beach!

Rebecca Stone has an update from John Perry, a program manager for Atlantic Engineering, who appeared in our cable lashing video last week. He wanted to educate our readers on the "Make Ready" process that prepares your outside plant for a new FTTP installation.

The cost of obtaining distribution rights has grown significantly because of increased pressure from programmers and content producers. Already slim margins are eroding further and there appears little on the horizon to stem the tide. I’ve been asked by many distributors about whether there is a way out of their dilemma. Here’s my take on  some of the bigger questions

This week's Photos from the Field come from Rebecca's trip to Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, where a co-op customer is deploying a FTTP network for their customers. She was able to catch a ONT installation in a picturesque setting.

You'll find Rebecca Stone in Missouri this week where she talked to John Perry, program manager for Atlantic Engineering. John and his crew are installing aerial fiber optic cable for a new FTTP deployment using a process called lashing. In the video, John and his crew demonstrate the process for our readers.

Today's Photos from the Field indicate how tough a Calix cabinet and C7 really are. After an accident knocked a Wisconsin telco's cabinet from its pedestal, the only thing connecting the two was a 200 pair cable. Read on to find out what happened...

In this new video, Horizon Telecom's President and CEO Bill McKell and his team share their network transformation story and outlook on the future, as they strive to become the premier broadband provider in the area. 

As Geoff Burke spoke service providers at the recent OPASTCO winter convention, they mentioned four primary revenue-generating services that came up continuously in their quest for new revenue streams. Many service providers at the show were asking Calix to help them understand these potential new revenue streams and provide real-world examples from their peers who are deploying these services. In this post, Geoff summarizes these four high-flying applications and some examples of Calix customers who have seen success in deploying them.

In adopting the new USF/ICC Order, the FCC valiantly sought to set a new, forward-looking policy course and create greater market certainty.  Unfortunately, the Commission was only successful in part:  you’re going to have to hit a moving target.  That said, it can be done, and there are real opportunities for those who succeed.