Our parent company, MidSouth Electric Cooperative, has served consumers across rural southeast Texas for over 70 years. Despite this long history, we were essentially a startup when we began building our fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network in 2020. We didn't have the deep resources of a large provider, and I was just one of a few people dedicated to rolling out MidSouth Fiber's new network.

We needed partners that could provide us with best-in-class solutions. However, selecting standalone products, no matter how good they were, meant spending valuable time and effort integrating everything. This was not an option for a company with limited resources. We needed something simple to deploy and operate straight out of the box-something that just worked.

That's why we opted for a platform-based approach by partnering with Calix. This allowed us to evolve our operations with a partner that shares our vision for simplified operational excellence. As a result, our operational model today is organized around these key areas: the integration between our Calix systems, our GLDS customer management and billing system, and the actionable insights provided by Calix Cloud®.

Seamless System Integration

Using webhooks to integrate Calix Operations Cloud with our billing system, MidSouth Fiber introduced a revolutionary new system for detecting network outages. We get real-time updates on line disruptions and impacted subscribers the moment they happen, allowing our internal teams to take swift action to resolve the problem. This has dramatically reduced the volume of inbound calls to our service centers.

This integration also gives our team instant access to subscriber information once they come online. In the early days, we relied on receiving a flat file and didn't have up-to-date information if a subscriber called within the first 48 hours of activation (when they're most likely to do so). Our customer service team now has immediate access to the insights they need. It's a solution that would've taken months of effort for us to develop in-house. Instead, we've been able to roll out this system seamlessly via the Calix Broadband Platform.

Innovation Delivered via the Cloud

We've also fully utilized Calix Coud within the Calix Broadband Platform. This provides our operations, support, and marketing teams with a simple-to-use tool that streamlines processes and drives efficiency. This allows even junior members of our network operations center to act as seasoned veterans who can solve complex problems.

With the Calix Platform as the foundation of our FTTH offering, MidSouth can quickly and easily bring innovative new services to market. We're already working on taking our broadband experience beyond the home, using Calix SmartTown™ to provide vital connectivity during hurricane season and secure Wi-Fi for subscribers on the go.

After 70 years, it's another example of how we continue to add value for our co-op members and deliver for our communities. Learn more about how to deliver innovation via Calix Cloud in our eBook: How Embracing Automation Can Boost Productivity, Lower Costs, and Transform Your Operations.