American Samoa Gets Connected With Help From Calix

PETALUMA, CA - To deliver ubiquitous advanced broadband services across the islands of American Samoa, the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (ASTCA) selected equipment and services from Calix. ASTCA will deliver broadband services over GPON and provide 10 gigabit Ethernet network transport throughout the islands.

The Broadband Linking the American Samoa Territory (BLAST) Project is funded by the Rural Utilities Service through a $91 million broadband stimulus award - a combined grant and loan to cover engineering, materials, labor, equipment and other costs. BLAST will transform the islands' legacy copper network into an advanced FTTP infrastructure. ASTCA plans to build this new network with the Ethernet eXtensible Architecture (EXA) Powered Calix access equipment, including C7 Multiservice Access Platform (MSAP) and E7 Ethernet Service Access Platforms (ESAPs), as well as the 700GE family of optical network terminals (ONTs). The Calix Professional Services team will serve as the program manager for the BLAST Project, working with key members of Calix Compatible Solutions Assurance Program to manage the various components of the network build while providing network engineering, furnishing, and installation services.

More than 11,500 residences, businesses, and anchor institutions will be served by this network, which will deliver ultra-high-speed data, next-generation voice services and new IPTV services across the islands. As part of its program management, Calix is coordinating a multivendor partnership to bring a complete IPTV solution, from hardware to content, to ASTCA. As the project progresses, Calix will be working closely with Mid-State Consultants to drive an aggressive schedule of completing central office construction by the end of 2012.

FTTP to Enable Early Warnings for Tsunamis
"The BLAST project will forever change the way of life for the residents, businesses and visitors of American Samoa, bringing to our subscribers a world-class broadband services infrastructure and furthering economic development across the islands," says Aleki Sene Sr., executive director of ASTCA. "Beyond advanced services, this state-of-the-art fiber access network will also greatly improve our ability to provide emergency services."

The only part of the United States located south of the equator, American Samoa had many of its remote islands devastated by a tsunami after an 8.0 magnitude earthquake in the Pacific Ocean in September 2009. With this new fiber network in place, ASTCA will be better able to withstand extreme weather conditions, enable advanced early warning systems and provide reliable services to the country's anchor institutions, including local government offices, as well as businesses and residents.