Horizon Telcom Brings Broadband to Historic Building with Calix 844E GigaCenter

CHILLICOTHE, OH — Horizon Telcom has deployed 844E Calix GigaCenters and Compass Consumer Connect Plus software to bring a superior broadband experience to the recently restored Carlisle Building in downtown Chillicothe, Ohio. Adena Health System, the largest employer in the region, is the master tenant in the building, providing healthcare services on the ground level. In the upper floors of the building, temporary and permanent living units house visiting doctors and medical residents who will receive Internet speeds of up to 1 Gbps and video services from Horizon via the 844E GigaCenters.

"The Carlisle Building has been a landmark in downtown Chillicothe since 1885 and when it was severely damaged more than a decade ago, it left a void in the community," said Michael Chesler, president of The Chesler Group. "With the dedication of Adena and the work we have done to restore the building to its original glory, the city block it encompasses is once again a vibrant part of town. Now with the cutting-edge broadband services available throughout the facility via Carrier Class Wi-Fi and the fiber network from Horizon, the future is bright for the Carlisle and its surrounding community."

The Chillicothe Historic Business District was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. At the center of the district is the Carlisle Building, with a dominant tower at the building's corner that stands more than 100 feet tall. However, a fire in 2003 left the building in disrepair and after multiple owners, Adena became involved in the project. In 2012, Adena brought in the Chesler Group to rehabilitate the 35,000 square-foot building. In late October, the restored Carlisle Building re-opened with a community ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Attracting Doctors and Medical Residents with World-class Broadband
"The Carlisle Building and the Adena facilities will be a major boost the Chillicothe community and world-class broadband services are essential to attracting visiting doctors and young medical residents to the hospital," said Bill McKell, President of Horizon Telecom. "We are demonstrating that the level of broadband service available in the Carlisle is not just on par with, but superior to the level of service they would receive anywhere in the world. With the Carrier Class Wi-Fi capabilities of the Calix GigaCenters, we can bring that broadband experience to residents in every corner of a building that is more than 100 years old."

Horizon is serving the entire Carlisle Building, including the Adena medical facility, with point-to-point/ Active Ethernet (AE) technology from the Calix E7-2 Modular Access System. On each of the residential floors, Ethernet connections feed the 844E GigaCenters, which reside in individual living units. A standard Internet and video package is provided to each unit and residents have the ability to customize their service to boost their broadband speeds up to 1 Gbps.

Meeting the Broadband Installation Challenges of an Historic MDU
"Multi-dwelling units, especially older buildings, have unique structural and floor plan challenges that make comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage a challenge," said John Colvin, senior vice president of North America sales at Calix. "The 844E GigaCenters with Carrier Class Wi-Fi help overcome these challenges and allow a service provider, like Horizon, to bring a superior broadband experience to every visitor and resident within the building. With residents of the Carlisle Building enjoying the performance and coverage provided by the GigaCenters, we look forward to working with Horizon as they expand this service into neighborhoods in Chillicothe and manage their subscriber's Wi-Fi experience through Consumer Connect Plus software."