Our 5Gb plan was just a reaction to Frontier running a bunch of advertising for 7Gb. Sure, we can do 7 or 8 as well, but 5 seemed good enough. Take rate on the plan - a paltry 0.2% of the fiber customers.
I won’t say it was all bad - it did expose some problems we didn’t know existed when we initially deployed it. Seems you can’t put 5Gbps into RADIUS in bits per second - the numbers overflow and wrap right back around. 2Gbps comes out the other side. That let to some head scratching. A new addition to the RADIUS dictionary was needed to allow specifying a rate unit - kbps, mbps, Oops. Mark > On Jan 9, 2026, at 10:41 AM, Adam Moffett <[email protected]> wrote: > > Similar here. Our highest plan on XGS-PON is 8Gbps. We also use a Veex (I > forget what model) to qualify it. We also offer a router we know can do it > (as a monthly managed router service). I don't know if we have them sign > anything, but I know this topic is discussed. > > It's kind of annoying, honestly, because there's almost no use case and > almost nobody buys it. Offering plans over a gig is more of a marketing play > to make nerds swoon when you flex your big ol' fiber optic muscles. And then > on the tech side there's this extra effort put in to support the flex. I'm > curious if anyone studied how often a customer makes a purchase choice > because they're so impressed by the speed of the other plans they didn't buy. > It might trigger some lizard brain impression of the company being better or > faster, but can they quantify how much that matters? > > -Adam > > > > From: AF <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> on behalf > of Mark Radabaugh <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> > Sent: Monday, January 5, 2026 2:30 PM > To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Calix question > > Heh… we offer a 5G service and include a WiFi 7 router with it just so that > we have a 10G port. They don’t have to take the WiFi router if they don’t > want. We make the customer sign a document that spells out that you can NOT > get a 10G speed test to work over WiFi (despite what the WiFi router may > claim), and that you have to have a 10G network switch and adapter in your > recent model computer with decent hardware if you want to see a 5G Speedtest > result. We have a Veex FX120 that we show them a 5G speed test when we do > the install. It seems to help. > > Mark > > On Dec 16, 2025, at 9:53 AM, Ken Hohhof <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > > It must be a challenge if you offer multigigabit service. I see a GigaSpire > 7u10txg on their website and can just imagine what that must cost. Plus > maybe having to dedicate a strand and an ONU port to that customer. > > Presumably 2-10 gigabit plans would be like the Corvette in the Chevy > dealership showroom, you need one to draw customers, who look at it and then > buy a Malibu or Silverado. Do you price 5 Gbps just $20/mo more than 1 Gbps > knowing the customer won’t use the extra bandwidth? But then do you incur a > bunch of extra hardware costs, and do you not worry about it because it’s one > time not recurring cost? And what about mesh extenders, because I assume the > multigig people often have large homes, and the magic of WiFi7 won’t > necessarily work 5 rooms and 2 floors away. > > And I believe the FCC requires that you let the customer use their own > router, but does the customer realize how difficult it will be to actually > get those 5 Gbps speedtests they crave while using the WiFi router they chose > and bought from Amazon or Best Buy? > > From: AF <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> On Behalf > Of Josh Luthman > Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2025 7:40 AM > To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Calix question > > Are you using the u6x? I've had an unfair amount of issues with them when > upgrading. Handful of DOAs. As long as I don't touch them (upgrade EXOS or > AXOS), they stay running. > > On Mon, Dec 15, 2025 at 5:52 PM <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> > wrote: > We are as small as they come and have been 100% Calix from the beginning. > > > From: AF <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> On Behalf > Of Josh Luthman > Sent: Monday, December 15, 2025 12:50 PM > To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Calix question > > I know myself and others are pretty small - at least I would think we are. > > On Mon, Dec 15, 2025 at 12:02 PM Mike Hammett <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > I'd imagine anyone building smaller systems would be in a similar boat. > > > > > -- > Mike Hammett > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Josh Luthman" <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> > To: "AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group" <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> > Sent: Monday, December 15, 2025 10:53:10 AM > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Calix question > > > > That one :P > > > On Mon, Dec 15, 2025 at 11:26 AM Mike Hammett < [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: > > > Which half? > > I know someone else has complained about the Adtran purchase process. Every > time you go to your distributor, they have to get a fresh quote from Adtran > about what *YOUR* price is for the qty of SKU you want. > > > > > -- > Mike Hammett > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Josh Luthman" < [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > > To: "AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group" < [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > > Sent: Monday, December 15, 2025 8:44:37 AM > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Calix question > > > > I feel like Mike is the only one with that complaint. > > > On Mon, Dec 15, 2025 at 8:47 AM Mike Hammett < [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: > > > The Adtran purchase process is dreadful. Their training isn't as easy to come > across. > > > > > -- > Mike Hammett > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jason McKemie" < [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > > To: "AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group" < [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > > Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2025 6:32:38 PM > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Calix question > > > > I have some Calix active gear in the field, and I was using some Gigaspire > routers. I've since switched to Ubiquiti GPON and it has been very solid > since I started using it, which was several years ago. Adtran supposedly has > a good product line-up and I'm told it is more reasonable than Calix, > although I was never able to get pricing. The Calix stuff works well, but is > best when you're spending OPM. > > > On Sun, Dec 14, 2025, 11:40 AM Ken Hohhof < [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > > > Good info all of you. > > > > I started thinking about this when I saw a Reddit post by an ISP customer who > went to the Calix website and said it was “creepy as hell”. But the post was > 6 years ago, and you have to take stuff people post on the Internet with a > grain of salt. > > https://www.reddit.com/r/privacytoolsIO/comments/gd46zy/my_isp_will_require_the_calix_gigacenter_in_my/ > > > > I do remember talking to Calix at a WISPAmerica show, I think the last one I > went to was St. Louis in 2015 so it must have been at least 10 years ago. The > guy was very helpful and I think even lived near me, but after following up > decided my company wasn’t nearly big enough to use them. Had to create an > account, send people to training, buy direct not through distribution, just > to kick the tires and do a lab eval of the WiFi performance. My impression > was they were for ISPs that would buy equipment by the truckload, and also > they were kind of a no sex before marriage company, not even a kiss. Take the > plunge and commit. But that was 10 years ago. > > > > Another thing someone else has mentioned to me is ISP customers look at their > router and assume their ISP is named something like GigaSpire BLAST, and > that’s who to call for support. Reminds me of the old days when lots of > people said their Internet provider was named Linksys. I’m sure many of us > had prospective customers say Internet is free, they use that free provider > Linksys, and question why we wanted to charge them. > > > > > > From: AF < [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > On > Behalf Of Chuck > Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2025 8:17 AM > To: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Cc: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Calix question > > > > I have built 3 different companies using Calix and have had no problems like > you describe below. Xgs in an E7 shelf is pretty high density. And you dont > have to pay monthly if you dont want their managed router solution. Never had > a problem getting equipment. > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > > > > > > > On Dec 14, 2025, at 5:55 AM, Mark Radabaugh < [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > Calix lost me when I needed higher density hardware and all they ever wanted > to talk about was how they were a cloud service company and look at all our > shiny toys you can pay us monthly for. Yeah - what about actually hooking up > customers? Oh, if you give us a two year forecast of what you want to buy we > will hook you up - just don’t count on them actually having the equipment > when you need it. > > > > > > Mark > > > > > > > > > > On Dec 13, 2025, at 7:27 PM, Mark - Myakka Technologies via AF < > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > > Ken, > > > > > We use them. First of all their HW just works and works well. They may seem > to be expensive on the MRC, but they bring a bunch of other services to the > table. They will help with marketing, network engineering, etc. The support > is VERY responsive and the amount of data collected in the service cloud is > unbelievable. > > > > This is all they do, managed routers and fiber distribution. They have to be > top notch to survive. > > > > > They fit into our business model, but each business if different. > > > > > I would say give them a chance to give you a proposal. See what they bring to > the table. Maybe it is a fit, maybe not. > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Best regards, > > Mark mailto: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > > > > Myakka Communications > > www.Myakka.com <http://www.myakka.com/> > > > > ------ > > > > Saturday, December 13, 2025, 1:51:56 PM, you wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > I assume some of the folks on this list who are doing fiber use Calix ONTs > and routers? > > > > If I go to the Calix website, maybe as a provider thinking of using them as a > vendor, I am totally confused. It is not clear what products they sell or how > I would use them. It all seems to be glossy marketing stuff about their > agentic AI cloud and market insights. I don’t see a single picture of a piece > of hardware. > > > > Is this how a lot of ISPs are making money despite charging low prices? Do > they have an “agentic workforce” monitoring how their customers use the > Internet, cross referencing it to demographics, and mining that data for ads, > upselling, etc.? It seems they have special cloud features for MDU managers > as well. > > > > It seems a lot of cable companies use Amazon’s eero, I wonder if service > provider eero is like Calix, or if it’s just the retail eero with a few > remote management features added. > > -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > > > > -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > > -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > > > -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > > -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > > > -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > > -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > > > -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > > -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
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