Clearfield – Fiber Broadband Association

FBA Presents – New Technologies to Speed Time to Market are Essential

Jennifer Vassil — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Any technology that breaks the status quo for how fiber broadband services are delivered should and must be adopted, especially those that enable operators to streamline the deployment process and accelerate time to market. Speed to turning up homes enables network operators to generate revenue more quickly, making public and private shareholders alike happy. With skilled labor at a premium, finding workforce efficiencies through labor-lite solutions is the path more operators are taking. Such craft-friendly solutions have been found to cut up to 50 percent off the time to turn up a household or business, enabling technicians to add one or two new installations per day – speed that turns homes passed into more homes generating revenue per month.

Webinar Speakers

Kevin Morgan leads the marketing efforts for Clearfield as Chief Marketing Officer and joined the company in 2016. He also serves on the Senior Council Committee of the Fiber Broadband Association and previously was a three-time elected Board Chair (2015, 2019, 2022) after first joining the Board in 2010. Prior to joining Clearfield, he spent two decades at ADTRAN.

For over 35 years, Paul Kmit has contributed to fiber technology advancements supporting telecommunication carriers worldwide, earning him 6 US patents for fiber infrastructure. In his current role as Technology Platform Manager at Clearfield, he continues to leverage his broad understanding of customer needs to develop new products supporting efforts to efficiently build robust fiber networks. Prior to joining Clearfield, Paul held various positions and ADC Telecommunications and TE Connectivity in the roles of design engineering, application engineering, product management and sales.

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Clearfield® Introduces FieldSmart® FiberFlex Active Cabinet

Clearfield — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 04:00:00 +0000

MINNEAPOLIS – August 31, 2021 – Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLFD), the specialist in fiber management for communication service providers, today announced the addition of the FieldSmart FiberFlex 3000 outdoor cabinet to its portfolio of active cabinet solutions. Service providers are placing more active equipment deeper into the network and the FieldSmart FiberFlex series is designed to protect, power, and manage this active equipment as well as aggregate the fiber connections. The cabinet series eliminates unsightly box farms for better site space utilization, consolidates power and cooling for better efficiency, and offers factory integration options saving time and labor at the job site. The modular design allows side-to-side field expansion as needed.

As network operators look to deploy fiber to support a wider range of applications and deployment scenarios, the FieldSmart FiberFlex 3000 all-in-one design integrates fiber, power, and active equipment. The flexible design makes it the ideal active cabinet to help operators close the digital divide by supporting remote optical line terminals (OLTs) with passive optical network (PON) distribution, wireless base stations with fiber backhaul aggregation, and active network equipment with back-up power needs. The FiberFlex 3000 enables many emerging applications such as Smart City IoT, wireless 5G ORAN, and Metro Edge services that require powered elements such as compute processors, servers, and fiber aggregation be placed closer to the end users.

“Fiber deployments are scaling at record pace as operators look to leverage demand for the services and applications that are driving the economy forward,” said Nate Jacobsen, Product Manager for Outside Plant Products at Clearfield. “There is no “one size fits all” solution but the FiberFlex 3000 provides the density, scalability and flexibility service providers need so they can target any application, streamline service introduction and reach as many subscribers as possible.”

The FiberFlex 3000 features a 19- or 23-inch vertical equipment frame to provide 36 rack units (RU) for active electronics and passive equipment with no batteries, 30RU with one string of batteries, or 20RU with two strings of batteries. Measuring 72”H x 30”W x 36”D, this multi-use enclosure makes it easy to drop into any pad or vault mount option and accommodates both traditional telco equipment (12” depth) and server blades (30” depth) with HVAC, heat exchanger or direct air cooling options. Each FieldSmart FiberFlex 3000 provides up to 864 internal fiber distribution ports for subscriber PON deployments, along with complementary splitter capacity, and accepts local AC power via the integrated AC Load Center equipped with a generator plug for back-up power. True to Clearfield’s craft-friendly modular designs, the open racks and cable entry ports with a removable plate facilitate ease of installation and field expansion.

More information on Clearfield’s FieldSmart FiberFlex 3000 can be found in this introductory video, the associated data sheet or at www.seeclearfield.com.

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About Clearfield, Inc.

Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures and distributes fiber optic management, protection and delivery products for communications networks. Our “fiber to anywhere” platform serves the unique requirements of leading incumbent local exchange carriers (traditional carriers), competitive local exchange carriers (alternative carriers), and MSO/cable TV companies, while also catering to the broadband needs of the utility/municipality, enterprise, data center and military markets. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

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Clearfield’s StreetSmart™ Collector Box Cuts Fiber Cabling Space Requirements by a Third

FBA — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 04:00:00 +0000

MINNEAPOLIS–Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLFD), the specialist in fiber management for communication service providers, today announced the availability of its StreetSmart Collector Box. Optimized for rapidly growing, high density multi-dwelling unit (MDU) and multi-tenant unit (MTU) environments, the StreetSmart Collector Box solves one of the key congestion points in fiber delivery for network operators and building owners, paving the way for faster fiber delivery to support the variety of services and applications residential and retail customers require.

The StreetSmart Collector Box provides an interface between the PON wall box, typically located in the basement or off-site, to the wall box located on each floor, eliminating common congestion challenges in vertical pathway scenarios. This significantly reduces installation and repair times by reducing the amount of cable that installers must manage which helps accelerate deployment times and generate the greater revenue opportunity presented by fiber.

With 14,000 multifamily buildings completed in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the business case for the full-fiber MDU/MTU is gaining traction as both residents and businesses rely on fiber broadband to support bandwidth intensive applications. Clearfield’s StreetSmart Collector Box removes the need for individual cable routing from each floor to the PON box by gathering multiple floors into a single box. From the Collector Box, a single fiber cable is routed down the vertical pathway instead of individual cables from each floor. A multi-fiber push-on connector (MPO) is then used to connect the Collector Box to the floor box for an easy, time-saving solution.

“The business case for full-fiber isn’t solely an amenity offered to tenants but is now an avenue for building owners to offer high-value services such as video surveillance, and partner with service providers facing real estate challenges in placing radios and small cells to accelerate 5G availability,” said Kevin Morgan, Chief Marketing Officer at Clearfield®. “By addressing one of the biggest hurdles of fiber deployment and management in MDUs/MTUs, we are preparing our customers to succeed in what is shaping up to be a booming fiber deployment opportunity for operators and building owners as they look to serve residential and retail customers and serve as a tower for fixed wireless and 5G services.”

The StreetSmart Collector Box is Telcordia GR-771 compliant, utilizes the standard 216 locking mechanism and supports up to eight MPO adapters. The swing out bulkhead separates the vertical cable from the horizontal runs which reduces accidental disruption of circuits. The box can be configured with a factory-installed cable assembly or plug-and-play with a customer provided assembly.

This solution will be featured at Clearfield’s booth #609 at Fiber Connect this week, July 26-28, in Nashville, TN. More information on Clearfield’s StreetSmart Collector Box can be found on this introductory video, the associated data sheet or at www.SeeClearfield.com.

About Clearfield, Inc.

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Ernst & Young US Selects Clearfield’s President and CEO as an Entrepreneur of the Year® 2021 Heartland Award Finalist

Clearfield — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 04:00:00 +0000

MINNEAPOLIS – June 10, 2021 – Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLFD), the specialist in fiber management for communication service providers, today announced that Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) has named its President & CEO Cheri Beranek an Entrepreneur of the Year® 2021 Heartland Award finalist. Now in its 35th year, the Entrepreneur of the Year program honors unstoppable business leaders whose ambition, ingenuity, and courage in the face of adversity help catapult us from the now to next and beyond.

“I am honored to be recognized alongside great leaders in my region by EY US,” said Beranek. “I am proud to lead a company with high-integrity employees that have greatly contributed to Clearfield’s success. Through our products, we are delivering fiber-fed broadband and are thrilled to have built a company that is capitalizing on the rapid network buildouts happening today and that will accelerate due to the post-pandemic appetite for broadband connectivity.”

Entrepreneur of the Year is one of the preeminent competitive award programs for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. The nominees are evaluated based on six criteria: entrepreneurial leadership; talent management; degree of difficulty; financial performance; societal impact and building a values-based company; and originality, innovation and future plans. Since its launch, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries around the world.

“Under Cheri’s leadership, Clearfield’s record and reputation in the community broadband market has grown exponentially,” said Ron Roth, Chairman of the Board for Clearfield. “Clearfield holds a strong competitive position in the market because of its ability to remove obstacles for the integration of wireline and wireless networks and offer fiber management expertise in areas with great growth potential such as 5G, NG-PON, and edge computing. Cheri is very deserving of this recognition. There is no doubt that the Clearfield team will continue providing solutions that enable the lifestyle that better broadband provides under her leadership.”

Cheri was selected by a panel of independent judges. Award winners will be announced during a special virtual celebration on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, becoming lifetime members of an esteemed community of Entrepreneur of the Year alumni from around the world. Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur of the Year National Awards, to be announced in November 2021 at the Strategic Growth Forum®, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur of the Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award in June 2022.

About Clearfield, Inc.

Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection and delivery products for communications networks. Our “fiber to anywhere” platform serves the unique requirements of leading incumbent local exchange carriers (traditional carriers), competitive local exchange carriers (alternative carriers), and MSO/cable TV companies, while also catering to the broadband needs of the utility/municipality, enterprise, data center and military markets. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.

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Clearfield® Upgrades its Market-Leading Clearview® Blue Cassette Capabilities, Increasing Density and Doubling Capacity

Clearfield — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 05:00:00 +0000

MINNEAPOLIS – March 11, 2021 – Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLFD), the specialist in fiber management for communication service providers, today announced a new adapter configuration available for its Clearview Blue Cassette. Placing an increasing number of fiber connections into crowded rack space is a common issue faced by fiber network providers. This new 48-port option with the CS Connector adapter plate ensures that service providers can scale with increasing data rates and quickly meet customer needs. By adding this capability to Clearfield’s comprehensive portfolio, service providers can now easily scale to meet increasing customer take rates, reduce labor and installation times, and overcome common real estate challenges in many application environments.

“Clearview Blue Cassettes are the core building block of nearly every product within our FieldSmart® fiber management system portfolio,” said Johnny Hill, Clearfield’s Chief Operating Officer. “By increasing the density of our Clearview Blue Cassette, we are furthering the ability of all FieldSmart products to reduce the costs associated with managing and deploying fiber optic networks in a variety of scenarios.”

The number of fiber connections needed in today’s market continue to multiply. Network operators are challenged to fit as many fibers in tight spaces as possible. The new CS Connector option provides 12-48 ports of connectivity, using 1.25 mm ferrules to provide 33% more density than the traditional LC connector cassette. Additionally, this doubles the density for Clearview-enabled wall boxes, panels, cabinets and pedestals.

Clearview Blue Cassettes offer multiple configuration options, tool-less installation, in-cassette buffer tube/ribbon slack storage, and front access-only designs. Clearview Blue is a six component, tool-less system made up of a top cover, splice tray, buffer tube/ribbon slack storage, cable assembly tray and adapter plate. Parts snap together to support desired application requirements. Providing a plug-and-play (MPO/MTP) configuration for any network environment, dual MPO/MTP access is available on either side of the cassette. Clearfield also offers CS Duplex patch cords to support the new configuration.

More information on Clearfield’s Clearview Blue Cassette and connector deployment options can be found on the associated data sheet or at www.seeclearfield.com.

About Clearfield, Inc.

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Midco Communications Taps Clearfield to Help Break Broadband Barriers by Topping Structures With Wireless Backhaul Solutions

Business Wire — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 05:00:00 +0000

Midco Communications is now using Clearfield’s YOURx Flex Box, Clearview Blue Cassette, FieldShield FLATdrop and fiber cables to improve bandwidth point-to-point wireless backhaul connections in its network. Midco serves over 400,000 customers in Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Many of the company’s customers live in rural areas that experience inclement weather. Clearfield’s technologies will ensure these customers will continue to receive service in severe weather.

Clearfield Announces StreetSmart Pre-Assigned FDH Cabinet Aimed at Rapid Time-to-Market, Lowest OPEX

Clearfield — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 04:00:00 +0000

Clearfield, Inc. has introduced the StreetSmart Pre-Assigned Fiber Distribution Hub Cabinet. Clearfield says the cabinet can serve up to 288 distribution fibers in an outside plant fiber-to-the-x PON application. Clearfield says the device is about the size of a microwave oven and features 24 feeder ports connecting up to nine splitters. The cabinet has also been designed for swift deployments and creates a single distribution point.