5.19.09—Clearfield makes the connection (Audio Interview)
Carves out sizeable Tier 2/3 ILEC fiber-to-the-x niche
by Sean Buckley, Tues. May 19, 2009
Click here to listen to the Audiocast
In this Audiocast, Johnny Hill, chief operating officer of Clearfield, talks about how the rules of last mile fiber connectivity are evolving from an “outside in” to an “inside out” approach.
Hill addresses the following questions in this Audiocast:
• Clearfield serves a wide range of customers, including small independent telcos, large cable MSOs and competitive wholesalers. Can you talk to how fiber and cable management has evolved in recent years?
• Fiber management is a competitive space with very large vendors such as CommScope and ADC taking up a big chunk of this market. What do you believe sets Clearfield apart from the bigger players?
• A big focus for Clearfield is on the FTTH management. What were the initial challenges and opportunities in terms of fiber management?
• On your website, you talk about how “traditional fiber management has been designed from the outside in, but really the better method is to design it from the inside out.” Can you talk about the Cassette system and its application in both inside and outside plant situations?
• Another consideration in building out a fiber-to-the-X network is the pedestal that goes in the outside plant network. Clearfield argues that service providers could save money by deploying a “open” architecture. How has that idea resonated with your service provider custromers?
• One of Clearfield’s most recent developments in fiber management is the PON in a PED. Talk about that new product and the opportunity around it?
