NextLight Enables Rapid Business Innovation with Calix SmartBiz, Building on Achievement as Colorado's First Gig City

Published: 2025-05-15 16:50:58 ET CALX

Published on 05/15/2025 at 16:50

Calix, Inc. announced that NextLight is leveraging Calix SmartBiz?? and the Calix Broadband Platform as their comprehensive small business service solution for Longmont, Colorado. NextLight, renowned for exceptional residential experiences--especially among gamers--is now helping support local economic growth with SmartBiz, a purpose-built managed service to enhance productivity, efficiency, and security for small businesses.

Since SmartBiz is fully integrated with the Calix Platform, it is also fast to deploy and easy to manage for BSPs. With hands-on guidance from Calix Success, NextLight launched SmartBiz last October and moved their first-year subscriber goal in fewer than six months, connecting businesses like coffee shops, law offices, and manufacturers, as well as nonprofits like houses of worship. The SmartBiz outdoor capabilities also enabled NextLight to partner with the Longmont Climbing Collective to host an international ice climbing competition--drawing global athletes, large crowds, and more than 40 local vendors, showcasing the power of connected small businesses.

As a Calix customer for 12 years, NextLight has led with broadband innovation since their 2014 launch of Colorado's first municipal gigabit network. By 2017, Longmont became the state's first "Gig City." Distinguished by their speed, affordability, and reliability, NextLight earned national awards, including PC Mag's Readers' Choice Award for Top Home ISP. In 2024, they expanded beyond Longmont's city limits for the first time, opening opportunities to serve new communities.

As NextLight forges ahead with innovation, they continue to partner with Calix, exploring more managed services to enliven their community with new experiences. During a recent collaboration with the Longmont Climbing collective, NextLight leveraged SmartBiz and the expansive Unlimited Subscriber systems portfolio to deliver outdoor Wi-Fi at the UIAA 2025 World Icelimbing Cup. Nearly 100 elite alpinists from 14 countries competed as thousands of spectators watched in person and online, resulting in: Thousands of secure point-of-sale transactions on a dedicated vendor network--supporting local restaurants, food trucks, coffee shops, and equipment sellers.

Reliable Wi-Fi for vendors, extending hundreds of feet from Calix GigaSpire®? and GigaPro®? Wi-Fi systems. Branded guest Wi-Fi access for spectators via a custom login page on a separate network.

Discover how Calix SmartBiz helps boost productivity and strengthen small business communities, enabling BSPs to grow and lead in their markets.