Intuitive Fiber Management Products Cited as Critical in Rural Northern Minnesota FTTH Deployments

Arvig Communication Systems picks Clearfield for multiple FTTH projects

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Arvig Communications Systems (ACS) has chosen Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) products for several new fiber to the home (FTTH) deployments because of the products' innovative, intuitive product features.

Headquartered in Perham, Minnesota, ACS owns several ILEC (Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier) and cable television systems, and provides telecommunications technology and services to more than 40,000 access lines in northwestern Minnesota. ACS is currently rolling out new FTTH deployments for approximately 2,000 homes, businesses and cellular backhaul points with hundreds of miles of fiber stretching throughout Perham, New York Mills, Osage, Osakis and White Earth, Minnesota.

Clearfield's Clearview Cassette, with its modular construction for scalable capacity, is at the foundation of the deployment. ACS is using several Clearfield products, including the FieldSmart Fiber Distribution (FDS) system for the central office, FieldSmart Fiber Scalability Center (FSC) for the outside plant, the FieldSmart Fiber Delivery Point (FDP) PON in a PED for the access network, as well as Clearfield's ruggedized OSP Bend Insensitive Pigtails.

According to Director of Network Operations Andy Klinnert, ACS selected Clearfield because of their history of working together on FTTH installations as well as Clearfield's intuitive and innovative products. "The systems are clean and simple. Because distances are always an issue in rural builds, we want to eliminate electronics and the need for power in the distribution network," he said. The FTTH deployment will accomplish this with the help of Clearfield's components. It will also help ACS provide essentially an unlimited variety of services for their customers' current and future needs.

An industry veteran, Klinnert has been with the firm for 35 years. He said that ACS has clearly been pleased with their Clearfield solution. "We've used Clearfield's Patch Panels and fiber distribution equipment for years, and we've been particularly satisfied with the Clearfield Fiber Cross-Connect Cabinets. They're environmentally tight, so they're dust free and rodent proof. They're also simple enough that if someone opens the door, the product is very intuitive when it comes to how it works."

Klinnert went on to say, "Of course, cost is always a consideration. Clearfield products are efficient. We think we're saving money. The economics of it has affected the market and its making products price competitive. From quality to price to excellent customer service, we've just had a generally positive experience working with Clearfield."

About Arvig Communication Systems

Arvig Communication Systems (ACS), based in Perham, Minn., is a full-service telecommunications firm providing service to more than 40,000 access lines in northwestern Minnesota. With offices in Battle Lake, Bigfork, Detroit Lakes, Hawley, Henning, Park Rapids, Parkers Prairie, Perham, Staples, Twin Valley, Wadena, and Walker, ACS provides advanced voice, video and data communications services to several thousand customers in the region.

About Clearfield, Inc.

Clearfield, Inc. designs and manufactures the WaveSmart Platform of Powered Optical Signal products, including the WaveSmart PowerNode 1550 EDFA, and the FieldSmart Fiber Management Platform, which includes its latest generation FieldSmart Fiber Distribution System (FDS), FieldSmart Fiber Scalability Center (FSC) and FieldSmart Fiber Delivery Point (FDP) series. The FDS, FSC and FDP product lines support a wide range of panel configurations, densities, connectors and adapter options, and are offered alongside an assortment of passive optical components. Clearfield provides a complete line of fiber and copper assemblies for inside plant, outside plant and access networks. Clearfield is a public company, traded on NASDAQ: CLFD.

More information about Clearfield, Inc., its products and its people can be found at www.ClearfieldConnection.com.

    Source: Clearfield, Inc.

Released September 15, 2009