Midstate Communications Names Clearfield for South Dakota FTTH Deployment

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- South Dakota's Midstate Communications has selected Clearfield Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) and its FieldSmart Platform of Fiber Management for its three year Fiber to the Home (FTTH) deployment. Headquartered in Kimball, S.D., Midstate provides telecommunications technology and services to approximately 5,000 access lines in 11 exchanges throughout central South Dakota.

According to Midstate Plant Manager Fay Jandreau, the deployment is part of a brownfield overbuild in and around the Platte, S.D. area, which will encompass approximately 250 miles of construction. "Our customers want more bandwidth and higher Internet speed. With this deployment, we will bring customers faster Internet speed - with each service being customized to each customer's needs. We will also bring a full host of video services that we previously did not provide."

Jandreau is a 20-year industry veteran - with nine of them at Midstate. He said that Midstate selected Clearfield for the deployment because fiber management is a significant issue while overbuilding an exchange with FTTP technology. He noted that the design of the Clearfield Fiber Distribution System (FDS) Patch Panels fits well within their overall fiber management plan.

Midstate, which is deploying an active solution using Occam Networks, availed themselves of Clearfield's complete FieldSmart solution including frames, interbay management and the FieldSmart FDS 144-Port Fiber Patch Panels. In addition, they have purchased Clearfield's Network Interface Device (NID) Outside Plant (OSP) bend-insensitive fiber pigtails. Jandreau said, "Clearfield provides very clean routing avenues for jumpers on the front side and an easy-to-read labeling system. And the pigtails exit the rear of the patch panel in a very orderly fashion."

He went on to explain that Midstate ordered all of its patch panels with pre-terminated pigtails. This provided them with the appearance they desired, and the protection of the secure fiber connections they required. "This very professional approach to our fiber management has a direct effect on our network's performance by avoiding downtime through lost optical connectivity."

Jandreau also cited Clearfield's efficient customer service. "The order process and turn-around times are very conducive to my operation. Orders can be placed on the phone and are quickly confirmed via e-mail with expedited ship dates always being an option if I so need."

About Clearfield, Inc.

Clearfield, Inc. designs and manufactures 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 August 13, 2009