Electric Power Co-op Leverages Zyxel CPE to Rollout Fiber Broadband Service to Rural Customers
TVEPA, a rural electric cooperative, partnered with Zyxel to deliver high-performance broadband connectivity to its members.
About Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association (TVEPA)
Headquartered in Batesville, Mississippi, Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association (TVEPA) is an electric cooperative serving northeast Mississippi. With over 28,000 meters and more than 22,000 members, TVEPA provides service over 5,000 miles of electric lines, extending into very rural areas and the Mississippi Delta. The image at the top of the original document shows the TVEPA building, a large brick structure with a flagpole in front, under a blue sky.
"The stability of the network connection is incredible and the performance is outstanding. It's truly a remarkable product."
- Daniel Watson, Director of Telecommunications, TVEPA
Main Challenges
TVEPA faced significant challenges in providing adequate broadband service to its rural service area. Existing options were often based on VDSL and coax technologies, resulting in high latency and asymmetrical upload/download speeds. The demand for reliable, high-speed internet connectivity surged, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as residents needed to work, attend school, and access healthcare remotely.
Zyxel's High-Performance WiFi Solutions
To address these challenges, TVEPA sought to deliver stable, high-performance broadband connectivity using its own fiber optic cable network. The buildout of the TVI Fiber service began in late 2019. After conducting multiple feasibility studies, TVEPA decided to offer broadband internet services to its customers. According to Daniel Watson, Director of Telecommunications for TVEPA, the decision was made because many rural areas lacked high-speed broadband options, and competitors' services were insufficient.
TVEPA partnered with KGPCo, a leading provider of network services and supply chain solutions, to design and implement the new broadband service. KGPCo recommended specific customer premises equipment (CPE) and helped alleviate supply chain issues.
Based on recommendations from KGPCo's account team, TVEPA selected Zyxel's EX3510 AX5700 WiFi 6 Gigabit Ethernet Gateway and EMG6726 AC2400 Gigabit Ethernet Gateway for the large-scale deployment. Watson stated that Zyxel products were chosen after comparing multiple options based on speed, throughput, manageability, and reliability.
Joe Reed, Network Engineer at TVEPA, noted, "We're seeing throughput speeds as high as 700 Mbps over WiFi 6 with the EX3510. In my opinion, the strong range of the WiFi combined with speeds provided by the device makes the EX3510 a superior gateway device." TVEPA also offers Zyxel extenders for customers with larger homes.
Watson highlighted the robust management system of Zyxel products, including TR-069 for monitoring CPE and providing support, and a user-friendly app for managing network and security settings. He added, "Giving the customer the ability to remotely manage the CPE device greatly reduces truck rolls. When a customer is having an issue with the network, being able to see into the network and resolve the problem remotely for them greatly reduces truck rolls and improves customer satisfaction."
Zyxel support was described as instrumental in the rollout, with Watson stating, "Anytime we have a problem, we have a dedicated resource to whom we can reach out to open tickets. They're proactive and if there are issues, they reach out to us to inform us of those potential issues. It's a good partnership for both parties."
Watson concluded, "We've received great feedback from our community in regards to the WiFi. The stability of the network connection is incredible and the performance is outstanding. It's truly a remarkable product."
The deployment has enabled residents to do homework, work from home, and access telemedicine. It has also extended high-speed internet to industrial parks to foster local industry and to churches, enabling livestream capabilities for services.
Featured Products
EX3510 AX5700 WiFi 6 Gigabit Ethernet Gateway
- WiFi 6 (11ax) 4x4+3x3 for superior performance and coverage
- Zyxel MPro Mesh™ Solution (compliant with EasyMesh standards)
- Remote management via TR-069, TR-098 and TR-181
- CAF II performance testing support
- Zyxel-developed OPAL for superior flexibility and faster time to market
- Multiple SSIDs for various service deployment scenarios
- Comprehensive QoS for enhanced triple-play experience
- NAT, firewall with SPI and DoS for better security
The image of the EX3510 shows a vertical, black WiFi 6 gateway with external antennas.
EMG6726 AC2400 Gigabit Ethernet Gateway
- Zyxel Multy Pro managed WiFi system
- 1 GHz dual-core processor with dedicated quad-core routing accelerator
- Remote management via TR-069 and TR-181 i2
- Multiple SSIDs for various service deployment scenarios
- Comprehensive QoS for enhanced triple-play experience
- NAT, firewall with SPI and DoS for better security
The image of the EMG6726 shows a horizontal, black Gigabit Ethernet gateway.
For more product information, visit us on the web at https://service-provider.zyxel.com
Copyright © 2022 Zyxel and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. All specifications are subject to change without notice.
