Q&A: Clearfield's Anis Khemakhem on Workforce Challenges, Efficiency, and Innovation

Anis Khemakhem recently became CMO at Clearfield. ISE Magazine Editor Joe Gillard sat down to talk to Anis about workforce challenges for telecom service providers, maximizing efficiency, new innovations, and what’s in store for Clearfield’s future.

JOE: Could you tell me a little about yourself and your vision for Clearfield’s future as you step into this role?

ANIS: Clearfield has really charted the way, creating a strong brand focused on the community broadband market. We have a strong legacy and commitment to serving underserved communities, helping fiber reach where it is needed most. From a vision perspective, we want to continue the journey, helping customers and partners advance to the next phase as fiber-to-the-home build outs accelerate over the next few years.

Beyond that, there are a ton of opportunities to leverage the networks that have been built. There's a lot of discussion around AI, IoT, and smart cities- these are more than just buzzwords; they represent real opportunities, and we're here to support them. I believe in the robustness and reliability of fiber optics and its ability to support low latency applications. Fiber is well-positioned to support the innovations our customers are envisioning today and implementing in the future as they grow within these new applications.

JOE: Yeah, there's a lot of new stuff people are talking about and there's things that we weren't talking about really at all 10 years ago realistically. You know, quantum computing and things like that.

ANIS: Right, yeah, and when fiber is deployed in these communities, we see significant economic development. It's not just passing the homes; it's about what else our customers and their communities can do with fiber. We're seeing more data centers being developed in rural areas, which wouldn’t be possible without high speed connectivity. These trends paint a very positive outlook for Clearfield and the industry as a whole.

JOE: Speaking of building out the fiber to home and the rural, we have these billions of investment dollars going into building out these rural networks all over the country. The fiber Broadband Association says 180,000 additional workers will be needed over the next 10 years to build these just the networks being funded by the government programs, so does that concern you? Do you think that these numbers are going to be met, and are you concerned about what might happen if they come up short? 

ANIS: Not really. There are new designs and technologies that can help speed up deployment and improve efficiency. While the labor demand is significant, it exists because of the investment in fiber expansion. It's a supply and demand cycle, and as we've seen throughout history, innovation follows. Our industry is developing products that are more efficient and easier to install.

At Clearfield we focus on the ease of deployment- sometimes calling it “labor lite” or “craft friendly.” Many of our solutions are plug-and-play, reducing the risk of fiber contamination and simplifying installation. These advancements won’t eliminate the need for labor, but they will create efficiencies that help meet those deployment goals. There’s strong momentum not only from publicly funded programs like BEAD, but also from private investments by companies like AT&T and others. The future is bright, and we are well positioned to help our customers succeed.

JOE: What are some specific challenges service providers come to you with where they need a technological solution to make sure that efficiency happens? 

ANIS: There are some really common themes here - one of them being the cost of truck rolls for connected homes, right? Time is money. So, the more efficiencies we can provide, the more solutions we can offer that ensure they have the right products in the truck, at the home, or at the connection point. If they can quickly clean, test, and greenlight at home, it's going to improve their profitability and overall efficiency.

A lot of these discussions revolve around how to deploy networks more efficiently and in a reliable and repeatable way.  In a central office environment, things are much more controlled, but once you move into an outside plant environment, especially with connected homes, the conditions vary greatly. We take a lot of pride in making our solutions repeatable, easily deployable, and craft-friendly. Sometimes we use the term “labor lite” because we don't want the installations to be unnecessarily difficult.

There are different environments to consider. I live in Minnesota, and today it’s about -12° with wind. Being outside in those conditions, we want to ensure technicians can do their jobs safely and quickly so they can move onto the next home and continue supporting their deployment goals.

JOE: I'm sure the workers  are excited about that, anything that saves them time out there. This future of fiber broadband and broadband in general is going to require these types of efficiencies if they're really gonna meet all these goals.

ANIS: Yeah, absolutely. One of the things that we do for some of our customers is provide home deployment kits. You don't want to open multiple bags and guess at components- you want this process to be as standardized as possible. The home deployment kit allows us to utilize our deploy reel. This not only streamlines kitting but also provides flexibility based on the length between the box and the connection point. While it may not fit every single scenario, it fits most making installations more efficient and reducing complexity.

JOE: Are you able to talk about any upcoming innovations or anything recently that has come out of your product line that you could talk about specifically?

ANIS: Yes. The home deployment kit has been gaining traction, and we also are introducing a TetherSmart Terminal. This new product is environmentally sealed and can be deployed in a variety of environments- whether below grade, on a pedestal, or on a pole. It offers flexibility in deployment and ease of use, allowing for fiber splitting, express drops, or a one-to-one breakout closure.

TetherSmart can also be equipped with either a hardened connector, which is fully sealed for outdoor conditions, or a standard connector for use in a more protected pedestal environment. Another innovation we're excited about is ClearPass dust caps. Typically, dust caps get discarded after connection, but with this new design, they actually clean the fiber endface as they are removed, improving signal reliability by up to 92%. This product was developed out of necessity- speed and reliability are critical for deployment, and ClearPass helps achieve both.

Another major investment for us is in the BILT app. This tool is designed to help address labor challenges, The workforce is changing, and so is the way we learn and process information. We currently have over 25 products on BILT, and by June, that number will grow to over 56. This platform helps installers better understand how to handle, use, and install our equipment, reducing errors, increasing reliability, and ultimately accelerating deployment.

I'm really excited about this because, as you mentioned, the industry will need thousands of new installers. The BILT app is one way we can help attract and train new talent, ensuring they have the resources they need to succeed in this industry.

JOE: Yeah, I think we’ll be talking a little bit about the BILT app in our upcoming spring print issue. Well, I like to ask everybody. As you’re someone who's inside the industry, I’d like to ask what is not being talked about enough in the broadband industry right now.

ANIS: There’s a lot of discussion about BEAD funding -its opportunities and challenges- especially regarding whether it will accelerate or slow down. But one thing that isn’t being discussed enough is how many competing technologies still rely on fiber.

Take wireless, for example. Many view it as a competing technology, but fiber is necessary for wireless backhaul and cell site connectivity. Rather than seeing these technologies as threats, we should recognize them as opportunities. 

JOE: Thank you for talking to me today.

ANIS: I appreciate it, thank you.