Telecom company Nokia announced that it is partnering with Sanmina Corp. to manufacture fiber-optic broadband network electronics products and optical modules. The company said that it is the first to announce production of these products in the U.S. for use in the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.
BEAD, part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, provides $42.45 billion of available funding to develop widespread high-speed internet access.
“Many Americans still lack adequate connectivity, leaving them at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing work, education and healthcare. Programs like BEAD can change this. By bringing the manufacturing of our fiber-optic broadband access products to the U.S., BEAD participants will be able to work with us to bridge the digital divide,” said Pekka Lundmark, president and CEO of Nokia.
With production slated to begin in 2024, Sanmina’s Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, facility will manufacture the products, creating up to 200 new jobs. Products will include:
- Optical Line Termination card for a modular Access Node
- A small form factor OLT
- OLT optical modules
- An “outdoor-hardened” Optical Network Terminal (ONT)
“President Biden promised to bring high-speed internet to every corner of America, and to do it with American workers and American-made equipment,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This announcement is proof that he's delivering on that promise. When we invest in American manufacturing and American jobs, there's no limit to what we can achieve.”
