Nokia recently stated that the company’s first Buy America-compliant products have rolled off the Sanmina manufacturing line. Nokia is the first technology vendor to have available Buy America-compliant products to be utilized in critical broadband infrastructure projects that focus on closing the digital divide. The company delivered on its commitment to now providing BEAD applicants with broadband technology for these projects, and in its production and manufacturing of fiber-optic broadband network electronics and optical modules in the U.S. after it had announced its plans with Sanmina.
Optical Line Terminal (OLT) cards which aid users in connecting to fast, reliable gigabit data services, are the first products to come off this manufacturing line. Nokia plans on self-certifying every product in compliance with NTIA specifications to make sure that vendors are meeting the final guidelines. Nokia’s OLTs can either be ordered individually or as a part of the company’s Network-in-a-Box program.
Charlie Mason, Executive Vice President Worldwide Sales at Sanmina, said, “It has been an exciting journey working alongside Nokia to produce the critical fiber-optic technology that will help power the broadband networks of the future. Drawing on more than 40 years of manufacturing experience in the U.S., our team was able to ramp up production in record time and deliver quality products that meet both Nokia’s and NTIA’s Buy America requirements.”
Gary Bolton, President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, stated, “Having access to technology that is built in the U.S. is an important requirement for states and infrastructure players seeking to participate in BEAD and the $42.45bn of available broadband funding. The general availability of Buy America-compliant products from leading FBA members like Nokia will be a key contributor to fiber broadband operators completing their mission to connect every American to the power of fiber broadband.”
As of now, Nokia powers 70% of fiber broadband lines in North America. The company’s Buy America-compliant fiber optic products include Nokia FX and MF OLT modular product lines, Nokia SF-8M sealed OLT, and XS-220X-A ONT.