Less than a year after global telecommunications company
Nokia unveiled plans to begin making some of its products in Pleasant Prairie, optical line terminal (OLT) cards have officially started rolling off the manufacturing line.
The Nokia devices, which are critical to fiber networks as they ensure the transfer of broadband data, are being made at
Sanmina’s Pleasant Prairie facility. Nokia currently powers 70% of fiber broadband lines in North America.
San Jose, California-based Sanmina is an electronics manufacturer that serves OEMs in the communications and hardware fields.
By manufacturing its products in Pleasant Prairie, Nokia is the first company to make products that will be used in the United States’ Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.
The BEAD program aims to narrow the digital divide across the U.S. and contribute to economic growth and job creation. Vice President Kamala Harris
visited the Sanmina facility last August to tout the benefits of the BEAD program.
“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,” said
Charlie Mason, executive vice president of worldwide sales at Sanmina. “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.”
As production ramps up, Nokia will also manufacture OLT optical modules, an “outdoor-hardened” optical terminal network and a small form factor OLT at the Sanmina plant.
Nokia will self-certify each product according to National Telecommunications and Information Administration specifications to ensure that listed vendors comply with the final guidelines.
“As leaders in broadband, we're excited to announce a significant milestone: our Buy America-compliant products are now rolling off the production line, giving BEAD applicants and infrastructure providers access to technology that will be critical to bridging the digital divide," said
Sandy Motley, president of fixed networks at Nokia. "By aligning with Buy American guidelines, we're actively contributing to the U.S. government's mission of expanding nationwide broadband access.”
