Nokia to Produce Broadband Network Electronics Products in the United States

President Biden’s internal economy policy focuses on encouraging important companies to manufacture their products in the United States. Despite the higher costs compared to manufacturing in countries with cheap labor, such as China and Vietnam, the benefits outweigh the expenses.

Nokia, a well-known Finnish brand, is among the first major companies to announce the production of significant products in the United States. Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO of Nokia, recently revealed that the company will manufacture broadband network electronics products for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.

Nokia has partnered with Sanmina Corporation to carry out manufacturing in the US, specifically at the Sanmina Pleasant Prairie facility in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. The production of Nokia’s fiber-optic broadband electronics products is set to commence in 2024 and is projected to generate up to 200 new jobs in Wisconsin.

“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. We look forward to bringing more Americans online,” said Pekka Lundmark.

Nokia has also confirmed that the following fiber-optic broadband products will be manufactured in the United States: Optical Line Termination card for a modular Access Node, a small form factor OLT, OLT optical modules, and an “outdoor-hardened” ONT (Optical Network Terminal).

In addition, the announcement includes some interesting facts about the brand. For instance, Nokia equipment is responsible for seven out of ten fiber broadband connections in North America. Nokia is also the leading supplier of fiber-optic broadband technology for US service providers. Furthermore, the Finnish company was the first to deploy 1, 10, and 25 Gigabit fiber-optic broadband networks in the US.