Poll: Supreme Court Tariff Ruling Effect on the Telecom Industry

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Trump Administration's tariffs. What will be the impacts on the broadband and optical networking industry segments?

Since February 2025, tariffs have been imposed on a wide range of goods entering the U.S. from various trading partners.

As of February 2026, the US telecommunications sector faces significant hardware cost increases due to a 10% global tariff imposed by President Trump, which applies to items such as fiber-optic cables, 5G antennas, and routers. These duties are expected to heighten Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) for carriers, potentially slowing 5G deployment, particularly in rural areas. 

Reports have also emerged of an impending fiber shortage, which could affect smaller service providers.

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