CommScope has hatched a plan to expand production for its fiber connectivity portfolio in anticipation of projected demands for Build America Buy America (BABA) compliant products manufactured and assembled in the U.S.
The expansion will occur at CommScope’s existing facilities that drive manufacturing for its broadband portfolio.
CommScope said the increased production will focus on the vendor’s fiber connectivity products and solutions that target faster installation and more efficient construction of rural broadband networks.
Essential products such as fiber optic splice closures (FOSC®), fiber distribution cabinets, and connectorized hardened and non-hardened fiber terminals will meet BABA domestic preferences. Preparations are currently being implemented and production is planned to meet industry demand as soon as the third quarter of 2024.
This expansion will continue to build on CommScope’s success in rural applications, having previously shipped over 2 million FOSC units in the U.S. over the past two years. This includes projects funded by the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) and other government-funded initiatives to expand the availability of broadband services.
CommScope already produces various BABA-compliant products and solutions at its U.S. manufacturing locations. Led by its HeliARC™ fiber-optic cable solution, the expansion will further augment CommScope’s BABA-compliant portfolio. Additional details on CommScope’s BABA-compliant portfolio and timelines will be available later in the first quarter, allowing partners and customers to plan their upcoming government-funded projects.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for our partners and customers as they access federal and state funding subject to BABA domestic preference requirements,” said Koen ter Linde, SVP and president of Connectivity and Cable Solutions for CommScope. “We are eager to expand the U.S. manufacturing capacity of our fiber connectivity portfolio to support our partners and customers and the efforts to bring broadband to everyone.”
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