Nokia said the expanded program allows BEAD participants to more quickly and cost effectively bring broadband services to US communities
Nokia has expanded its “network-in-a-box” program to simplify broadband network builds for Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program participants as they focus on bridging the digital divide using the more than $42 billion dollars that will be distributed to U.S. states and territories for digital infrastructure.
State and territory funding allocations from BEAD were announced in late June. Now, states and territories must submit their five-year plans to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to describe how they will use that funding to close the digital divide in their respective geographies. Each participating state was guaranteed at least $100 million in BEAD funding, as part of the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that became law in 2021 (See the state-level breakdowns here). Nineteen states will end up with more than $1 billion through BEAD for high-speed broadband deployment, with the stated requirement to connect every American by 2030.
“We’re excited to help operators and network builders get access to the tools they need to simplify and accelerate broadband rollouts that help make high-speed broadband access a reality for all,” commented Sandy Motley, president of fixed networks at Nokia. “The network-in-a-box program equips network builders with the necessary technology they need in a single solution to connect more homes, schools, businesses and communities that will ultimately help foster innovation and expand economies.”
By bundling all of the products and services necessary to build, scale or cap and grow broadband networks, Nokia said its expanded “network-in-a-box” program allows these providers to more quickly and cost effectively deliver the much-needed connectivity to under and unserved communities. The program includes all of the recently announced U.S.-manufactured fiber-optic broadband network electronics products and optical modules in a single solution, Nokia specified. It also includes Nokia’s IP routing, Fiber OLT, Fiber ONT and Wi-Fi beacon products along with software and services.
Nokia stated that the new solutions are configurable and are available directly through the company or its channel partners such as Wesco International (TVC) and Winncom Technologies.
