CommScope has announced that it plans to invest $60.3 million over the next four years to expand its fiber cable manufacturing facilities based in North Carolina.
The expanded manufacturing capability and the creation of at least 250 new jobs will bolster CommScope’s ability to meet increased demand in the U.S. for fiber cables in the wake of federal initiatives to bring ‘Internet For All’—including in underserved and rural broadband markets.
The demand for broadband related technologies is expected to continue to grow as states begin to disburse Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding.
“Broadband for everyone is no longer a luxury, but rather a critical necessity to participate in today’s society and economic market,” stated Chuck Treadway, president and CEO, CommScope. “We have long been committed to supplying our partners with the solutions necessary to bring broadband to everyone. Furthering our long-standing relationship with the State of North Carolina is a great next step to bring ‘Internet For All’, and we are thrilled to work with the State on this endeavor. This partnership not only contributes to the economic prosperity of Catawba County but also furthers our commitment to meet the objectives of the BEAD program. This exciting expansion continues to shine a spotlight on Catawba County and North Carolina as the hub that supplies the nation with fiber cable.”
CommScope currently has the capacity to manufacture drop cable at a rate of approximately 2 billion feet per year in its U.S. facilities – a level of production that will allow states and their partners to connect every underserved American as a part of the BEAD program, the company reported.
The expansion will further allow CommScope to manufacture the necessary cable to enable service providers to deploy broadband across the U.S.
Capacity increase will focus on loose tube production and additional fiber cable counts and styles needed for rural deployment, including CommScope’s HeliARC fiber-optic cable. First announced in March, the HeliARC fiber-optic cable is specifically designed for rural fiber network architecture, CommScope said.
“Connecting every household in North Carolina to high-speed internet is going to take a lot of fiber, and with this expansion CommScope is answering the call not only with American jobs, but North Carolina jobs,” stated N.C. Governor Roy Cooper. “We appreciate CommScope’s additional investment in Catawba County and their confidence in our workforce to improve the nation’s fiber-optic infrastructure.”
