Adtran confirms compliance with final BABA ruling and continues US investment

Adtran today announced its readiness to support the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, welcoming the clarity and guidance provided by the Build America, Buy America (BABA) rule. With its commitment to US-based manufacturing spanning three decades, Adtran is at the forefront of the market with BABA-compliant fiber access solutions ready to enhance nationwide connectivity, economic growth and the digital inclusivity of communities across America. With 42.5 billion USD allocated for grants, the BEAD program aims to connect millions of underserved homes in the USA to high-speed broadband and has a mandate for domestically produced equipment. Adtran will supply BABA-compliant optical line terminals (OLTs), cabinets, ONTs and pluggable optics, providing a comprehensive solution fully ready to meet the needs of the BEAD program. These offerings will soon be showcased on the NTIA’s certification website.

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“We welcome the clarity of the final BABA ruling, enabling us to align our solutions with federal requirements and ensure our readiness to support the BEAD program in closing America’s digital divide. As we continue to align our efforts with the program’s objectives, we’re looking forward to the National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA) providing the certification process and website details. This step is crucial for operators to design their BEAD networks with confidence, ensuring they can leverage our BABA-compliant solutions and accelerate the deployment of high-speed broadband infrastructure across the nation,” said Robert Conger, GM of software platforms and strategy at Adtran. “The BEAD program is improving access to key digital services and driving economic growth while also empowering communities by generating high-quality jobs. At Adtran, we have a longstanding tradition of harnessing home-grown innovation and building on American soil. That’s why our support for the BABA Act isn’t a new direction for us — it’s a reaffirmation of our legacy.”

With over three decades of manufacturing expertise in Huntsville, Alabama, Adtran is perfectly placed to meet the stringent criteria for BABA-compliant technology, positioning the company as a key player in the BEAD program’s mission. By advancing equitable broadband access, BEAD will be instrumental in promoting economic growth, supporting education and telehealth, fostering innovation and creating job opportunities for millions of Americans. Adtran’s open, software-driven OLTs empower service providers to rapidly expand their networks, making it easier to bring cost-effective and high-quality services to underserved customers. Furthermore, its pluggable optics solution boosts transport capacity while ensuring affordability, sustainability and efficiency.

“Fiber broadband has the power to transform society by unlocking economic growth, tackling poverty and sparking innovation. Yet, despite its potential, many smaller US cities – particularly those with fewer than 10,000 households – still face a significant digital divide. The BEAD program is addressing this challenge, aiming to enhance access to digital services and drive economic progress. Adtran’s readiness with BEAD-compliant fiber solutions is commendable, as well as their longstanding dedication to American innovation and manufacturing,” commented Gary Bolton, president and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association. “By supporting BABA, companies like Adtran are helping create a digitally inclusive nation where universal broadband access is a reality for all.”

More information on the BABA ruling and how Adtran is ready to help customers is available in this video.

About Adtran

ADTRAN Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTN and FSE: QH9) is the parent company of Adtran, Inc., a leading global provider of open, disaggregated networking and communications solutions that enable voice, data, video and internet communications across any network infrastructure. From the cloud edge to the subscriber edge, Adtran empowers communications service providers around the world to manage and scale services that connect people, places and things. Adtran solutions are used by service providers, private enterprises, government organizations and millions of individual users worldwide. ADTRAN Holdings, Inc. is also the largest shareholder of Adtran Networks SE, formerly ADVA Optical Networking SE. Find more at Adtran, LinkedIn and X.

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