CommScope Expands North Carolina Fiber Manufacturing for BEAD Demand
CommScope plans to invest $60.3 million over the next four years to expand its fiber-optic cable manufacturing facilities in North Carolina, increasing capacity to support U.S. broadband builds funded by federal programs such as BEAD and “Internet for All.”
Increased Capacity and New Jobs in Catawba County
CommScope currently manufactures about two billion feet of drop cable per year at its U.S. facilities, a level it says can help states and their partners connect every underserved American under the BEAD Program. The Catawba County expansion will add at least 250 new jobs as production ramps to meet nationwide fiber demand.
The investment will also enable CommScope to produce more loose-tube fiber and a wider range of fiber counts and cable styles tailored for rural deployments. That includes its HeliARC™ fiber-optic cable, which CommScope designed specifically for rural fiber network architectures and lower-density FTTH builds.
Supporting Rural Broadband and “Internet For All”
With this expansion, CommScope aims to supply the cable service providers need to deliver broadband across the U.S., especially in underserved and rural areas. Capacity increases align with a surge of state-level projects that will draw on federal BEAD funding over the next several years.
“Broadband for everyone is no longer a luxury, but a critical necessity to participate in today’s society and economic market,” said CommScope President and CEO Chuck Treadway. He added that deepening the company’s long-standing relationship with North Carolina represents an important step toward “Internet For All” and supports both local job growth and national connectivity goals.
