OFS has been investing in optical fiber and fiber optic cable manufacturing in Norcross, Georgia, including a $139 million expansion that was fully operationalized by 2022. With the anticipated demand from BEAD funding, OFS will create up to 100 new jobs in Georgia over the next few years.
Holly Hulse, CEO of OFS, explained, “We’ve all seen the increased importance of the internet in our daily lives. The BEAD program is an important investment in people and locations across the United States to keep them up to speed and prepare them for the future. With two longstanding factories in Georgia, OFS has been a fiber optic innovator for decades. OFS is pleased to do our part in rewiring the country by offering world-class optic fiber solutions that meet Buy America Build America (BABA) Act requirements. We look forward to creating jobs for Georgians in the process”.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law requires the use of Made in America construction materials and products for federally funded infrastructure projects, including high-speed Internet service equipment, under the Administration’s “Internet for All” initiative.
In February 2024, NTIA announced the majority of fiber broadband equipment for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program —including optical fiber, fiber optic cable, key electronics, and enclosures— will be made in the United States.
