Fiber broadband is probably worry free from tariffs

Tariff confusion is through the roof right now, but fiber broadband operators and their equipment suppliers probably don’t have much to worry about, according to Dell’Oro Group VP Jeff Heynen. The most common fiber components, such as PON optical line terminals, optical networking terminals, cabinets, and fiber optic cables, "have already been self-certified by the respective vendors and have already seen substantial increases in domestic manufacturing,” Heynen noted. Many fiber vendors, like Nokia, STL, Vecima Networks and others, onshored most of their manufacturing to the U.S. to adhere to the Build America, Buy America requirement of the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program. BEAD may be going through uncertainties of its own, but that doesn’t change the fact these vendors have already set up shop stateside—a move that is massively beneficial in the current environment.