It’s 2022 and the fact that millions of Americans still don’t have access to high-speed internet seems… outdated. Up to 18 million American households still do not have access to high-speed Internet.
The US government recently made some $42.5 billion available through the $1 trillion infrastructure bill to make broadband connectivity more accessible and it looks like Corning wants a chunk of it. stock. The company yesterday announced plans to build a new optical cable manufacturing facility in Gilbert, Arizona.
The plant is expected to open in 2024 and will supply AT&T, the largest fiber internet provider in the United States.
Gilbert’s specific investment was not disclosed, but, according to the company, its investments in fiber and cable manufacturing will exceed $500 million since 2020 and double Corning’s supply capacity.
The plant will create 250 new jobs and is designed to be able to expand if necessary.
AT&T expects demand to increase fivefold over the next five years. In a separate announcement, the company said it was rolling out fiber optic internet service in the Mesa, Arizona area starting in 2023.
To build and deploy these networks, the industry will need about 850,000 workers through 2025. Corning and AT&T together created the Fiber Optic Training Program, focused on equipping thousands of technicians with the skills essential to the design, installation and maintenance of a growing fiber network. The program aims to train 50,000 American workers over the next five years.
