Mobile World Live reported the self-certification process is part of the US$42.5 billion Broadband Equity and Deployment (Bead) initiative to narrow connectivity gaps across the country.

The program funds projects that help expand high-speed Internet access and use. It supports infrastructure deployment, mapping, and adoption.

It aims to expand Internet access to unserved and underserved locations.

As part of the certification process, vendors must meet requirements outlined in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Build America, Buy America (Baba) program, which requires products to be manufactured in the US.

The NTIA created the process and compliance framework as a guide for manufacturers to showcase their products and comply with Bead.

Once vendors complete the process, they are added to a list managed by the US Department of Commerce. The list requires vendors to have an officer of the company certify that the products are “Buy America-compliant” to reduce the number of fraudulent claims of Baba compliance.

Nokia provides Bead applicants with letters of certification required by the NTIA.

The list of certified products includes:

Nokia FX and MF OLT modular product lines
Nokia SF-8M sealed OLT
XS-220X-A ONT

“As a certified vendor, we can now provide Bead applicants with a certification letter that’s become essential for applications and Baba reporting requirements,” says Nokia president of fixed networks Sandy Motley.