• Nextlink will connect over 200,000 homes and businesses in rural and exurban communities to fiber infrastructure.
• Nokia XGS-PON and WiFi solutions are selected for symmetrical multi-gig speeds with an simple upgrade to 25G.

Nokia  announced that Nextlink Internet, a rural-based and rural-focused operator in the U.S., has chosen its XGS-PON solution to support network growth, connecting 200,000 homes and businesses in rural and exurban communities in its seven existing and five new states.

Nextlink is investing in network expansion, adding Texas, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Wyomingand Louisiana to its footprint. The company is also expanding its reach into unserved and underserved areas in the states it already operates, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa and South Dakota.

Nokia’s market-leading XGS-PON technology allows Nextlink to deploy 10G broadband speeds with a simple path to 25G. In addition, Nextlink is leveraging Nokia’s ONT Easy Start SaaS to speed up and simplify service provisioning in customer homes coupled with WiFi Beacon residential gateways, which power an outdoor optical network termination (ONT) over CAT5/6 with POE+ eliminating the need for localized power.

Nextlink CEO Bill Baker, said: “We are on a mission to connect rural America with excellent service. Nokia’s technology and systems help us do just that. The communities that Nextlink serves can rest easy, knowing that their communications networks are ready for today and generations to come.”

Sandy Motley, President Nokia Fixed Networks, said: “We are pleased to grow our partnership with Nextlink. Nextlink is deploying a system uniquely capable of delivering GPON, XGS-PON and 25G PON over a common fiber infrastructure without having to replace hardware. In addition, Nextlink will be offering Nokia’s world-class managed WiFi solution that will ensure its customers have the ultimate broadband experience anywhere in their homes.”

Nextlink connects homes, businesses and communities with symmetrical gigabit speeds that support telemedicine, distance learning and post-pandemic work-from-anywhere culture. In the past, these were the types of advanced, internet-based services that were out of reach for most rural communities. Today, Nextlink is making them a reality across the heartland of America.