Arthur McMiler
JMA Wireless will spend over $75 million to expand and upgrade its 5G factory in Syracuse, New York, with about $44 million coming from federal funding under the CHIPS and Science Law. The investment will open a new production line for radio units that are compliant with the 5G open radio access network, or O-RAN, JMA said.
According to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., one of the CHIPS and Science Law’s proponents, the new production will support maintaining U.S. leadership in 5G, which is vital for advancing high-speed internet.
The senator said the investment in JMA’s expansion, which is expected to create 30 new jobs, complements the Buy America requirements for telecom technology provided under the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Law that he also pursued passage.
New York as Telecom Hub Against Chinese Competition
Schumer added that the expanded JMA facility will make Central New York a hub for keeping the United States ahead of China and its companies threatening national security and the U.S. economy, like Huawei and ZTE.
In an October 2023 Executive Mosaic interview, Rishi Bhaskar, JMA Wireless senior vice president and general manager discussed the key role O-RAN plays in securing the leadership of the U.S. telecom industry, which depends heavily on foreign radio access networks.
Register for the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 5G Summit to learn about the technology’s potential opportunities and challenges from the event’s lineup of speakers and panelists from major companies and government agencies.
