Corning Inc. announced Friday, Aug. 30, it plans to build a new optical cable manufacturing facility in Gilbert, Arizona, with the support of AT&T, according to a news release from the company.

“We believe access to broadband means access to opportunity – from education to health care to quality of life,” Corning Chairman and CEO Wendell Weeks said. “Corning is doing our part to make sure everyone – regardless of where they live – has access to reliable high-speed connections enabled by optical fiber. We are proud to continue partnering with AT&T and to expand U.S. manufacturing capacity, and train the next generation of American workers – and we’re grateful for the opportunity to work with our customers and with the U.S. government to make this a reality.”

The facility is expected to open in 2024. Corning and AT&T created the Fiber Optic Training Program, which aims to provide technicians with skills for designing, installing and maintaining a growing fiber network, according to the news release.

“This new facility will provide additional optical cable capacity to meet the record demand the industry is seeing for fast, reliable connectivity," AT&T CEO John Stanke said in the release. "We are also working with Corning to create training programs to equip the next generation of technicians with the skills to build the networks that will expand high-speed internet access to millions of Americans.”

The last mile is the most challenging part of fiber internet, Stankey told Fox Business.

"There's been an awful lot of core infrastructure put in place," he said. "Now we've got to get out to the homes. We've got to get out to those smaller businesses that haven't had the  benefit of fiber."