<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2022-07-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000926282</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ADTRAN INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ADTN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001300513</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Foliano Michael</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ADTRAN</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>901 EXPLORER BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HUNTSVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>35806</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2022-07-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>52912.366</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
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            </transactionDate>
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            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>401(k) Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
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            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
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                <value>2022-07-08</value>
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            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
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            </underlyingSecurity>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
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                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                    <value>16934</value>
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            </underlyingSecurity>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
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            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
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            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
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                </transactionShares>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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            <ownershipNature>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
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                <value>18.97</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
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            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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        <derivativeTransaction>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
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            </transactionTimeliness>
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                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4515</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4515</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>16.97</value>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
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                <transactionShares>
                    <value>13547</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock</value>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
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                <transactionShares>
                    <value>21112.16</value>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
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                    <value>D</value>
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                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
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    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 26,524 time-based restricted stock units (&quot;RSUs&quot;) that settle upon vesting in shares of the Issuer's common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Pursuant to that certain Business Combination Agreement, dated August 30, 2021, by and among the Issuer, ADVA Optical Networking SE, Acorn HoldCo, Inc. (now named ADTRAN Holdings, Inc. (&quot;Holdings&quot;)), and Acorn MergeCo, Inc., the Issuer became a wholly owned subsidiary of Holdings on July 8, 2022 (the &quot;Effective Time&quot;). At the Effective Time, (a) each share of the Issuer's common stock converted, on a one-for-one basis, into a share of Holdings' common stock; (b) each RSU measured in shares of the Issuer's common stock, whether vested or unvested, converted, on a one-for-one basis, into an RSU measured in shares of Holdings' common stock on the same terms and conditions as were applicable to the corresponding RSU immediately prior to the Effective Time;</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">(Continued from footnote 2) (c) each option to purchase the Issuer's common stock converted, on a one-for-one basis, into an option to purchase shares of Holdings' common stock on the same terms and conditions as were applicable to the corresponding option immediately prior to the Effective Time; and (d) each share of phantom stock of the Issuer (representing the economic equivalent of one share of the Issuer's common stock) converted, on a one-for-one basis, into a share of phantom stock of Holdings on the same terms and conditions as were applicable to the corresponding phantom stock immediately prior to the Effective Time.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>The reporting person's status as an officer of the Issuer terminated as of the Effective Time.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Michael Foliano</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2022-07-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
