Between 18% and 25% of people living in Tribal communities lack reliable access to broadband internet, but community-led broadband initiatives have proven successful in bringing access to rural areas.
A recent report from the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) tallies these statistics and highlights stories of broadband deployment success.
Mohawk Networks, LLC, has turned a $15 million investment into 68 miles of fiber serving more than 1,500 homes and 100 businesses in the Akwesasne Territory. The enterprise is owned by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe.
The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, Osage Nation, Mescalero Apache Telecom, Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation, and Mescalero Apache Reservation community have also built fiber in their communities, with positive results for public safety, commerce, improved government services, and cultural preservation.
Tribal leaders work tirelessly to bring high-quality broadband services to their communities, and Tribal entities are technically eligible for funding across 133 programs and 15 agencies, according to the FBA. But barriers remain, such as complex and inconsistent application requirements, limited technical capacity, and competition with more experienced applicants.
The FBA calls on the U.S. Congress to help close the gap and streamline funding access in the following ways:
- Establish a Tribal broadband interagency working group
- Create a single application usable across multiple programs
- Consolidate eligibility criteria
- Codify waivers for burdensome requirements
- Expand dedicated technical assistance
A recent report from The Advanced Communications Law and Policy Institute (ACLP) at New York Law School bolsters that point. It analyzed each subgrantee of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program relative to its existing service footprint. It reported dozens of Tribes that had been awarded funding but for which it couldn’t locate any broadband serviceable locations to the Federal Communications Commission. That lack of experience could make planned buildouts a challenge.
Tribal communities were far from the only subgrantees listed as not having any serviceable broadband locations, but the list underscores a point made by the FBA.
“Closing the digital divide in Tribal communities requires more than funding; it requires active engagement from the broadband industry,” the FBA report reads. “By working alongside Tribal leaders, operators, and community organizations, the industry can help deliver solutions that reflect local needs and priorities.”
