Federal policy failures and incumbent provider neglect are largely to blame responsible for Internet access inequities on Tribal land. Increasingly, Native Nations are beginning to address the digital divide on their own lands and on their own terms.
Thanks to the dedicated people who spent years building networks and advocating on behalf of Indigenous connectivity, the last several years have opened new policy opportunities for Tribal broadband. ILSR is home to several of these dedicated individuals as we’ve supported the launch and expansion of Tribal Broadband Bootcamps to help close the connectivity gap on Tribal lands. The program has contributed to the doubling of Tribal networks since 2020, with more planned bootcamps on the way.
Go Inside the Bootcamp Experience
A new report published today by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) reveals how the sovereignty of Tribal Nations and their own efforts to solve connectivity challenges on Tribal lands can be undermined by the poor design and maze of bureaucracy associated with some federal broadband programs.
The report – Native Nations and Federal Telecom Policy Failures: Lessons from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund – shows how even as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) takes over administration of the largest federal funding programs and re-situates Tribal closer to where they belong, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) continues its long-standing practice of scant engagement and infrequent consultation, complicating the terrain and stymieing Tribal efforts to close the digital divide in Indian Country.
Read The Report
ILSR's Chris Mitchell shares insights on the mission and vision of the Tribal Broadband Bootcamps he partnered in forming with Matthew Rantanen.
Colorado River Indian Tribe's award is a reminder that the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program is not the be-all and end-all of funding for Tribal broadband.
Evan Malmgreno covers Tribes using federal grants to create their own Internet providers, and how it takes more than money to get a community online.
Necessary funding to bridge a "high-cost area" Internet coverage gap may be inaccessible if states fail to make a match exemption feasible.