
Previously Recommended Tribal Broadband Awards Rejected
Previously recommended applicants had been tentatively accepted, but funds were not officially earmarked, for Tribal projects

Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Expand Universal Service Fund Coverage in Indian Country
Bill would amend the Communications Act to formally include Tribal communities in universal service.

Tribal Groups Urge FCC to Add Licensing Window in Upper C-Band Auction
Letter urges a special filing window to expand broadband on native lands.

New Rules for Tribal Broadband Program Planned for Spring 2026, NTIA Says
The agency said no more awards would be made under current rules, and that previously announced awards would not be rescinded.

Regional Fiber Broadband Association Deep Dive Into Tribal Broadband
Tribal leaders and industry experts gathered to address the unique permitting challenges and opportunities for fiber broadband in Arizona.

Ray Diaz: How Broadband Connects Tribal Communities to Broader Opportunities
Despite federal funding efforts, 24 percent of Americans on Tribal lands still lack broadband access, limiting economic opportunity and essential services.

New Mexico Make Small Awards to Assist Broadband Planning
The Pueblo of Pojoaque plan to use its grant to improve service mapping.

Interior Department Office Plans to Expedite Broadband Efforts in Tribal Communities
The Interior Department announced a new policy to speed approval of broadband projects in tribal communities.

Minnesota Broadband Chief on BEAD Challenges, State Investments, and Tribal Partnerships
While BEAD changes complicated Minnesota’s broadband plan, state investments and tribal partnerships remain strong.

Hoopa Valley Tribe Partners With State for High-Speed Internet Backbone
The project represents the first joint-build agreement between a tribal group and the California Department of Technology.

Ookla Finds Stark Differences in Tribal Broadband Performances
Tribal Nations continue to push for better connectivity.

Anchorage Update: Lessons from the Frontier State
Industry executives, tribal leaders and policymakers came together to connect more Alaskans.

Broadband Bootcamp for Great Lakes Tribes to Take Place in August
Training equips Tribes with tools to build and manage their own Internet infrastructure.

Tribal Nations Build Sovereignty Through Broadband Infrastructure, Panelists Say
Tribal leaders stress infrastructure control, competition, and workforce training as foundations for digital self-determination.

Broadband Breakfast on June 11, 2025 – How Tribal Broadband Has Progressed
Many Tribal Nations have begun to build and operate networks that reflect their own needs and sovereignty.

California's Broadband Program Awards Funds to Tribes and Public Entities
Tribal officials can now look forward to the fastest and most reliable Internet access via fiber-to-the-home technology.

NTIA Awarding Almost $18 Million to Tribal Communities
Funding will adopt and expand high-speed internet for seven tribes

12 Days of Broadband
An annual series of the year's top 12 stories in broadband.

Hawaiian, NTIA Officials Announce New Broadband Funding
State will receive more than $72 million to boost connectivity

Karuk Tribe Supports Rosenworcel’s 5G Plan
Tribal lands are some of the least served in the nation

Southern Ute Indian Tribe Transforms Reservation With Open Access Fiber Network
When service was lit up in May, the network became the only open access network owned by a tribal government.

Require Tribal Consent for 5G Fund, Tribes Say
Tribal officials say RDOF would have been more effective with such a requirement.

Infrastructure Projects on Tribal Lands Must Consult Tribal Governments: Wispapalooza
Providers should hold the sales pitch and listen to the needs of a given tribe, they said.
Centranet Demos 50 Gig Broadband to Oklahoma Tribal Community
The Sac and Fox Nation connected to 50 Gbps in a pilot test

ISP Seeks RDOF Waiver to Solve Duplicative Broadband Grants
Resound Networks requested to waive its RDOF obligations for 21 census blocks that received duplicate broadband funding.
Hawaii ISP Sandwich Isles to Shut Down Voice, Internet Service on Saturday
Sandwich Isles Communications sent an email to Native Hawaiian customers on Thursday saying it was shutting down service on Saturday.
House Reauthorizes National Telecommunications and Information Administration
The Senate Commerce Committee also postponed, for a second time, a markup session with short-term funding for ACP.

Funding Requests of $2.6 Billion in Next Round of Tribal Broadband Program
The funding proposals are for a program with $980 million in funds available.

Tribal Ready and Gaiia Partner to Support Indian Country
Trial Ready announces partnership with OSS/BSS software company.

If ACP Goes Away, Wireless Carrier Wants Jump in Lifeline Support for Tribal Areas
Smith Bagley, Inc., is asking the FCC to provide more money to the Tribal Lifeline benefit.

Tribal Broadband Faces Unique Challenges, Opportunities, Experts Say
Issues include the high costs of building infrastructure, the need for tribal sovereignty, and the importance of partnering with tribes.

New Rules for Infrastructure on Historic Properties and Tribal Lands
Federal agencies must compensate Tribes or consulting parties for services performed on historical sites.

Dish Wireless Seeks FCC Help With Affordable Connectivity Transition
The company needs to be designed as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier to promote the Lifeline option, it said.

NTIA Extends Tribal Broadband Application Window
Tribal governments can now submit proposals through March 22, 2024, rather than January 23.

Broadband Breakfast on March 20, 2024 - Tribal Broadband: A Status Update
What's the status of tribal broadband connectivity in anticipation of the NTIA's second funding round?

Tribal Ready COO Adam Geisler Addresses Importance of Data Sovereignty to Tribes
The federal government has failed to uphold its trust responsibility to provide health, safety and welfare to Native American tribes.

Tribal Providers Say They Rely on ACP to Connect Communities
The fund is set to run dry in 2024.

A Hidden Issue Potentially Impacting BEAD Implementation: Pole Attachments
Problems accessing poles could delay fiber builds funded by the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.

A Deep Dive into the BEAD Program’s Matching Funds
Will the program’s matching funds requirement stretch federal dollars, or hinder smalller providers?

GAO Wants NTIA Feedback to Tribes Receiving Smaller Broadband Grants
Feedback could help Tribes improve future funding applications and expand broadband infrastructure.

Precursors to BEAD Implementation: A Deep Dive Into Prior Broadband Programs
How will prior broadband programs impact BEAD Implementation?

FCC Adopts Proposal to Increase E-rate Program Funding for Tribes Reliant on School Libraries
The FCC broadened the E-rate eligibility to tribal colleges used as public libraries.

A Deep Dive into Allocations Under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program
What’s next for BEAD implementation?

Impacts of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022
When President Biden talks about his economic program, the CHIPS Act is the star of the show.

Broadband Breakfast on May 31, 2023 – Tribal Broadband Deployment
How are Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program projects progressing, and how will they interact with BEAD projects?

Revisiting the NTIA's Middle Program Ahead of Funding Announcements
The NTIA is on the cusp of announcing the award winners to the states by June 30, 2023.

Green Energy Provisions Meet Smart Grid and Broadband Infrastructure
Advances for the green economy in the Inflation Reduction Act rely upon smart grid infrastructure.

Tribal Nations Face Challenges in Accessing and Maximizing Funding: Connected America Conference
The lengthy grant application process can be a barrier for Tribes with limited resources.

Broadband Breakfast on March 8: A Status Update on Tribal Broadband
Tribal leaders say they need to gather data to ensure that Tribal nations receive funding necessary for broadband.

Content Moderation, Section 230 and the Future of Online Speech
Our comprehensive report examines the extremely timely issue of content moderation and Section 230 from multiple angles.

Tribal Ready Wants Better Broadband Data to Benefit Indian Country
Tribal leaders and citizens must gather data ‘on a scale large enough to ensure that Tribal nations receive’ funding.

What to Know About Build America, Buy America Provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Will providers be required to use equipment that is not readily available within the United States?

What You Need to Know About the FCC’s Maps and the Challenge Process
The Broadband Breakfast Report for January 2023 lays out the things to know about the challenge process.

The 12 Days of Broadband (2022 Edition)
Broadband Breakfast presents the first of its annual '12 Days of Broadband' series about the top 12 stories of the year.

FCC Told No to C-Band Changes, New Tribal Entity Grants, Surfshark Report on Internet Value
The telecoms got into a rift with the FAA over interference possibilities with 5G deployments around airports.

Johnny Kampis: Federal Bureaucracy an Impediment to Broadband on Tribal Lands
18% of people living on Tribal lands lack broadband access, compared to 4% of residents in non-tribal areas.

Chart of States' Planned BEAD Deployment by Technology
Broadband Breakfast is tracking planned BEAD connections by technology

Chart of Fixed Wireless Access Subscribers
Broadband Breakfast is tracking fixed wireless access subscriptions.

Chart of Wireline Broadband Subscribers
Broadband Breakfast is tracking wireline broadband subscriptions.

Chart of Wireline Broadband Subscribers By Technology
Broadband Breakfast is tracking wireline and wireless broadband subscribers by technology.

Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chair Takes FCC to Task for Communication With Tribes
‘You need to get a little better about talking to and listening to native communities,” the chairman told the FCC.

Biden Administration Awards More Funding for Tribal Broadband, With $262 Million for 9 Projects
The Commerce Department has now made a total of 63 awards totaling more than $601 million in Tribal funding.

Institute for Local Self-Reliance Announces Two Initiatives to Foster Local Broadband Solutions
Urban Digital Equity Bootcamp and Let’s Get Going Broadband Program announced.

NTIA Approves $1.2M in Grants for Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program
The NTIA awarded four grants worth $1.2 million.

USDA Anticipates Infrastructure Technical Assistance Tailored Towards Tribal Applicants
At a White House event an agency representative said webinar programs are likely for Indigenous communities.

Relationship Building Key to Connecting Tribal Communities: USDA Policy Advisor
‘You should build a relationship with your telecommunications field representative,’ Edyael Casaperalta said.

NTIA Broadband Programs Announce Grants to Tackle Last-Mile Infrastructure
Recent policy talks have pushed for more focus on middle-mile with future funding from infrastructure bill money.

ReConnect Rep Warns of ISPs Asking for More Subsidies Than Needed for Builds
Shekinah Pepper said Wednesday tribal communities should be on alert for service providers asking for chunks of subsidies upfront.

Alaska Predicted to Receive a Majority of Tribal Broadband Funds
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held Wednesday hearing exploring broadband investments in Tribal communities.

NTIA Publishes Report Calling for Better Data Aggregation Methods
The report notes need for separating broadband access data from other consumer stats.

Sen. Alex Padilla Emphasizes Billions in Broadband Funds for California
California also has 18 projects that are part of the state’s $6-billion broadband investment under its California Comeback Plan.

Native Americans Need Control Over Mapping Data, Conference Hears
Indigenous connectivity advocates said Native Americans should have control over their mapping data.

Exclusive Drew Clark Column: Three Other Broadband Funding Programs (Besides the Infrastructure Bill)
It’s worth focusing on other broadband programs run by NTIA, including Tribal Connectivity, and Connecting Minority Communities.

Federal Communications Commission Grants First Licenses for Tribal Radio Frequencies During Priority Window
October 24, 2020 – The Federal Communications Commission on Friday granted its first licenses in the 2.5 GigaHertz (GHz) spectrum to 154 tribal applicants during the agency’s first Rural Tribal Priority Window. The licenses provide exclusive use of up to 117.5 megahertz of 2.5GHz spectrum and will p

Members of Democratic Caucuses Call to Modernize Broadband for Rural and Tribal Lands
August 19, 2020 — Members of the Rural Caucus and the Native American Caucus of the Democratic Party made calls for modernizing broadband and energy infrastructure during caucus meetings on Tuesday. As part of the Democratic National Convention, members of the Rural Caucus opened their meeting by ob

Application Deadline of July 15 Announced for $16 Billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction
May 21, 2020 — The Federal Communications Commission announced Monday that it would accept the so-called “short-form” applications for its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund reverse auction beginning on July 1 and continue until July 15. The agency also announced that the auction of the monies for this

Tribes Have Many Government Programs Available for Supporting Broadband Amid the Coronavirus, Say Officials
May 12, 2020 — Education officials catalogued the many government broadband programs devoted to bridging the digital divide affecting tribal communities hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. For example, during the Tuesday teleconference of the Universal Service Administrative Company, speakers from

Most Panelists at FCC Working Group on Digital Inclusion Say Libraries Are Crucial in Closing the Homework Gap
April 29, 2020— Members of the Federal Communication Commission’s working group on digital empowerment and inclusion highlighted the role that libraries can play in closing the so-called “homework gap” on a webinar hosted by the agency on Tuesday. The homework gap, a term often used by fiery FCC Com

Rural Assembly Paints Dire Picture About Lack of Broadband, Impact of Coronavirus in Indian Country
The webinar painted a grim picture of the state of broadband in rural and Tribal life

State BEAD
Broadband in the U.S.A.: Every state and territory

Broadband Roundup: Global Internet Censorship, Tribal Divide, Klobuchar on the Broadband Stump
A report published by tech.co on Wednesday ranks and categorizes the countries with the highest internet censorship. Among the reports most salient findings: Turkmenistan, North Korea, and China earned the top three spots, in decreasing order of censorship. Many popular vacation destinations like Vi

Indian Tribes Will Have Six-Month Window of Opportunity to Apply for Former EBS Spectrum at 2.5 GigaHertz
WASHINGTON, January 14, 2020 – Federally-recognized Indian tribes will have a six-month priority window, beginning February 3, in which to apply for access to the radio frequency spectrum available at 2.5 GigaHertz (GHz). At a workshop at the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday, Chairman Aj

Broadband Roundup: Bill Aims to Make Social Media Interoperable, Colorado Drops T-Mobile Lawsuit, Indian Country Very Unconnected
Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., on Tuesday introduced the Augmenting Compatibility and Competition by Enabling Service Switching Act, Public Knowledge reports. The bill would provide interoperability for social media users, promoting competition and ena

Wireless Broadband Likely to be a Key Component in Getting Broadband to Tribal Country
WASHINGTON, September 24, 2019 – Better broadband and 5G development is essential to the livelihood of tribal communities, according to representatives from government and telecom at the National Tribal Broadband Summit on Tuesday. Many tribal members have no clear idea of who owns the available spe

FCC Authorizes $121 Million in Rural Broadband Funding from Connect America Fund
WASHINGTON, August 12, 2019 — The Federal Communications Commission on Monday authorized over $121 million in rural broadband funding, marking the fourth wave of support from last year’s Connect America Fund Phase II Auction. The funding is expected to bring broadband access to more than 36,000 unse

$5 Billion Facebook Fine, Tribal Broadband Suffering, and 5G Data Session
On Friday afternoon, the Federal Trade Commission has issued a fine of $5 billion to Facebook for privacy violations. Adam Satariano of the New York Times reported that regulators and lawmakers in the U.S. and abroad have begun conducting investigations and proposing new sanctions against the Silico

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Aims to Further Deploy 2.5 GHz Band of Spectrum for 5G Wireless Networks
WASHINGTON, June 18, 2019 — The Federal Communications Commission will vote in July on whether or not to auction off unused portions of the 2.5 GigaHertz (GHz) spectrum band to advance the deployment of 5G wireless networks. Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement that the order would “modernize an ou

USDA Announces Loans to Improve Rural Electric Infrastructure and Upgrade Energy Efficiency
WASHINGTON, May 30, 2019 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing $858 million in loans to upgrade rural electric systems across 17 states, benefiting around 450,000 consumers. Approximately 7.5% of this funding will be used to finance smart grid technologies, allowing for more efficient el

FCC Press Release: Wireline Competition Bureau Releases Illustrative Model Results to Aid Preparation of Comments in Response to 2018 Rate-of-Return Reform
SOURCE: The Federal Communications Commission WC Docket No. 10-90 The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announces the availability of illustrative model results intended to aid parties that are preparing comments in response to the 2018 Rate-of-Return Reform NPRM.1 In that NPRM, the Commission so

Wireless Infrastructure is One Piece of the Broadband Puzzle for Rural America
BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: The role of wireless, which is one key piece of the broadband puzzle for rural areas, will be considered at the New America Foundation on Tuesday at Noon, together with Kelsey Guyselman, policy advisor at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and an ar

FCC Restricts Options Under the Low-Income Consumer Lifeline Program, to Democratic Outcry
WASHINGTON, November 16, 2017 — In a move harshly condemned by Democrats and consumer advocates, the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted along party lines to significantly restrict the Universal Service Fund’s Lifeline program, which provides subsidies to enable lower-income consumer

How Donald Trump’s Infrastructure Plan Departs From Traditional Federal Funding
WASHINGTON, June 3, 2017 — Infrastructure plans in President Donald Trump’s 2018 budget represent a significant break from his predecessor not only in the brick-and-mortar variety, but also in the next generation of infrastructure for the next generation of the American economy — wired and wireless
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Pai Announces Broadband Advisory Group to Propose Model City Ordinances
WASHINGTON, January 31, 2017 – Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Tuesday announced the formation of a new federal advisory committee that would seek to accelerate deployment of high-speed broadband nationwide, and to close the digital divide, by providing a model approach to dep
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