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

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

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

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 Accepting BEAD Grant Applications
Braodband Breakfast is tracking each state's BEAD grant application window.

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

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

Chart of Wireline Broadband Subscribers By Technology
Braodband Breakfast is tracking wireline 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

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
American Energy
American energy production has increased substantially over the past few years.

Nuclear
As data centers proliferate, Nuclear Energy is potentially ready for a revival.
Crypto
Cryptographic technologies and blockchain ledgers are driving a new era of decentralized finance.

Mobile
Mobile communication has become a central part internet connectivity.
Democratization
The internet has the potential to impact, and also to enhance, society's democratization.

Section 230
Section 230 is sometimes called the 26 words that created the internet.
Net Neutrality
Whether broadband providers may prioritize delivery of bits by the entities they own is a divisive topic.
Open Access
Open Access networks separate network operations from internet services. Ownership may also be separate from operations.
Funding
The pandemic has prompted a new era of funding for broadband infrastructure.
Rural
Because Rural America is often the least-connected region in the country, ensuring coverage is central to BEAD.
Wireless
Wireless technologies are critical for mobile communications, and for being able to reach remote locations.
Satellite
Satellite broadband remains an option those areas beyond the reach of fiber, terrestrial or mobile wireless.
Universal Service
The Universal Service Fund, codified in 1996 with the Telecommunications Act, remains the foundation of universal access.
Data Center
Data Centers and Cloud Computing rely upon robust and high-speed upload and download internet speeds.

5G
The 5G wireless standard promises breakthrough in capacity, speed and dynamic spectrum-sharing capabilities.

WISP
Wireless Internet Service Providers play an important role in delivery of fixed wireless broadband.
Digital Inclusion
We need humans to make digital inclusion work.

Education
Technology, particularly broadband access and adoption, plays a vital role in K-12 and secondary education.

Health
The innovations of telehealth and mobile health care has transformed medicine and health care.

Public Safety
Ensuring that emergency communications are enabled with broadband is the next frontier in public safety.
Telework
Broadband internet service allows many people to work from almost anywhere.
Cybersecurity
Digital locks and keys are necessary, but not sufficient, to ensure cybersecurity.

Robocall
The scourge of robocalls is making America's once-vaunted telephone network less trustworthy.

BEAD
The BEAD program is implemented by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Commerce Department.

Community Broadband
The last three years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of communities building publicly-owned, locally controlled infrastructure.
Privacy
The entire concept of privacy has been transformed by broadband and the internet.
Broadband Mapping and Data
Accurate broadband mapping and data has been central to America's broadband buildout.

Smart Cities
Cities of the future rely on high-speed internet access and advanced fiber and wireless connectivity.
Advanced Energy
The infrastructure necessary for advanced energy also powers the infrastructure necessary for high-speed internet.
Autonomous Vehicles
Self-driving cars are one of many advances to come for smart cities and communities.
Drones
Drones and airborne transportation are one of many advances to come for smart cities and communities.
Antitrust
Antitrust has been re-invigorated by concern over the power of big technology, media and telecom companies.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is poised to transform humans' relationship with technology, and each other.
Social Media
Social media plays a powerful force in the lives of most adults and teenagers.

Free Speech
Debates about the role of free speech have been transformed by broadband internet services.

Chips
Semiconductors are the world’s new oil.
Spectrum
Whether licensed, unlicensed or shared, radio frequency spectrum is the critical resource for wireless communication.
The Connect America Fund: Statements and Highlights from the FCC Commissioners
WASHINGTON, Friday October 28, 2011. The Federal Communication Commission unanimously voted to overhaul its outdated the Universal Service Fund and reform its intercarrier compensation fund at yesterday morning’s Open Commission Meeting. The FCC predicts that an effort to expand high speed interne
Internet2 Upgrades Speed to 8.8 Terabits per second
WASHINGTON March 10, 2011 – Internet2, the nationwide ultra high-speed education network, announced that it will increase the network’s speed by a factor of nearly 900. The network’s existing speed is already approximately 1,000 times as fast as a the fastest widely-available high-speed residential
LTE Growing Faster Than Ever
Long Term Evolution is growing faster than any other mobile platform in history, according to a recent report from the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA). The GSA report includes both variants of LTE: Time Division Duplex and Frequency Division Duplex. Mobile carriers are developing 128 netw
NTIA Gives $6.1 Million in Grants to North Carolina, Washington
WASHINGTON, September 16, 2010 – The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration on Thursday announced two American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investments, totaling $6.1 million in grants, to North Carolina and Washington.
FCC Aims to Increase Awareness of Lifeline, Link Up Programs
WASHINGTON, September 14, 2010 – This week is the second annual “National Lifeline and Link Up Telephone Discount Awareness Week” brought to you by the Federal Communications Commission, National Association of Regulatory Commissioners and the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates
Vilsack Announces $518 Million in Broadband Grants
WASHINGTON, September 13, 2010 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced 43 new broadband grants across 27 states. Overall, these grants will receive $518 million in government funding and $34.1 million in private investment.
FCC Lays Out Plans to Overhaul Universal Service Fund
WASHINGTON, September 7, 2010 – The Federal Communications Commission late last week laid out part of its plan to reform the universal service fund, including pushing Sprint and Nextel to live up to their commitments to surrender their high-cost universal support over five years.
New Mexico to Receive $74.4 Million in Broadband Grants
WASHINGTON, August 16, 2010- New Mexico entities received a $10.6 million broadband stimulus grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and support for a $63.8 million project from the Rural Utilities Service of the Department of Agriculture. The NTIA grant will be g
FCC Establishes Office to Aid Tribal Lands, Native Communities
WASHINGTON, August 13, 2010 – The Federal Communications Commission recently established an office to better focus on communications infrastructures in tribal lands and native communities. The office will be headed by Geoffrey Blackwell, and will be part of the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affair
Vilsack Announces Funding of 126 Broadband Projects
WASHINGTON August 4, 2010 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the funding of 126 new broadband projects with a funding total of $1.2 billion. The projects will span 38 states and a number of Native American tribal areas.
House Hearing for Internet Gambling Bill
WASHINGTON, July 23, 2010- H.R. 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act, will require online gaming sites to purchase licenses and subscribe to existing gambling laws. In a hearing this week the main stakeholders voiced their concerns.
FCC Extends Deadline for Native Nations Broadband Task Force Applications
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2010 – The Federal Communications Commission [https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/fcc/] has extended the deadline for nominating new members to the Native Nations Broadband Task Force [https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tag/native-nations-broadband-task-force/].