On Tuesday, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly formally announced the award of $105.8M to five Arizona tribes to fund high-speed internet connections on tribal lands.
The funds will come from the U.S. Department of Commerce through the Internet for All Initiative. The money is expected to fund projects through the following five agencies:
- Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program for Hopi Telecommunications, Inc.
- Navajo Tribal Utility Authority
- The Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona
- San Carlos Apache Tribal Council/Triplet Mountain Communications, Inc.
- The White Mountain Apache Tribe
As a result of this initiative, more than 33.3K homes are expected to receive high-speed internet.
Per a 2018 Federal Communications Commission report, it was discovered that 35% of people living on tribal lands in the United States are without internet service. It was made clear during the COVID-19 pandemic the increasing need for home broadband access in Native communities, when online classes and telework became the norm.
According to Navajo Nation President, Jonathan Nez, low-income tribal citizens will receive basic internet for free through a Federal Communications Commission program.
These awards from the Commerce Department make up the last of the $500M+ package that Vice President Kamala Harris announced would be awarded by the end of August. The funds are part of a larger effort initiated by the Biden administration to increase broadband internet service to both tribal and rural communities throughout the country. (Source)