Improving and Increasing Broadband Deployment on Tribal Lands

The primary objective of the report is to inform policymakers about continuing obstacles to broadband deployment on Tribal lands, highlight Tribal success stories, and provide potential solutions that could benefit residents of Indian country. The report identifies obstacles to broadband deployment and associated issues, including statutory obstacles; regulatory and economic barriers; geography and demographics; deployment barriers; mapping challenges; Tribal consultation and engagement issues; accessibility; and adoption and demand issues. It also discusses Tribal success stories where barriers have been overcome. Tribal members then offer policymakers in Congress and at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) recommendations aimed at removing the remaining obstacles and barriers to broadband deployment on Tribal lands identified in the report and closing the persistent digital divide between Indian country and the rest of America. Key recommendations include statutory changes to remove or loosen single-use support restrictions; opening the role of Tribes in the designation of eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) status and removing the outdated requirement that ETCs provide voice services; regulatory changes to ensure build-out on Tribal lands earlier in the build-out period; linking Tribal auction bidding credits to meeting deployment obligations on Tribal lands; and giving serious consideration to adjusting legacy-rate-of-return carrier support levels to better reflect the unique and higher costs of serving Tribal lands.