National Tribal Broadband Strategy

On Jan 15, the Department of Interior’s (DOI) Indian Affairs released the National Tribal Broadband Strategy (NTBS), a work product of the American Broadband Initiative. Designed as a roadmap for the Federal Government and the private sector, the NTBS highlights the strategic components to broadband deployment and expansion, and the necessary actions needed to spur investment within American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities.  The Strategy was developed in collaboration with the White House Council on Native American Affairs (WHCNAA). The strategy focuses on seven strategic areas for development and proposes 28 actions for the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, and Interior, as well as the Federal Communications Commission, IMLS, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The strategic areas are: 

• Coordination: Grow a Community of Practice  
• Data: Improve Data Collection, Analysis, and Reporting  
• Network Building Blocks: Expand Backhaul, Middle Mile, and Spectrum Resources  
• Funding: Promote Public and Private Investment  
• Permitting: Reduce Complexity and Delays  
• Adoption: Bring Broadband into Homes and Businesses  
• Economic Development: Leverage Broadband for Greater Impact  

The strategy considers the diverse ecosystem for tribal broadband development, including more than 20 federal agencies; hundreds of local and national internet service providers; state, local, and tribal governments; schools, libraries, and cultural centers; banks; community financial development institutions; advocacy groups; and many others.