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In 2020, 18 percent of people living on tribal lands had no way to sign up for broadband internet service, according to the American Indian Policy Institute. That’s compared to 4 percent in the rest of the country. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing broadband disparities on tribal lands in the US. While federal funding has been allocated to address the issue, supply chain issues and labor shortages have slowed progress. The broadband infrastructure on tribal lands is often outdated and underfunded, making it difficult for residents to access online resources and services.

The Federal Communications Commission is set to release the first round of its updated national broadband map.

The $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act President Joe Biden signed in November 2021 included $65 billion to get high-speed internet to more people. Much of that funding is expected to be channeled into rural and low-income communities. Now, exactly how all those billions will be distributed is still being worked out. In the meantime, many states aren’t waiting. They are boosting broadband access using another pot of cash, tapping into pandemic relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act  — a law that included about $360 billion for broadband investments and support.

One policy issue that has haunted every Federal Communications Commission in the past decade, and then some, is net neutrality. That’s the idea that internet service providers have to treat all content equally and can’t slow down or charge more for certain kinds of content. Rules have ping-ponged between administrations. Obama’s FCC put neutrality rules in place in 2015 and Trump’s appointee repealed them in 2017. New Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel supports net neutrality rules. She said, "I think things are always sturdier when they’re written into law.

Congress created a $3 billion fund to provide low-income Americans with $50 per month for broadband service. The subsidies start May 12 and the program is, for now, temporary.

The White House’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan proposes $100 billion for broadband. Right now, however, it is hard to get broadband to large expanses of this country unless the infrastructure is in space. Low-Earth-orbit satellite constellations could bring high-speed internet access to those areas. Elon Musk’s Starlink is the best known, but there are a few other companies in the mix. Who could benefit from this new version of satellite internet? Sascha Segan from PCMag says, "This is going to be transformative for people in rural areas.

A Q&A with Angela Siefer, executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. 

A Q&A with Matthew Rantanen, director of technology at the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association, which runs a wireless network that provides service to 19 tribes near San Diego. He also advocates for policy that will help tribes and said that money is just a baseline. The CARES Act created a $1 billion fund to help tribes build their own networks. It is a good foundational start. But there’s more to be done.