Project Title:
Mille Lacs Band Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Project
Funding Program:
Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program - Round 1
Project Purpose/Type:
The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber to directly connect 356 unserved Native American households, 7 unserved Native American businesses, and 10 unserved community anchor institutions with service ranging from 250/250 Mbps to 1000/1000 Mbps.
State(s):
-
$11,407,585.00Funding Amount
The project proposes the following activities designed to improve access to, and use of, broadband services among Tribal members:
- Construct a 185.5-mile hybrid middle-mile and last-mile network to directly connect unserved Native American households, businesses, and community anchor institutions with qualifying service ranging from 250/250 Mbps to 1000/1000 Mbps.
This project will allow the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, in conjunction with its gaming arm Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, to control its overall telecommunications network, support Tribal businesses and people within Tribal community areas, and provide reliable high-speed connections within Tribal communities so that Mille Lacs members who chose not to subscribe to services or are not served as a result of this proposed project have access to broadband service.
The project intends to benefit all unserved Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe households, 7 unserved Mille Lacs Band businesses, 10 unserved Mille Lacs Band community anchor institutions, and all Tribal members who utilize the businesses and community anchor institutions to be connected by the project.