Project Title:
Colville Tribes NTIA Broadband Expansion
Funding Program:
Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program
Project Purpose/Type:
The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber directly connecting 2,867 unserved Native American households with qualifying broadband with the following speeds: Fiber: 1 Gbps symmetrical; wireless: 300/30 Mbps.
State(s):
-
$48,405,830.78Funding Amount
The project proposes the following activities designed to improve access to, and use of, broadband services among Tribal members:
- Construct a hybrid wireless, middle mile, and fiber-to-home broadband network.
- Create 33 jobs to support project design, implementation, and network management. All jobs will comply with the Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance.
- Deploy fiber aerially and underground to key villages along route, connecting to backhaul stations throughout the reservation.
- Deploy a wireless network in areas that fiber cannot reach.
This project expects to improve economic outcomes on the Colville Reservation, promoting remote work and entrepreneurship. Access to affordable broadband will also increase remote learning opportunities, telehealth services, and public safety programs, in addition to supporting digital inclusion efforts.
The project intends to benefit all residents of the Colville Reservation to include 309 businesses and 140 community anchor institutions.