FCC Chairman Ajit Pai pledged to do whatever it takes to bring broadband to Tribal lands. During his recent 18 stop trip through the Upper Midwest and Plains states, the chairman met with Tribal representatives from Oklahoma to Wisconsin.
He told attendees of the National Congress of American Indians last week as networks evolve, so too must FCC rules. “Instead of the large, hundred-foot towers of the past, the networks of today and tomorrow are increasingly relying on small cell and distributed antenna system (DAS) infrastructure that has a much smaller footprint and a much lower profile. Small cell, DAS, and 5G deployments hold great promise for delivery of new wireless services with increased speeds, accessibility, and reliability.”
The Tower Construction Notification System effectively prevents projects from harming historic properties of religious and cultural significance to Tribes, but some say it needs updates as networks change. Given the common ground on issues like deploying broadband for all Americans and preserving Tribes’ heritage, “I hope we can reach consensus,” he said.
Approximately 85 percent of residents of Tribal lands in rural areas lack access to high-speed fixed broadband, according to the chairman. There are now nearly a dozen Tribally owned and controlled telecommunications carriers—with hopefully more on the horizon, said Pai. To make that happen, the agency has begun moving forward with the Connect America Fund Phase II reverse auction in which providers will compete for nearly $2 billion in support to expand broadband to unserved areas, including on Tribal lands. The Commission also adopted a framework to distribute $4.53 billion in Mobility Fund Phase II subsidies to bring 4G LTE to parts of rural America that don’t have it; $340 million was reserved for Tribal Lands over the next decade.
June 19, 2017
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