In recognition of the critical importance of broadband connectivity and digital equity for all, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has announced a $980 million allocation in grants to enhance internet accessibility within tribal communities. This announcement represents the second phase of funding efforts to continue narrowing the connectivity gap and empower underserved tribal nations with all the current advantages of the digital age.
A considerable portion of the U.S. population still struggles without access to reliable and affordable high-speed connectivity. This situation disproportionately affects the more than 500 tribal communities across the nation which frequently find themselves underserved or even unserved by the majority of the legacy operators.
An analysis conducted by the American Indian Policy Institute, using FCC data, reveals that a mere 67% of tribal lands in the U.S. possess broadband internet access, and the majority of these connections offer inadequate speeds that are insufficient for many of today's essential applications that we increasingly rely on for work or personal needs. Even with access, affordability remains an additional barrier, with only half of tribal residents possessing the means to subscribe to modern broadband services.
The NTIA has looked to address the issue through its latest round of funding grants. While government funding constitutes a notable step forward in addressing the connectivity gap, tribal communities must now navigate which is the most practical and cost-effective network model to leverage this limited investment for expanding digital access across their communities.
Enter the CBRS solution: overcoming the hybrid challenge
In more urban settings, fixed broadband, facilitated by fiber infrastructure connecting end users, has emerged as an increasingly preferred means of connecting local residents. However, for tribal communities often located in very remote areas, implementing a similar fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) infrastructure to connect residents or businesses can be very costly and complex. The need to cover much greater physical distances, challenging environments, higher labor costs, and prolonged installation times all contribute to making FTTH a highly challenging proposition for carriers.
In such unique environments, a hybrid fiber/wireless network architecture can be a much more attractive and practical option. Fiber can still be deployed in the network but toward the edges. The “last mile” can be complemented with a fixed wireless solution, which can provide high-speed 5G-based connectivity to local homes and businesses.
Traditionally, when considering deploying any kind of cellular network, a community or organization would have had to also acquire or license the wireless spectrum, either leasing it from a carrier or directly from the government. This spectrum model changed back in 2020 when CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) became available in the United States. CBRS is a 150 MHz wide broadcast band, highly standardized within the 3.55-3.7 GHz spectrum band, available to organizations of all types across the United States for outdoor and indoor private cellular (LTE) network applications. And access to it is free, which makes the overall economics of the wireless solution much more operator friendly and very much helps organizations of all types do more with their limited budgets.
The advent of CBRS means that any municipality, enterprise, or any other organization can deploy and operate a high-performance cellular wireless network, without the great expense of acquiring or licensing spectrum. This means the hybrid fiber/wireless model becomes viable. These networks provide tribal communities with the ability to provide reliable and high-performance coverage across a very broad area - for much less cost and with a faster time to service, while still providing broadband speeds to support today’s mix of advanced use cases and applications, like video streaming and virtual conferencing. Fixed broadband cellular achieves approximately four times greater service coverage than Wi-Fi and can be used for both indoor and outdoor coverage. And since it’s a private network, there are also no issues with speed throttling or data caps (and extra costs) that typically come from using a public carrier’s service.
As of January 1, 2023, the NTIA's Institute for Telecommunication Sciences has reported 287,033 active CBRS devices transmitting across the United States, with over 70% of these devices situated in rural areas, underscoring how the fixed wireless model is a good fit for these types of environments. With the appropriate setup and support, this technology can provide a dependable, secure, and cost-efficient broadband service, capitalizing on all the inherent benefits of broadband and 5G.
Concluding the bridge to equity
CBRS spectrum, often referred to as “the innovation band” has acted as a catalyst for change, with its unique technical and economic benefits maximizing the impact of government investment for tribal communities. Thanks to the advent of CBRS spectrum, tribal communities can leverage technology solutions that provide broadband coverage across a very large geography cost-effectively, with rapid deployment times.
Numerous entities are currently taking proactive steps to leverage this government investment. Early adopters are diligently implementing advanced networks that combine fiber and wireless infrastructure to connect their communities, extending broadband services to even the remotest corners of their territories.
The NTIA's second funding wave breathes new opportunity into tribal communities that strive for digital equity and the clear benefits to a community that come with it. Internet access, video streaming, IoT, Telehealth, education, economic opportunity, and more; CBRS presents these communities with an efficient and cost-effective solution to bridge the connectivity divide.
The availability of affordable and easily manageable wireless infrastructure offers these communities ample opportunities to utilize government funding to bridge the digital divide. By investing in these technological solutions, underserved tribes can unlock economic prosperity. Ultimately, this investment will lead to a bridged gap, ensuring equal access to internet services for all.
