Many residents of Tribal lands and native communities lack affordable access to modern communications tools and networks, and risk being left behind as these technologies quickly develop. The FCC is addressing this gap through regulatory action, consumer information and community outreach.
We also work to ensure robust government-to-government consultation with federally-recognized Tribal governments and increased coordination with Native organizations, as we strive to promote every community’s full participation in the 21st century communications landscape.
Office of Native Affairs and Policy
Our Office of Native Affairs and Policy promotes the deployment and adoption of communications services and technology throughout tribal lands and Native communities.
ONAP consults and coordinates with American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, Native Hawaiian organizations and other Native and Tribal entities, and is the official FCC contact point for these activities. It also engages in work with FCC commissioners, bureaus and offices, as well as other government agencies, private organizations and the communications industries, to develop and implement related FCC policies.
The importance of the work was first officially recognized by the FCC in 2000 when it issued its Statement of Policy on Establishing a Government-to-Government Relationship with Indian Tribes (Word Doc).
The creation of ONAP (PDF) was one of the recommendations of the National Broadband Plan, which includes increasing access to Broadband in Indian Country as an important goal There are 4.1 million American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States and more than 565 federally recognized Tribes with their own unique political and tribal structures. There is minimal access to Broadband in Indian Country. The best evidence indicates that the broadband deployment rate on Tribal lands is less than 10 percent, and anecdotal evidence suggests that actual usage rates may be as low as 5 to 8 percent, compared to 65 percent nationwide.
ONAP also works to increase opportunities for telephone subscribership in Native and Tribal lands as part of the Lifeline Across America discount telephone service program.
Broadband Coverage
The National Broadband Map provides broadband availability data from providers offering service to the approximately 318 federal Reservations and associated off-Reservation Trust Lands. Map developers anticipate including information concerning the Native Nations and communities with different types of land tenures -- for example those Native Nations in Alaska and Oklahoma, as well as Native communities on lands in Hawaii and elsewhere -- as map development continues.
