Spectrum is up for grabs: FCC program presents unique opportunity for tribes

Spectrum is up for grabs: FCC program presents unique opportunity for tribes

Radio spectrum could bring internet access to rural communities

Federally recognized tribes have an opportunity to get radio broadband for their communities. That could allow for better internet access in rural and remote parts of the state.

In July 2019, the Federal Communications Commission announced it was accepting applications from tribes for a portion of the 2.5 GHz band of radio spectrum that can be used for things like broadband internet connection and other communication needs.

Under the FCC’s allocation program, tribal governments would be able to receive bandwidth allocation free of cost. The catch is that tribal governments can only apply for a portion of the broadband that is currently unlicensed.

“What’s unique to Alaska is all (2.5 GHz) spectrum is unassigned,” said Will Micklin, third vice president of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. “So eligible tribes may make applications for all of the spectrum. It’s more than sufficient for a radio broadband spectrum.”

So Alaskan tribes would be able to control the right to broadcast over an entire spectrum of radio broadband. Tribes would then be able to use that spectrum however they see fit. According to the FCC, the 2.5 GHz spectrum is suitable for a number of applications and is currently used by both commercial and educational providers.

“You can use it, you can lease it, you can sell it if you want to because that spectrum is the sweet spot,” Micklin said.

The spectrum isn’t necessarily an internet connection, but it can be used from that. With relatively lost-cost infrastructure a community could deploy just a few small antennae and provide communication services within a radius of several miles, depending on the positioning of the device.

To get internet service, a community would still have to tap into an existing internet network, whether through satellite or fiber-optic cable. But even without internet service communities could communicate internally, sharing things such as health care data, Micklin said.

These communication networks can be installed in small communities for about $15,000, according to Mariel Triggs, CEO of Mural Net, an Oakland, California-based nonprofit that helps to bring internet connections to tribal communities.

In 2018 Mural Net worked with the Havasupai Tribe in Arizona to bring these connections to their community on the floor of the Grand Canyon. According to Triggs, installing the access points (things like radio receivers and routers,) took $15,o00 and less than a day of labor.

Those local receivers were then able to connect with local internet service providers to bring strong enough broadband internet service to support streaming video to 90% of the village, according to Triggs.

That presents a problem for Alaska, because even with the local communication networks there’s not always an existing internet infrastructure for rural communities to tap into. Because laying fiber-optic cable would cost far too much, Micklin said, tribes were looking at providing internet via satellite.

But, he said, establishing these networks would allow for those connections in the future and for other uses such as geo-tagging fishing boats or hunters.

Micklin said Tlingit and Haida wanted to bring regional tribes together to collaborate on ways using the spectrum could benefit rural communities. The window for tribes to apply for spectrum allocation is Feb. 3 to Aug. 3, 2020. After that, the remaining spectrum will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

There are use requirements and concerns about finding ways to make ownership of the spectrum sustainable. But, Trigg said, those requirements are fairly easy to meet, and there are a number of opportunities to monetize the networks.

“Grab it, you’ll figure it out later,” Triggs said.

More in News

Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File
The Aurora Borealis glows over the Mendenhall Glacier in 2014.
Aurora Forecast

Forecasts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute for the week of March. 19

State Sen. Bert Stedman, center, co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee, presides over a committee hearing Thursday. The committee on Monday approved an $8.4 million fast-track supplemental budget to address staff shortages in processing food stamps, public defenders and legal advocates for vulnerable residents. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer)
Bill with funds to address food stamps backlog goes to governor

Legislature gives near-unanimous approval to hiring extra staff to fix months-long backlog

Hoonah’s Masters Bracket team poses for a group photo on Saturday after being crowned this year’s champs for the M bracket in the Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at JDHS. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Hoonah crowned Gold Medal Masters Bracket champs

Hoonah’s Albert Hinchman named MVP.

President Joe Biden speaks during an event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 23, 2023, celebrating the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. Recent moves by President Joe Biden to pressure TikTok over its Chinese ownership and approve oil drilling in an untapped area of Alaska are testing the loyalty of young voters, a group that’s been largely in his corner. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Biden’s moves on Willow, TikTok test young voters

A potential TikTok ban and the Alaska drilling could weigh down reelection bid.

Students dance their way toward exiting the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium near the end of a performance held before a Gold Medal Basketball Tournament game between Juneau and Hydaburg. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Over $2,500 raised for Tlingit language and culture program during Gold Medal performance

A flurry of regionwide generosity generated the funds in a matter of minutes.

Legislative fiscal analysts Alexei Painter, right, and Conor Bell explain the state’s financial outlook during the next decade to the Senate Finance Committee on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Legislators eye oil and sales taxes due to fiscal woes

Bills to collect more from North Slope producers, enact new sales taxes get hearings next week.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office is seeking information about this man in relation to a Wednesday bank robbery in Anchorage, the agency announced Thursday afternoon. Anyone with information regarding the bank robbery can contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at 907-276-4441 or tips.fbi.gov. Tips can be submitted anonymously.  (FBI)
FBI seeks info in Anchorage bank robbery

The robbery took place at 1:24 p.m. on Wednesday.

Kevin Maier
Sustainable Alaska: Climate stories, climate futures

The UAS Sustainability Committee is hosting a series of public events in April…

Reps. Tom McKay, R-Anchorage, and Andi Story, D-Juneau, offering competing amendments to a bill increasing the per-student funding formula for public schools by $1,250 during a House Education Committee meeting Wednesday morning. McKay’s proposal to lower the increase to $150 was defeated. Story’s proposal to implement an increase during the next two years was approved, after her proposed amounts totalling about $1,500 were reduced to $800.
Battle lines for education funding boost get clearer

$800 increase over two years OKd by House committee, Senate proposing $1,348 two-year increase

Most Read