Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Explained
The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) provides $3 billion in federal funding through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to tribal entities to expand affordable broadband internet access on tribal lands. After announcing Round One award recipients, the NTIA extended the Round Two application deadline, making another $1B available to applicants.
This guide explains the TBCP program, who can apply, and what types of broadband projects it funds before describing the broadband technologies best suited for deployments on tribal lands.
Table of Contents
| Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program At-A-Glance | |
|---|---|
| Eligible Applicants |
Tribal organizations, governments, colleges and universities; the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Alaska Native corporations |
| Projects Funded |
Broadband infrastructure deployment, telehealth, distance learning, and programs to make broadband more affordable and accessible |
| Broadband Technology Options |
Fiber, wireless, next-generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) |
What Is the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program?
The TBCP provides nearly $3 billion in federal grants as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All Initiative. These grants are funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The program’s goals are to expand broadband internet access on tribal lands and to promote the use of broadband internet for remote learning, telework, and telehealth resources. The program awards $1,000,000 - $50,000,000 for broadband infrastructure deployment projects and $100,000 - $2,500,000 for broadband use and adoption projects.
Who Can Apply for the TBCP?
The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program is open to:
- Tribal governments
- Tribal colleges and universities
- The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands on behalf of the Native Hawaiian Community, including Native Hawaiian education programs
- Tribal organizations
- Alaska Native corporations
What Types of Projects Are Funded by the TBCP?
Eligible broadband projects include:
- Broadband infrastructure deployment
- Affordable broadband programs
- Distance learning
- Telehealth
- Digital inclusion efforts
- Broadband adoption activities
What Technologies Are Available for Tribal Broadband?
TBCP award recipients have a choice between two primary technologies used to deliver broadband internet access: fiber or fixed wireless. Each has advantages and disadvantages to consider.
Fiber offers faster speeds, but deploying new fiber infrastructure is both expensive and time-consuming. Fiber can be especially challenging on tribal lands because it runs underground, which requires digging trenches. The terrain is often difficult and requires extensive right-of-way permitting because of abundant railroad tracks, public lands, and sacred sites. In addition, fiber lines must run to every service location to deliver access.
Wireless deployments are faster because they don’t require trenching or permitting. Once a wireless radio tower goes up, it immediately delivers internet service for miles surrounding it. The main downsides of wireless broadband are decreased speeds, the potential for buildings or terrain to block line-of-site (LOS), and interference from other wireless devices, though new technologies are developing to solve these problems.
Tarana delivers superior wireless broadband performance with the world’s first next-generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) platform, G1. G1 provides fiber-class broadband internet access in challenging deployment environments, even when mountains, trees, or buildings block LOS.
Next-Generation Wireless Access for Tribal Broadband
Tarana’s base nodes (BNs) and remote nodes (RNs) use industry-first technology like distributed massive MIMO, perfect multipath integration, and asynchronous burst interference cancellation (ABIC) to minimize interference and ensure excellent performance. The Tarana Cloud Suite provides a centralized, cloud-based control panel to streamline the planning, deployment, and management of tribal wireless broadband networks.
As a trusted Tarana Wireless distributor, WAV can help you use your TBCP funds to build a high-performance wireless broadband network that reaches everyone in your community, regardless of terrain. Partnering with WAV and Tarana gives you access to priority stock and world-class customer support to ensure speedy, hassle-free deployments.
Contact WAV to learn more about using your Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program funds to deploy a Tarana Wireless network.
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