Thanks to a Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Round 2 grant funded by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Alaska’s Athabascan community of Nenana will soon be able to access fiber-based broadband service.
As part of a three-way collaboration with the Nenana Native Association, Tanana Chiefs Conference, and Alaska Communications, the project will bring fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) service to 362 households, 30 businesses, and nine anchor institutions.
Affordability is a critical element of internet access and a necessary condition for economic growth. Alaska Communications will offer consumer services at the same rates in urban areas. It also participates in the FCC’s Lifeline program, which provides a telecommunications subsidy for low-income consumers.
JT Baker, Tribal Administrator of the Nenana Native Association, said, “Access to broadband leads to improved healthcare, education, and economic outcomes.”
But this fiber network is not just about connectivity.
Besides offering better internet services for residents, the new fiber network will generate jobs for Alaskans.
Through this project, the Nenana Native Association will leverage the Tanana Chiefs Conference’s robust workforce development initiatives to offer residents paid on-the-job training opportunities.
The partners will seek to hire at least two apprentices for the project's two-year term. Apprentices will have the opportunity to engage in project development, design, logistics, and construction of the broadband network, preparing them for a future career supporting the network and the many new projects coming to Alaska. Apprentices will receive remote telecommunications training through the National Coalition for Telecommunications and Information Technology Education (NCTI) program.
Service is expected to be available in early 2027.
Alaska Lawmakers praised the development as a bipartisan effort to bring broadband to rural areas
“Alaskans continue to see new benefits borne by the bipartisan infrastructure law, and this latest announcement is great news for some of our underserved communities,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski. “It can’t be said enough – if you don’t have access to reliable high-speed internet, you’re falling behind in today’s world.”
Senator Dan Sullivan agreed and added that this agreement reflects the transformative nature of offering high-speed broadband service in rural areas.
“Many of our rural, Alaska Native communities are without reliable broadband infrastructure that most Americans take for granted,” he said. “That’s why I have worked relentlessly with Alaska communities to negotiate billions of dollars in Alaska-specific provisions in the bipartisan infrastructure bill, bring federal officials to see Alaska’s unique challenges first-hand, and improve Alaska’s broadband reach across the state.”
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Sean Buckley
Sean is responsible for establishing and executing the editorial strategies of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report across their websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products.