Nice to see the Tribal Broadband Bootcamps from the Institute for Local Self Reliance get noticed by Finance and Commerce…

Ultimately, though, if broadband expansion is to succeed on tribal lands, it will happen because people understand how to make it work in their communities, and that’s where nuts-and-bolts training sessions like this come into play.

More than 1 in 5 homes on tribal lands lack access to adequate broadband, compared to fewer than one in 10 on non-tribal land in 2024, according to Federal Communications Commission data. But experts say the disparity is likely greater.

Tribal nations have struggled to connect to the web for a variety of reasons ranging from living in remote locations to lack of investment by internet service providers. The lack of service has hampered every aspect of 21st century life, from health care and education access to the ability to start a business and stay in touch with friends and family.

“A lot of tribal communities, they’re probably decades behind a lot of urban areas in terms of internet connectivity,” said E.J. John, a Navajo Nation member and policy analyst at the American Indian Policy Institute. “Connectivity rates are very low.”

With at least $3 billion specifically set aside for tribal nations, depending on how they fare competing for the biggest pot of federal money for broadband expansion, Rantanen said he has received a “flood” of interest in training and applying for grants.

The solution Rantanen and Mitchell came up with was the Tribal Broadband Bootcamp, a hands-on way to help people understand the technology through three-day sessions.

“We actually want people to see a fiber optic network in the ground that they can use tools to manipulate and troubleshoot,” said Mitchell, who runs broadband efforts for a nonprofit called the Institute of Local Self-Reliance.

Most previous bootcamps have taken place on tribal lands, but about a third of the sessions have been hosted on Rantanen’s ranch, which the founders affectionately call a “broadband playground.”

At the group’s 14th bootcamp in June, participants roamed the ranch on foot and by utility vehicles trailed by clouds of dust.