News
A new partnership is the Arizona State Broadband Office’s latest step to engage nearly two-dozen tribal nations.
By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
The Arizona State Broadband Office has engaged a Native American-owned-and-governed company to lead Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) outreach and engagement to the state’s 22 tribal nations.
The company, Tribal Ready, PBC, has decades of expertise in network design and delivery in high-cost rural areas.
According to the company’s announcement, Tribal Ready’s team will work closely with leaders from all 22 tribes “to assess the current status of their broadband planning efforts and determine their potential interest in participating in the BEAD process.”
Tribal Ready CEO and Chairman Joe Valandra called the task a vital mission in statements included with the announcement.
“This initiative reflects our commitment to supporting tribal sovereignty and ensuring that every tribal community has the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the digital economy,” Valandra said.
The company’s outreach will begin immediately, Tribal Ready’s Sept. 5 release stated.
A summary of Tribal Ready, provided by the firm, describes the company as “committed advocates for tribal sovereignty.”
“Our mission is to ensure that high-speed broadband reaches every Native American individual and community,” the summary stated.
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