3 Steps to Prepare Your Tribe For Long-Term Broadband Success

Within many tribes, it’s integral to look back on previous generations and forward to future generations—to make the best decision for today. Every path taken can influence the journey ahead, and that future is what keeps us interconnected as we embark on new endeavors, like bringing broadband services to your tribe. 

Providing broadband is not a decision to make lightly. It can bring tremendous benefits to tribes, especially when we consider the way we share information today. 

While we are accustomed to oral storytelling, many cultural aspects of life, including language and ceremony, can be well-preserved and shared online. It’s a way we can reach members of all ages—and bridge them together to fortify their bonds. 

When a tribe owns, either in part or wholly, their broadband services, local economies can soar, communities can come together, and critical infrastructure can be secured. 

Yet there’s a lot to consider. Building a broadband network is time-consuming, expensive, and overwhelming. On top of the network itself, there are also questions about how to run the service and ensure that everyone in the community has access. 

That’s why we created Broadband Academy, which is available to anyone at no cost. Once enrolled in Broadband Academy, you can take Broadband Services Fundamentals and our new course, Understanding Broadband Services for Tribal Communities

In this course, you’ll gain detailed information about how to operate a broadband business as a tribe. One of the lessons focuses on planning your broadband services especially with the future in mind.  Let’s take a closer look.

Prepare Your Community Today For the Next Generation of Broadband Services

Too many people are living without adequate broadband service. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, to transition to remote work or connect with vital services. 

If you’re interested in starting a broadband journey for your tribe, you may not be sure how to prepare your community for the change. There are three main steps to a successful broadband deployment for the future of your tribe. 

1. Plan short- and long-term goals via the feasibility study. The feasibility study is a pre-evaluation of the project and service area, resulting in an extensive report. The feasibility study is a critical first step in defining the scope of your broadband project and funding requirements, and it often includes the following:
   
   
   • Market research. Take a closer look at who your subscribers are—and the area where you’ll serve. This will help you better understand what works for your community.  
   • Existing infrastructure. Do you already have any infrastructure in place? Understanding what you have will help you determine your best next steps.  
   • Network technology options. There are many options for network technology, and it’s important to carefully consider all of them to make the right decision.  
   • Network design. This can be intimidating if you’ve never designed a network before, but there are partners, like Calix, that can help you in this critical step. 
   • Financial business case. Paying for the project might seem overwhelming, but there are many funding opportunities available to tribes. You can start by learning more about funding by reading my blog post and enrolling in Broadband Academy. 
     
     In many cases, the feasibility study is conducted with a partner. Good partners will have familiarity with the tribe’s priorities, really listen to concerns, and have cultural sensitivity so their recommendations reflect the true needs and values of the community. 
      
2. Spread awareness with education initiatives that demonstrate the benefits of broadband. It may not be immediately clear to your community how broadband can help. After all, many have lived with inadequate service—or no service at all. Spreading awareness is crucial to gaining community support.  
   
   
   • Ensure that people recognize how broadband can provide telehealth services, online courses and education, streaming and gaming, video calls, eCommerce for small businesses, and security monitoring.  
   • Teach people how to navigate the online world. Run classes on digital literacy, walk through using apps or resetting Wi-Fi passwords, and inform the community about common terms, like “bandwidth” or “speed.”
   • Lean on in-person, printed, and digital methods of delivering this education. You don’t have to commit to one or another. In fact, a hybrid approach is often the most successful.  
      
3. Conduct ongoing skills training for a community-based workforce. Hiring within the community provides employment opportunities that may not have existed before—and you’ll need the workforce for day-to-day operations like network operations and technician roles. 
   
   
   • Ask broadband partners if they have “train the trainer” services. 
   • Reach out to local colleges to collaborate on a curriculum.  
   • Continue to train your team regularly.  

These three steps will help you prepare the entire community for tribe-owned broadband, bringing unparalleled benefits to many who deserve reliable, high-speed connectivity. As you look to the future, set up your tribe for digital longevity. Enroll in Broadband Academy and be sure to take Broadband Services Fundamentals and the course, Understanding Broadband Services for Tribal Communities. Both will lay a strong foundation for your broadband journey. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at claudia.tarbell@calix.com. Having walked the broadband deployment journey personally, I am here to help guide you through every phase—you don’t have to do it alone. 

Enroll in Broadband Academy to dive deeper into preparing your broadband services for future generations and learn the ins and outs of broadband deployment.