Bridging the Digital Divide in Indian Country : Federal Efforts

The lack of communications services in Indian Country -- be it high speed internet or "broadband", traditional wireline phone service, mobile service, radio broadcast, or TV broadcast service -- is well known. As the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has observed previously, "by virtually any measure, communities on Tribal lands have historically had less access to telecommunications services than any other segment of the population". The lack of robust communications services presents serious impediments to Tribal Nations'' efforts to preserve their cultures and build their internal structures for self-governance, economic opportunity, health, education, public safety, and welfare. This book examines federal efforts to bridge the digital divide in Indian country with a focus on the internet infrastructure in native communities and equal access to e-commerce, jobs and the global marketplace.