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Date: Jun 17, 2020
Where: Webinar - June 17, 2020, 4:00 to 5;30 p.m. EDT
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About the Event:
June 17, 2020, 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. EDT
Broadband Opportunities in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF)
Join NCAI, tribal practitioners, and Federal Communication Commission (FCC) presenters on Wednesday, June 17, 2020, from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. EDT to discuss the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). The RDOF will provide up to $20.4 billion over 10 years to communications providers for communities that are unserved or underserved by broadband internet. The RDOF auction includes a tribal lands bidding preference to include more eligible tribal locations in this opportunity. This webinar will provide an overview of the RDOF auction, discussion from tribal practitioners, and a Question & Answer session between the FCC and attendees.
Nearly 80 percent of the $20.4 billion is available in Phase I, which is scheduled to begin October 2020. The deadline for letters of interest for Phase I is July 15, 2020.
If no entity expresses interest in providing broadband over your lands, then your nation could be entirely left out of RDOF funding for the next 10 years.
For those nations that do not operate a broadband network, partnerships with service providers could provide opportunities to bring broadband to your nation without construction, operation, and maintenance of broadband networks. Local service providers are often unaware of FCC broadband funding opportunities and bidding preference for service over tribal lands.
Timing for this opportunity is crucial and all nations are encouraged to submit a letter of intent to the FCC for the RDOF Phase I auction. We hope you will join us in bridging the digital divide in Indian Country as we discuss the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund!
NCAI Contact: Tyler Scribner, Policy Analyst, tscribner@ncai.org