Fiber Broadband Association Spotlights Critical Conversations on Tribal Broadband at Fiber Connect 2025

Fiber Broadband Association Spotlights Critical Conversations on Tribal Broadband at Fiber Connect 2025 

From critical issues such as Digital Sovereignty to Rights of Way management, Tribal Nations help shape the future of fiber broadband 

WASHINGTON, D.C.— (April 23, 2025)—The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA), led by its Tribal Broadband Roundtable, has curated a comprehensive program to address key issues as Tribal Nations leverage fiber broadband to enhance services, expand healthcare access, create jobs, and preserve tribal heritage. Tribal Broadband topics are integrated throughout the Fiber Connect 2025 program, which takes place June 1 – 4 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The Gaylord property occupies the ancestral hunting and traditional lands of the Cherokee, Shawnee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Creek peoples. 

“Fiber broadband is enabling tribes to transform economic opportunities- creating jobs, improving quality of life, sharing our rich culture, and preserving our traditions and languages,” said Robert Griffin, Tribal Broadband Director, The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Chair of the FBA’s Tribal Broadband Roundtable. “The content we’ve curated for Fiber Connect is designed to tackle the fundamental challenges of deploying fiber broadband on tribal lands, share best practices, and chart a path forward as we look to connect every tribal resident to a better future.” 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, American Indian and Alaska Natives communities in tribal areas have some of the nation’s lowest high-speed internet access rates in the United States. While this gap is narrowing—facilitated by federal and state grants including the NTIA Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect Program, and the U.S. Department of Interior’s National Tribal Broadband Grant Program,—significant challenges remain. Rural locations, lack of financial investment in tribal communities, vast geographic coverage, and complex regulatory environments continue to impede network deployment in these areas.  

The Fiber Connect 2025 program includes insights from the Undersecretary of Technology and Innovation, Chickasaw Nation, Chris Shilling on how fiber broadband has changed his community. In the afternoon Breakout Sessions, tribal broadband experts will examine key issues in panels such as:  

• Tribal Broadband: Architecting for Growth 

• Empowering Tribes by Creating Broadband Programs that Respect Sovereignty  

• Creating the Framework for Innovation and Enhanced Connectivity 

Additionally, during the Broadband Policy Symposium, federal policy officials, tribal leaders, and key stakeholders will dive into shifting political priorities as the new administration reexamines programs and policies. 

Tribal Nation, First Nation, and Indigenous Community attendees will have exclusive complimentary access to the Tribal Broadband Networking Lounge, providing a dedicated space for meetings, collaboration, and networking with fellow tribal broadband leaders and representatives at Fiber Connect 2025.  View the Fiber Connect 2025 agenda and register here.  

As part of its continued commitment to Tribal broadband, the FBA will also spotlight these critical issues during the Regional Fiber Connect in Scottsdale, taking place October 16. The event will dive into unique opportunities and challenges Tribal communities face in deploying fiber, with sessions dedicated to digital equity, access, and economic empowerment in Indigenous regions.  

For sponsorship opportunities contact Lucy Green at lgreen@fiberbroadband.org. Stay updated by subscribing to the Fiber Broadband Association’s weekly newsletter here.