NANA Regional Broadband Network (NRBN) | NANA Regional Broadband Network

Under the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, NANA was awarded a $65,168,000 broadband infrastructure deployment grant, along with an $8 million investment by the NANA Board of Directors. Through these funding sources, NANA is supporting the design, permitting, and installation of a high-speed fiber network spanning more than 1,100 kilometers (725 miles). Once complete, the network will connect eleven tribal communities across the NANA region, linking villages that have long been isolated from modern broadband services.

Through this grant, NANA NET will deliver broadband access to residents, businesses, and schools across the region. The project reflects a unified regional approach and builds on relationships that have strengthened our communities for decades.

NANA will build both middle-mile and last-mile fiber networks. The middle-mile network will connect all eleven communities to one another and to the broader internet. The last-mile network will bring fast, affordable, and reliable broadband directly to each household.

Residential service will include unlimited data for every household, far surpassing current limited offerings in the region, where all communities are considered unserved under NTIA standards.

To support ongoing operations, NANA NET will establish a Regional Network Operating Center (NOC) in Kotzebue. The NOC will provide 24/7 network monitoring, create permanent regional jobs, and support local village technician positions to maintain and monitor infrastructure across the region.

The NANA Regional Broadband Network Project has been officially accepted as a covered project in the FAST-41 program. This national recognition provides permitting support, facilitates streamlined environmental reviews, and improves coordination among agencies, without changing any laws or public input opportunities. Federal, State, and Local permits are underway.

As we work to bring true fiber broadband experience for 7,000 Northwest Arctic residents in 11 remote Arctic tribal villages, we understand our community members have questions about what this means for the future.

We will post project updates for major milestones as they become available.

This project is made possible through a $65 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, under the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, along with an $8 million investment by the NANA Board of Directors. NANA recognizes the significance of this federal investment and the important role of national partners in expanding high-speed broadband in Tribal and rural communities. Together, these investments represent a significant step toward closing the digital divide in Northwest Alaska and highlight the strength of regional collaboration.

4.3 NRBN Construction Website Update Download