HIGH SPEED INTERNET COMING TO MILLE LACS TRIBAL ECONOMY
On March 23, 2023 the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe was awarded a $11.4 million grant from the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) to construct a Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe owned high-speed symmetrical fiber to the premise network that connects over 1,140 homes, 110 businesses, and 45 anchor institutions across the Mille Lacs Tribal Economy.
The project, which started well over 18 months ago, has been led by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Grants team and Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures (MLCV), in partnership with Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC), a telecommunications cooperative based in Brainerd. The project will help address critical infrastructure gaps by enabling technologically advanced, middle-mile fiber infrastructure across the Mille Lacs Tribal Economy to bring affordable, robust, high-speed broadband Internet to homes and businesses. The partnership between the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and CTC demonstrates the community minded spirit and ingenuity of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe as they look to be the leader in solving the digital divide in rural Minnesota.
The project will install approximately 236 miles of fiber optic cable, connecting unserved businesses, tribal government holdings, and households. Ultimately this project furthers technology sovereignty and future-proofs the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe for further expansion and economic development.
"This is an incredible award for the Band,” said Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin. "The need for affordable and reliable broadband service became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic; we knew it was time to double-down on our efforts. We are dedicated in providing the much-needed connectivity for our Tribal members and surrounding communities, so they have the best access for education, telehealth, and economic growth. I’d like to recognize our grants director, Brittany Wind, and her team, as well as Beth Gruber from Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures for their attention to detail, willingness to collaborate, and hard work in bringing this project across the finish line.”
