ATS Fundraising For Members

Fundraising For ATS Communities Last Mile Wireless Network Build Outs

The ATS mission consists of two parts:

1. Leverage the FCC-awarded Tribal 2.5GHz spectrum to obtain last mile wireless infrastructure funding to create and expand a statewide Alaska Tribal Network (ATN) that will deliver sustainable, affordable “Broadband For All” everywhere in the State of Alaska.
2. Support efforts to deliver additional middle mile capacity to rural Alaska. 

ATS has created a last mile design that leverages the Tribal 2.5 GHz spectrum—referred to as the Alaska Tribal Network, or ATN. There are many Tribal benefits in the ATN design. The ATN will connect to any available middle mile. ATS also supports all efforts to bring more middle mile connections (fiber or satellite) for the ATN communities in rural Alaska.

The good news for Alaska is that the federal government announced their Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021 that set aside $65B in funding directed to bring Broadband For All. As of November 2022, almost all awards under the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) have been made for fiber expansion for the middle mile combined with fiber to the home connections to the buildings in the communities. In the next 5 years or so, the fiber map for Alaska will change significantly. This is a good thing, but many rural communities will not be getting fiber for some time.

ATS also applied for funding in part one of the TBCP in September 2021 to fund the installation of the ATN in a large number of its member communities that can connect to satellites right now. The NTIA award is pending final approval as of November 2022. When funded, ATS will work with partners to deliver the ATN last mile in a very short time to enable affordable phone and broadband for villages that applied with ATS. The ATN will connect to whatever middle mile is available in each community. Right now, where there is no fiber, that middle mile is LEO satellites from Starlink and OneWeb. When fiber arrives, the ATN will connect to it easily.

ATS has also supported several fiber bids for communities and encourages fiber connections to the ATN last mile for true mobility. ATS also supports USDA Reconnect efforts to bring fiber to its member communities.

ATS plans to bid in round two of the TBCP to equip more communities with an ATN last mile.

ATS will work to acquire BEAD funding and work with the state of Alaska to apply last mile or middle mile capabilities to connect to the ATN last mile installations.

ATS is currently working with a large number of Tribes in applying Treasury Capital Project Funding to enhance their last mile broadband networks.

ATS will be creating digital equity plans in coordination with a large number of its member Tribes and applying for funding to implement those plans. ATS will coordinate with the state of Alaska as their digital equity plans are developed.

Adding your community to the ATN is very easy to do. Join ATS as a managed member to be eligible to participate in grant awards to enable last mile buildouts in your community. There is no cost to join and you give up no rights of spectrum ownership. There is no commitment other than having ATS manage your spectrum for use on the network, which will generate income for your Tribe.

Learn more about current ATS grant activities here.