Colville Tribes become broadband license recipient

NESPELEM, Wash. – The Colville Tribes announces that it is one of the first recipients of a spectrum license issued through the Federal Communications Commission and its Rural Tribal Window program. This license provides the Tribes exclusive use of wireless spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band to connect communities on the Colville Reservation to wireless services.

The Colville Tribes plans to implement this license by deploying wireless broadband in two phases. Phase one will include services to communities near Keller (including the housing developments Alice Flats, Meadow Creek, Mountain Ridge and San Poil Homes), Nespelem (the town, lower and upper HUD housing and White Buffalo housing), Inchelium (the town and Butter Cup Lane), and Omak (east side Omak, Malott Housing, Lone Pine, Rocky River, Moccasin Flat, and Eagles Nest housing developments).

Phase one locations may have services by April 2021. Phase two will expand to more remote communities in Omak (Disautel and Kartar Valley), Inchelium (Twin Lakes, Kewa, and Seylor Valley), Keller (northern and southern San Poil valley along State Highway 21), and Nespelem (Rebecca Lake, Belvedere, and McGinnis Lake).

The Chairman of the Colville Tribes, Rodney Cawston, said, “The expansion of wireless services will reach about 80% of the Reservation. It will benefit all residents, especially students and our elders. During this time of the pandemic, better wireless service is vital to serve education, health and public safety concerns.”