Ute Indian Tribe

Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation Fiber Optic Infrastructure Project

Many of the community anchor institutions on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, home to the Ute Indian Tribe, lack sufficient broadband infrastructure to interconnect the tribal government, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and other federal agencies. Many residents in the area, such as the Fort Duchesne Tribal Community, are also severely underserved by current broadband providers.
The Ute Indian Tribe is proposing to install new fiber optic cable to enhance distance learning, telehealth, and public safety applications in the region. The project would also help spur economic opportunities and social services in an area that, according to BIA, has an unemployment rate of up to 77 percent. The network would bring speeds of up to 10 Mbps to police, courts, emergency and social services facilities, and enable rapid information sharing between local, inter-tribal, state, and federal agencies.

Total Award: 
$1418266
BTOP In Action
A sign in the foreground and two people walk towards a construction site

The Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation has connected more than 40 community anchor institutions to its network as part of the Ute Indian Tribe Fiber Optic Infrastructure Project. The Tribe has deployed nine miles of fiber-optic cable and connected 10 Wi-Fi hotspots on the reservation. Service provided throughout the reservation is substantially upgrading services to community anchor institutions, including two schools, one library, three healthcare institutions, 27 government facilities, and five public safety entities. The Tribe currently provides Internet service to approximately 150 underserved households in the Fort Duchesne Tribal community. The grant also allows the Ute Indian Tribe to implement technology that will provide its people with resources necessary for education, jobs, and citizen engagement.

Reports and Documents
Award Documents