Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet)
Difficult terrain both east and west of the Cascade mountain range has impeded the construction of broadband facilities to local residents and community organizations. NoaNet’s State of Washington Broadband Consortium project aims to deliver enhanced, affordable broadband capabilities to community anchor institutions and local Internet service providers across 25 of Washington’s 39 counties by augmenting NoaNet’s existing fiber-optic network. This project would complement NoaNet’s $84.3M BTOP Round One award that is funding the construction of 831 miles of fiber-optics in southeastern and southwestern Washington. The project intends to support advanced telemedicine services, boost bandwidth available at regional schools that currently suffer from network problems when too many users try to access the Internet at once, and enable public safety entities to access JusticeNet, Washington state’s integrated network supporting state judicial system institutions. The project plans to enhance connectivity to six Indian tribes in the state, including the Tulalip Tribes of Washington, the Kalispell Tribe of Indians, the Yakama Nation, the Lower Elwha Kallam Tribe of Indians, the Suquamish Tribe, and the Port Gamble S’Kallam Tribe of Indians.