Tribal Nations income level considerations:

• High poverty rates and the inability for Indian households to pay for telephone services.
• Recognize the need for economic sustainability in business development considerations.

New Federal Legislation and it’s ability to support tribal economic development:

• Federal Hubzone Legislation and it’s impact on economic development in Indian Country.
  
   

The role of the Federal Communication Commission, and other federal agencies in supporting improved telephone services in Indian Country:
 

• Identifying the Federal Communication Commission’s role and other agencies in improving tribal telecommunication infrastructure.
• Need for federal outreach to tribes.
• Federal assumptions about Indian Country’s lack of phone service.
• Identify similarities to other types of federal infrastructure programs, ie., roads, electricity, and water.
• Create Federal Register clearinghouse for Indian Country.

Tribal Government’s role:

• The need for Indian participation and leadership.
• Identify easements and ROW issues and the history of the role of the BIA in their program policies.
• Recognize the first step to tribal telephone utility development is the creation of tribal Utility commission’s and codes.
• Recognize the need for Land Use Plans that are culturally based.
• Tribal Utility Commission’s role in regulating rate increases and assessing taxes on existing service providers.
• Tribal development of tax code.
• Identify Tribal Nation residents options to paying state taxes on communication services.
• The need for service provider to obtain a Certificate of Necessity and Convenience from Tribal Nation to provide service to that respective Nation
• The need for a uniform national tribal telecommunication utility code.

Professional Indian organizations role:

• Engage Indian telecom/technical/regulatory organizations in creating consortiums to support telecom improvements.
• National Tribal Telephone Association and it’s role in getting elected tribal officials to buy into improving telecommunication’s by participating in other national Indian organizational sessions or meetings.
• Coordinate group efforts to develop one tribal national telecommunication agenda.
• The need for telecom training workshops for tribes.
• Establish a tribal utility development workshop.
• Conduct regional and national telecommunication meetings in Indian Country.
• Identify private/public sector financing with engaged investors.
• Conduct technology forums
• Establish ongoing dialogue and workshops in telecom and utilities through Indian organization and participation.
• At future workshops/conferences demonstrate technology applications.

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