The process asked individuals and then later small groups to participate in intuitive brainstorming. Second the facilitators worked with the group to weaver their ideas together in clusters with an eye to new relationships. Third, the group named clusters of ideas in an attempt to articulate their profound insights on each. Finally, the facilitators led the group in reflection on what had been accomplished, the new resolve and decisions that have been made.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN — As an introductory activity, participants were asked to do a brief scanning of the external and internal environment. The following data includes the questions asked and participant’s brainstormed responses.

State of Technology - Basic Data

• Lack of bandwidth for technology for distance learning
• Assessing refining issues and writing utility code
• Limited accessibility for T1 lines
• Local phone companies do not think tribes or tribal entities are working with new technologies
• No competition for technologies drives up cost
• Perception that tribes do not have infrastructure or expertise to warrant upgrading services to reservations
• Service providers denying or overcharging for tribal access
• Financial access barriers for hook-up for even where systems exist
• Public utility codes of states not looking out for interest of tribes
• Without utility codes, tribes have no voice
• Lack of basic phone service in tribal communities unserved areas – nobody’s responsibility
• Communication issues between long distance coalition and local exchange and who is responsible as a result nothing gets implemented
• Unknown on who to lodge compliant with for action need local education

ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN (Trends) — The trend conversation considered the shifts and changes in the external world. The group discussed international, national, Indian Country and regional trends. There are both assisting trends, those which we can take advantage of, and resisting trends those which could catch us up and distract us from our focus. Trends are listed below.

Assisting Trends

• Tribes have had to become service providers themselves
• USWest and GTE selling off exchanges
• Technological options available now that were not before

Resisting Trends

• Feds and service providers expect tribes to know real numbers, accessibility and services
• Phone companies driven by profit motive
• Rural areas where no switching capacitates exist are not being built onto
• Local carriers are not upgrading existing equipment
• Relationship between projects that get funded and what gets delivered is shaky
• Indian Country has not benefited from universal service funds – Or are they? Maybe receiving and using elsewhere
• Technologies developed for urban access
• Volume capacities not perceived as needed in rural areas
• When LATA boundaries were developed, reservations were not considered

Both Assisting and Resisting Trend

• Deregulation

What are the Specific Actions We Can Take to Seed Telecommunications Services in Our Communities?

Prioritization of Actions — The group was asked to organize the action arenas to indicate which activities were out front, breaking through barriers and creating opportunities for success in other areas, followed by supporting actions.

Participants: Alex Alavi, (Motorola NSS), Ruby Begay (Navajo Nation, Social Services), Hiram Campbell (Sonoma County Indian Health Project, Safety), Emmett Chase MD, MPH, CEO (K’im:w Medical Center), John Charlie (Yukon Kuskokwin Health Corporation), Steve Dupuis (Salish Kootenai College), Gladys Fisher (Colorado River Indian Tribes), Lee Gardner (Consultant, Colorado River Indian Tribes), Louis Good Voice Eagle (Rosebud Sioux Tribe Planner/Grant Writer), Eric Gregory (CA Area Indian Health Service), Linda Gutierrez (Fort Mohave Telecom Inc.), Michelle Hansen (Attorney, Suquamish Tribe), Neal Holt (CA Rural Indian Health Board), Brett Johnston (Nez Perce Tribe), Laurie LaCour (Nez Perce Tribe), Herman Laffoon (Colorado River Indian Tribes), Alfred Largo (Navajo Nation Social Services), Isaac MacKechnie (Sault St. Marie Tribe), Joseph Manual (Gila River Telecommunications), John Mullen (NMSU), Bahram Nassersharif (NMSU, Alpha Noel, (TCA), Ray Poitra (UNIBAND CEO), Linda Riley (NMSU), Georgia Rye (Suquamish Tribe Treasurer), Steve Sabotta (Nez Perce Tribe), Roy Sahali (Tribal Connections Project), Sam Sekaquatewa (CISCO), Chuck Spencer (CISCO), Dan Carlos Steele MD (Sonoma County Indian Health Project), Theresa Wright (San Diego American Indian Health Center) Madonna Pelltier Yawakie (MN AISES Professional Chapter)

For more information on the Alire Group Facilitation Services: 1030 Jasmine Street, Denver, CO 80220

Phone: (303) 355-0167, Fax (303) 355-0162, E-mail alirepley@igc.apc.org, www: aliregroup.com

Agenda | Needs & Assessment | Attendee List | 1998 NAITW