While some Tribal Nations have made great progress toward improving their fixed and mobile broadband speeds, others are falling further behind.

Key Takeaways: 

There are stark contrasts in fixed connectivity among the 110 Tribal Nations we analyzed. For example, 36% of them have median fixed download speeds below 100 Mbps, which is the minimum download speed for broadband connectivity as defined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). However, nineteen Tribal communities have median fixed download speeds greater than 300 Mbps. Similar to fixed, 47 Tribal Nations had median 5G mobile download speeds of less than 100 Mbps and 12 communities have median mobile download speeds of 300 Mbps or greater. 

Funding and partnerships are critical to successful broadband deployments in Tribal Nations. The Zuni Nation, which shares geography with New Mexico, has exceptionally high median fixed download speeds of 458.1 Mbps. Its partnership with the Continental Divide Electric Cooperative (CDEC) plays a key role in this community’s high broadband speeds. 

Three Tribal Nations with the slowest median mobile download speeds share geographies with the state of Alaska and their remote locations make them prone to poor connectivity. 

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community recorded surprisingly high median 5G mobile download speeds of 468.42 Mbps in Q1 2025, which is more than 60% faster than the median 5G mobile download speeds of Minnesota, which shares geography with the Tribal Nation. 

U.S. Tribal Nations experience some of the biggest gaps when it comes to access to fast and reliable fixed and mobile connectivity. While progress has been made in some Tribal Nations, the connectivity gap for many remains quite large. 

According to the FCC’s 2024 data, approximately 23% of residents of Tribal Nations lack access to high-speed internet service, defined as 100 Mbps download speed and 20 Mbps upload speed (100/20 Mbps). 

Using Ookla® Speedtest® data, we analyzed the fixed and mobile broadband performance of 110 Tribal Nations in the U.S. from Q1 2021 to Q1 2025 and compared them with the connectivity speeds of the states that share geography with them. 

This isn’t the first time Ookla has examined the disparity in connectivity among Tribal Nations in the United States. Ookla for Good™, which has a mission to help bring fast and reliable internet access to every person, regardless of location or socioeconomic status, examined the disparity in connectivity among Tribal Nations in the United States in 2021 and this report serves as a follow up to that report.

The Gaps in Fixed Broadband Speeds Vary Greatly 

The results are quite surprising. Of the 110 Tribal Nations we analyzed, 74.5% had median download speeds below the median download speeds of the states where they share geographies. However, there were 19 Tribal Nations that had median download speeds greater than 300 Mbps and 18 of those communities have median download speeds faster than the state where they share geographies.

In addition, 36.4% of them have median download speeds below 100 Mbps, which is the minimum download speed that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) uses to define broadband connectivity. 

The Zuni Tribe, which shares geography with New Mexico, stands apart from the rest with its exceptionally high median download and upload speeds. Members of the Zuni Tribe experienced median fixed download speeds of 458.1 Mbps as of Q1 2025, which is more than double the median download speed of 208.59 Mbps that New Mexico users experienced in Q1 2025. In addition, Zuni Tribe members log fixed median upload speeds of 248.21 Mbps in Q1 2025, which are nearly 10x the 25.35 Mbps median upload speed that New Mexico users experienced in the same time period.

U.S. Tribal Nations with the Fastest Fixed Download Speeds
Comparing the median download speed of tribal nations with the median download speed of the state where they share geography | Q1 2025
U.S. tribal nations with the highest fixed median download speeds and how that compares to the median download speed of the state where they share geography as of Q1 2025.

There are other examples as well. Two Tribes that share geography with North Carolina —the Meherrin Tribe and the Lumbee Tribe— also surpassed North Carolina in median download speeds but to a lesser extent than the Zuni Tribe.

The Meherrin Tribe experienced median download speeds of 384.32 Mbps in Q1 2025 compared to North Carolina broadband users that experienced median download speeds of 312.36 Mbps in the same quarter. Likewise, the Lumbee Tribe clocked a median download speed of 374.67 Mbps in Q1 2025, which is about 20% higher than North Carolina.

Upload speeds, however, paint a different picture for the Meherrin Tribe and the Lumbee Tribe. The Meherrin Tribe experienced median upload speeds of 32.95 Mbps and the Lumbee Tribe experienced median upload speeds of 32.98 Mbps in Q1 2025. These speeds are slightly lower than the median upload speeds of 35.07 Mbps experienced by North Carolina users in the same time period. 

U.S. Tribal Nations with the Fastest Fixed Upload Speeds
Comparing the median upload speed of tribal nations with the median upload speed of the state where they share geography | Q1 2025
U.S. Tribal nations with the highest fixed median upload speeds and how that compares to the state median upload speed where they share geography as of Q1 2025.

Some Tribal Nations Rely on Painfully Slow Internet Speeds

In contrast to the Zuni Nation, users in the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, which inhabits the same region as Connecticut, experience fixed median download speeds of just 6.15 Mbps in Q1 2025, which likely means they rely on DSL or satellite for their internet connectivity. Mashantucket Pequot Tribe’s median download speeds were 98.2% lower than the 332.92 Mbps median download speed that users in Connecticut experienced in Q1 2025. In addition, Mashantucket Pequot Tribe members clocked a median upload speed of just 6.59 Mbps, which is 91.4% lower than the 76.72 Mbps median upload speed that Connecticut users experienced in Q1 2025. 

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation was awarded $493,008 in October 2022 through the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) to improve its broadband connectivity. The grant is intended to assist 163 tribal households with broadband connectivity, which is equal to $3,024 per household. The project was initially supposed to be completed in 2023, however, that deadline was recently extended to April 2026 so it’s likely we will see an increase in the tribal nation’s median broadband speeds after that date. Although it’s unclear why this project’s deadline was extended, many tribal entities have had their deadlines extended to give them more time to get access to the technical expertise needed for this type of project. 

Similar to the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the Kotzebue Tribe also suffers from poor fixed broadband speeds. The Kotzebue Tribe is located on the Baldwin Peninsula in Kotzebue Sound, about 33 miles north of the Arctic Circle. This area is a transportation hub and is often referred to as the “Gateway to the Arctic.” The Kotzebue Tribe shares geography with Alaska where residents get an average median download speed of 167.34 Mbps, which is 91.7% higher than the Kotzebue Tribe’s median download speed of 13.9 Mbps. 

A similar trend exists in median upload speeds. Alaska residents experience a median fixed upload speed of 23.83 Mbps, which is 81.1% higher than the 4.50 Mbps in median upload speeds experienced by Kotzebue Tribe members. 

U.S. Tribal Nations with the Slowest Fixed Download Speeds
Comparing the median fixed download speed of tribal lands with the median fixed download speed of the state where they share geography. | Q1 2025
U.S. Tribal lands with the slowest fixed median download speeds and how that compares to the overall state’s median fixed download speed.

U.S. Tribal Nations with the Slowest Fixed Upload Speeds
Comparing the median fixed upload speed of tribal lands with the median fixed upload speed of the state where they share geography | Q1 2025
U.S. Tribal lands with the slowest fixed median upload speeds and how that compares to the median fixed upload speed of the state where they share geography.

The Kotzebue Tribe’s remote location contributes to its inability to get high-speed service. This area is typically reliant upon subsea fiber optic cable for connectivity but these are often damaged resulting in interruptions to service. In addition, deploying fiber optic cables to remote areas such as this is extremely challenging and expensive. 

Funding, Tribal Support Key to Delivering Strong Connectivity

Funding and tribal support play a very big role in the state of broadband connectivity in Tribal Nations. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) established the TBCP in 2021. The TBCP is a $3 billion grant program established through two key pieces of legislation: the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which provided an initial $980 million, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which added another $2 billion in funding. 

As of 2024, the TBCP had awarded $1.8 billion in funding to 226 Tribal entities. 

The TBCP is complemented by the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which requires collaboration between states and Tribal governments on broadband. Other agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the FCC also offer rural development grants and affordable broadband programs that help Tribal Nations get better access to broadband. 

For example, Zuni Tribe’s superior fixed broadband speed is due to its partnership with the Continental Divide Electric Cooperative’s (CDEC). The CDEC in March 2022 received a $4.4 million grant from the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission to deploy high-speed gigabit fiber to approximately 2,200 households and businesses, which is equal to about $2,000 per location, in the Zuni Nation. The goal was to extend broadband to every family on the reservation by the summer of 2023. 

The chart below shows the dramatic uptick in median download speeds for the Zuni Nation between Q3 2023 and Q4 2023 when households and businesses gained access to gigabit fiber. 

The Zuni Tribe’s Fixed Download Speed Evolution
Speedtest | Q3 2022 through Q1 2025
A comparison of the Zuni Tribe’s Median Download Speeds with the state of New Mexico.

Not surprising, Tribal Nations that are able to secure broadband funding from programs such as the TBCP are likely to have the best median download and upload speeds. Similar to Zuni, the Lumbee Tribal Nation of North Carolina received a $19 million grant in 2021 to assist with hardships created by the Covid-19 pandemic, including assistance with Internet access for distance learning. 

Mobile Connectivity on Tribal Lands Differs Greatly Too

Similar to fixed broadband connectivity, mobile service performance in Tribal communities also varies dramatically. When looking specifically at 5G connectivity 19% of Tribal communities had median mobile download speeds that outpaced the 5G median mobile download speeds of the states where they share geographies. 

For example, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community experienced median 5G mobile download speeds of 468.42 Mbps in Q1 2025, which is 64.3% faster than the median 5G mobile download speeds of 285.05 Mbps for Q1 2025 for the state of Minnesota, which shares geography with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Tribal Nation. 

Shakopee Mdewakanton also was a top performer in median 5G mobile upload speeds of 36.92 Mbps in Q1 2025, which is more than double Minnesota’s 5G median mobile upload speeds of 14.87 Mbps. 

These fast 5G speeds are likely a result of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Tribal Nation’s many gaming and resort ventures, including the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and the Little Six Casino, which are large employers and generate a lot of revenue for the Tribal Nation, which drive investments in 5G infrastructure. 

The Puyallup Tribal Nation, which is one of the more urban tribal lands, located near Tacoma, Washington, also experienced strong median 5G mobile download speeds in Q1 2025 of 369.33 Mbps, which is 58.8% greater than the median 5G mobile download speeds of the state of Washington, which clocked in at 232.63 Mbps in Q1 2025. The Tribal Nation also surpassed the state of Washington in median 5G mobile upload speeds of 17.57 Mbps in Q1 2025 compared to Washington’s median 5G mobile upload speeds of 12.8 Mbps.

U.S. Tribal Nations with the Fastest 5G Mobile Download Speeds
Comparing the median mobile download speed of tribal nations with the median mobile download speed of the state where they share geography | Q1 2025
U.S. Tribal nations with the fastest mobile median download speeds and how that compares to the median mobile download speed of the states where they share geography.

U.S. Tribal Nations with the Fastest 5G Mobile Upload Speeds
Comparing the median mobile upload speed of tribal nations with the median mobile upload speed of the state where they share geography | Q1 2025
U.S. Tribal lands with the fastest mobile median upload speeds and how that compares to the median mobile upload speed of the state where they share geography.

Tribal Nations Near Alaska Struggle with Mobile Connectivity

Three Tribal Nations with the slowest median mobile download speeds and the two Tribal Nations with the slowest median mobile upload speeds are tribal lands that share geographies with the state of Alaska. Barrow (also known as Iñupiat people of Utqiaġvik), Bethel and Wassamasaw are the top three in slowest median mobile upload speeds, which includes all cellular technologies including 5G, 4G and 2G combined. These three Tribal Nations logged painfully slow mobile upload speeds in the single digits compared to Alaska, which has a median mobile upload speed of 8.35 Mbps. 

Utqiaġvik, also known as Barrow, is the northernmost community in the United States and is only reachable by airplane. The Bethel Tribal Nation is not as remote as Barrow but is 400 miles northwest of Anchorage, Alaska. The extreme remote location of these Tribal Communities make their access to both mobile and fixed broadband services particularly challenging. 

U.S. Tribal Nations with the Slowest Mobile Download Speeds
Comparing the median mobile download speed of tribal nations with the median mobile download speed of the state where they share geography | Q1 2025
U.S. Tribal lands with the slowest mobile median upload speeds and how that compares to the median mobile upload speed of the state where they share geography

U.S. Tribal Nations with the Slowest Mobile Upload Speeds
Comparing the median mobile upload speed of tribal nations with the median mobile upload speed of the state where they share geography | Q1 2025
U.S. Tribal lands with the slowest mobile median upload speeds and how that compares to the median mobile upload speed of the states where they share geography.

Funding, Remote Locations Create Obstacles for Tribal Nations

There are many reasons for the connectivity gap we see between Tribal Nations and the states where they share geographies. Some Tribal Nations are located in remote areas with difficult terrain making it costly and challenging to deploy telecom infrastructure. In addition, the low population density on tribal lands discourages private service providers from investing in infrastructure. 

Even though there are federal funding programs like the TBCP available to Tribal Nations, many Tribes lack the resources to navigate those programs because each has its own eligibility requirements, application processes, and reporting requirements. 

Infrastructure Ownership Differs in Tribal Lands

Telecom infrastructure ownership is handled differently in Tribal Nations. In some instances, the Tribe owns and operates the telecom infrastructure giving them more control over the services and a revenue stream. However, this requires an upfront investment in deploying the infrastructure and running the network. One example of this is Yurok Telecommunications, which is 100% tribal-owned and is in the process of deploying fiber to 2,000 homes. 

In other cases, such as the Zuni Tribe, a partnership is formed between the Tribal Nation and a private company, or as in the Zuni example with a utility company, to help the tribe manage the operations and deliver the services. 

Mobile services also are delivered on Tribal lands in a variety of ways. Major cellular operators such as Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T lease land from Tribal Nations for their cell towers and related infrastructure and then offer services (often discounted through programs such as Lifeline, which when offered to residents of Tribal Nations includes an additional discount) to the community. This type of partnership allows Tribal Nations to generate revenue through land leases and provides long-term steady income. 

Spectrum ownership is another potential revenue stream for Tribal Nations. The FCC in 2020 opened a Rural Tribal Priority Window allowing Tribal Nations in rural areas to directly obtain unassigned 2.5 GHz spectrum licenses before that spectrum was offered for auction. This move was intended to empower the Tribal Nations to provide their own wireless services.

Many Tribal governments are interested in having more ownership over telecom networks and are exploring different approaches, ranging from full ownership of infrastructure to partnerships with private entities such as ISPs or even creating a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) model. 

Data For Further Analysis Available Through Ookla for Good

Tribal Nations that are lacking in broadband and mobile connectivity may want to take a close look at some of their peers that are flourishing such as the Zuni Tribe and the Shakopee Tribe. 

Ookla for Good™ offers our full Tribal data set to anyone that would like to do further analyses. This is just one example of how our work with academic, humanitarian, and community-focused partners extends beyond improving internet speeds. We aim to leave a lasting impact on the communities we support worldwide. To access the Ookla for Good full dataset:

 To find out more about Speedtest Intelligence® data and insights, please contact us here.