WASHINGTON, August 13, 2025 – Reliable connectivity is essential for everyone, including those living in remote regions such as Tribal Nations.
A new report from Ookla revealed disparities in broadband and mobile internet speeds across 110 Tribal Nations.
According to the analysis, 36 percent of the Tribal Nations surveyed have median fixed download speeds below 100 Mbps – the minimum benchmark for broadband as defined by the Federal Communications Commission.
In contrast, 19 Tribal communities recorded median fixed download speeds exceeding 300 Mbps.
Mobile connectivity showed similar results. 47 Tribal Nations had median 5G mobile download speeds under 100 Mbps, while 12 communities reached mobile speeds above 300 Mbps.
Tribal Nation’s broadband success occurs through funding and partnerships. Zuni Nation, in New Mexico, boasts of a median fixed download speed of 458.1 Mbps. This is among the highest in the report and is largely credited to a strong partnership with the Continental Divide Electric Cooperative–an Electric utility company in Grants, New Mexico.
However, remote geography remains a barrier for some. Three of the Tribal Nations with the slowest mobile speeds are located in Alaska, where challenging terrain and isolation hinder infrastructure deployment.
Notably, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community was an exception to this rule, recording a median 5G download speed of 468.42 Mbps in Q1 2025—more than 60 percent faster than Minnesota’s statewide median.