Gov. Lewis welcomes attendees to the 2024 NTTA Tribal Broadband Summit

Velia Moncada

Gila River Indian News

Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis welcomed over 200 experts and federal partners in broadband networking and telecommunication technology across Indian country to the National Tribal Telecommunications Association (NTTA) Summit on April 9 at the Gila River Resorts & Casinos—Wild Horse Pass.

“We are really in such historic times, and with all the leaders here and subject matter expertise, this moment can be a technological movement,” said Gov. Lewis in his welcome address.

Gov. Lewis acknowledged the great work of Gila River Telecommunications Inc. (GRTI) as they continue to provide services throughout the Community. He explained the significant technological advancements GRTI has developed, creating more resources for Community members that were not available to them before.

Gov. Lewis said that, as a tribal leader, it is amazing to see the advancements in equitable access to technology in the Community. He also said it was an honor to host the NTTA summit, as many tribal telecommunications and broadband networking companies were in attendance, as well as federal partners to invest in and assist with the growth of this type of networking across Indian country.

“There are 574 federally recognized tribes throughout the United States and only 11 telcos that are owned by tribes,” said NTTA President, Godfrey Enjady.

He explained that if creating a telco was easy, there would be more tribal communities with telcos.

NTTA was created to assist with the regulatory hurdles and barriers that can occur when establishing a telco. With funding from the government through the NTTA, the association works with tribal communities to provide their own telecommunications and broadband networking.

The summit also showcases innovative strategies and success stories in tribal telecommunications, with discussion on policy initiatives and funding opportunities. Along, with many other presentations empowering tribal communities and the vitality of telecommunications and broadband networking.

For more information on NTTA and their resources, visit https://nationaltribaltelecom.org