In Short:
Choice Broadband, a wireless broadband branch of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, has partnered with Tarana to bring high-speed internet to Tohatchi, New Mexico, a part of the Navajo Nation. Tarana’s next-generation FWA network will serve nearly 400 unreachable locations, offering speeds up to a gigabit. This partnership aims to overcome terrain challenges and accelerate broadband access for the indigenous tribe’s residents and businesses.
Choice Broadband, the wireless broadband branch of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, has partnered with ngFWA vendor Tarana to introduce a next-generation FWA broadband network in Tohatchi, New Mexico. This innovative network will provide reliable, high-speed internet to residents and businesses of Navajo Nation, the largest indigenous tribe in the United States.
Overcoming Terrain Challenges
In Tohatchi, the rocky terrain and significant distances between homes have made the installation of fiber for broadband access very expensive. Through the use of Tarana’s ngFWA technology, Choice Broadband was able to extend coverage to nearly 400 previously unreachable locations.
Accelerating Broadband Access
Despite the deployment of fiber along a nearby highway in 2013, the high cost of fiber-to-the-home connections has prevented residents from accessing true broadband services. Now, thanks to Tarana’s ngFWA, unserved families and underserved residents in Tohatchi can enjoy immediate speeds of 100 Mbps, with speeds of up to a gigabit in the near future.
During the network launch event on March 14, Choice Broadband highlighted the capabilities of the new wireless broadband network, stating that it is the first of its kind to offer speeds exceeding 100 Mbps. The company plans to introduce 10 more ngFWA-backed broadband networks in different Navajo Nation communities this year.
Established in 2014, Choice Broadband delivers 4G LTE fixed/mobile broadband and voice services throughout the Navajo Nation, with 98% of its network operating on 4G technology.
