Frequently Asked Questions

ATS is a Tribal member nonprofit that in July 2020 had a primary mission to ensure that the FCC-offered 2.5 GHz spectrum was reserved for Tribal benefit before the FCC application window closed. In this mission, ATS was highly successful and, in just 2 months, ATS rallied with the support of 85 Tribal members to reserve spectrum over a large area of Alaska. This was possible because ATS understood the unique communication challenges for rural Alaskan Tribes and created a quick, simple way for Tribes to participate as a consortium and apply collectively instead of 85 individual efforts.

The current mission of ATS is to:

1. Leverage the FCC-awarded Tribal 2.5GHz spectrum to obtain last mile wireless infrastructure funding to create and expand a statewide Alaska Tribal Network (ATN) that will deliver sustainable, affordable “Broadband For All” everywhere in the State of Alaska.
2. Support efforts to deliver additional middle mile capacity to rural Alaska.

Learn more about ATS

Learn about the many benefits of ATS membership

Learn about the ATN

Learn about the benefits of being an ATN Community.

The reality is that in rural Alaska, approximately 60,000 people have no access to fiber backhaul and they won’t anytime in the near future. The ATS mission is to create a statewide Alaska Tribal Network (ATN) using the Tribal 2.5 GHz spectrum. This wireless last mile will connect to whatever middle mile is available. For now, that is new satellite capabilities capable of generating broadband service over the ATN. In the future when fiber arrives, the ATN will connect to it to provide additional capabilities and drive costs downward. The Tribe also benefits in many ways by installing the ATN last mile in their community.

New satellites can deliver a very satisfying consumer solution in rural Alaska. There are two types: Geostationary High Throughput satellites (GEO – HTS), and Low Earth Orbit satellites (LEO) from OneWeb and Starlink. Combining HTS GEO with new LEO technology could provide affordable broadband to every underserved (Tribal) community last mile wireless network in Alaska in the very near future. It can also enable current generations to have broadband while they await the time and expense of getting fiber in the future.

If you are not already an ATS member, and you own or have applied for 2.5 GHz spectrum, you have the opportunity to join ATS as a managed member.

ATS applies for government funding on behalf of its member communities to construct last mile infrastructure for rural Alaskans throughout the state. With our membership’s large collective 2.5 GHz wireless spectrum footprint, we are proposing to install a statewide Alaska Tribal Network (ATN) that creates the opportunity to deliver affordable broadband everywhere, maximizing revenue for each member Tribe.

ATS has over 100 members and is growing as more Tribes join in this collective effort to bring affordable broadband to each member community now. ATS also makes things much easier by creating consortium grant applications and managing the 2.5 GHz spectrum to maximize the benefit to every member.

Becoming a managed member simply means you will agree to let your spectrum be managed by ATS in conjunction with other ATS spectrum to expand the ATN. As a member, you are also eligible to participate in the makeup of the Policy Board that governs the network policies for the statewide ATN. You will receive all of the benefits and opportunities for income for the use of your spectrum. You will give up no rights. You will still be the license owner of your spectrum.

The FCC application window was a unique opportunity for Tribal Organizations across Alaska to directly access unassigned spectrum over their Tribal lands, subject to buildout requirements. The 2.5 GHz band is suitable for both mobile coverage and fixed point-to-point uses to enable state-of-the-art broadband services, including 5G. The spectrum can be used for last mile wireless networks like the Alaska Tribal Network to distribute broadband connections to the homes and businesses in your community.

The spectrum that was made available in this window is a portion of the 2.5 GHz band, consisting of three different channels: one 49.5 megahertz channel, one 50.5 megahertz channel, and one 17.5 megahertz channel. We applied for all available spectrum across all three channels where available.

You can watch this short video on how 2.5GHz broadband works from the FCC.

If you live in a remote rural community, your individual spectrum isn’t of interest to a large provider because there are not enough subscribers for a business case. There is no easy way for an individual rural Tribe to generate revenue from the use of their spectrum. Instead, as a collective with ATS, the spectrum has considerable value. Many Tribes joined with ATS and combined their 2.5 GHz spectrum as ATS managed members to extend the ATN footprint. With member Tribes having the majority of the state’s 2.5 GHZ spectrum, we can create a potentially statewide Alaska Tribal Network. In the ATN model, the services can be affordable, and ATS members will earn revenue because it is being used—and used a lot. Additionally, as a large network, the ATN will allow all service providers in the state to participate as VSPs on the network.

The Alaska Tribal Spectrum will manage the member spectrum with the input of all of its Tribal members. The policies of the Alaska Tribal Network are maintained by the ATS Policy Board. The decisions about how any funded infrastructure is applied in each individual village is governed by Tribal leadership in each member community.

No. Most tribes will choose to receive affordable service and have the network management and operations done on their behalf without their involvement. ATS will partner with a network operations manager to manage the statewide network operations for this Tribally-governed network. ATN-approved Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will also offer service packages as Virtual Service Providers (VSPs) on the ATN. People in the community can simply sign up for service with one of the ATN-approved ISPs. Any questions about your cell phone or data services will be directed to whatever provider you choose for your service. Technical support for the installed equipment will be provided.

ATS is not a service provider but will govern the standards for services to be delivered to ensure they conform to the highest quality. ATS will work with each tribe to ensure their needs are being met by the providers on the network and that revenue is tracked and flows to each member in proportion to the use of their tribal spectrum in their area. ATS will work with the tribal members to develop digital equity plans that include funding for additional local support and coordination.