California Surges Forward Building the Nation’s Largest Open-Access Middle-Mile Broadband Network

On August 12, California State and Tribal leaders gathered on Hoopa Valley Tribe ancestral lands to celebrate the construction of nearly 23 miles of high-capacity middle-mile broadband infrastructure along California State Route 96. These 23 miles are part of the larger 8,000+ mile network that will serve as the backbone for homes, schools, and other locations that are currently unserved to have reliable access to the internet. The Hoopa Valley Public Utilities District and the State entered into the first-ever Tribal-State middle-mile broadband joint-build agreement. The model agreement has led to ten additional joint-build agreements with Tribal nations across California—with more on the way. Once complete, the route will deliver last-mile service to roughly 1,900 homes and 3,000 residents while adding critical resiliency to California’s open-access middle-mile broadband network.