Siletz Tribe Working On Broadband Expansion In Outlying Areas

The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians is moving ahead with a multi-year broadband expansion aimed at bringing faster, more affordable internet to underserved rural areas near Toledo, tribal official Lisa Norton told the Toledo City Council.

Norton, the tribe’s chief administrative officer overseeing the broadband build, said the tribe has secured about $30 million in grants for its broadband program, though overlapping funding means about $25 million can be used for the work. The ReConnect 5 grant is one part of the broader effort.

The tribe intends to operate the network as a sustainable utility, rather than a profit-making venture, and hopes to keep service prices below $75 a month. Norton said the planned service would offer speeds of 100 megabits per second upload and download.

The project is focused on rural locations that lack adequate service. Norton said the current plan does not include building into Toledo’s town center, though the possibility could be revisited if funding becomes available and the city is consulted. She said the network is designed to connect with a larger carrier’s infrastructure, helping make connections to individual homes easier.

The tribe has already completed construction along Moonshine Park Road and is working toward connecting homes there, with service expected to be activated in the first quarter of next year, Norton said. Other parts of the broader program include planned work north of Siletz and along Logsden Road. She said engineering plans are complete for a project now undergoing environmental review.

The broadband build is expected to create seven or eight living-wage jobs, Norton said. The tribe has also applied for additional workforce-development funding to help train workers for roles ranging from construction to network operations. Norton described broadband access as essential for rural residents’ education, work and economic opportunities. She told council members the tribe would share more information as project locations and timelines become clearer.