The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will receive $17.3 million in federal funding to expand internet connectivity in Native Hawaiian communities.
The funding, which comes through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, will be used largely for planning a wider buildout of internet infrastructure throughout the state, said Burt Lum, the state’s broadband strategy officer.
“I don’t think the money is necessarily going to be broken down by island,” Lum said. “The planning period is necessary to assess what people need throughout the state.”
But Lum said the Big Island, which has the largest number of DHHL beneficiaries, is in the best position of all the counties to shape the program in the future.
Lum said internet access on Hawaiian home lands is “complicated.” For many people, the only option for broadband service is through telecommunications provider Sandwich Isles Communications, which he said is “not really building more capacity.”
When federal money is available for specific providers to expand connectivity, Lum said he is not sure whether the NTIA will be willing to invest in a small outfit like Sandwich Isles.
“We have to have a very focused look at how beneficiaries can benefit from different options,” Lum said.
The $17 million isn’t the only money available. Lum said the initial funding through the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program was set to be $30 million, and that the remaining $13 million is still available if the state applies for it.
Meanwhile, Lum said, another $60 million can be available for the state through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.
“During the pandemic, we all learned how critical access to high-speed internet is to our daily lives,” Hawaiian Homes Commission Chair William Aila said in a statement. “These grant funds will provide the opportunity for broadband use and adoption activities to alleviate many connectivity issues highlighted throughout our communities during that time. … I appreciate the trust that the federal government has in DHHL to effectively utilize these funds.”
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
