Continental US’ Most Isolated Tribe Gets Internet
The ultra-remote Havasupai reservation, which sits at the floor of the Grand Canyon, remains inaccessible to cars, trains and, until now, broadband internet. Thanks to Oakland-based non-profit MuralNet, seven Havasupai families from the 450-member tribe can finally use cell phones and connect to the web. With help from Flagstaff-based Niles Radio, MuralNet installed “microwave hops” at the rim of the canyon that transmit signals down into their villages. It’s just the start as MuralNet and a second provider work with the FCC moving forward. The newfound access will hopefully provide better education for kids and teens—as many nine and 10 year olds still test at the kindergarten level—and offer the opportunity to learn jobs they usually outsource. Further, internet access could provide a heads-up to impending floods and other natural phenomena. Read more at NPR.
Via npr.org link opens in a new window
