"Only 63 percent of all Americans have high-speed Internet connections. That's low compared with other countries.

But when it comes to American Indians, the Federal Communications Commission estimates that fewer than 10 percent are connected. On Tuesday, the FCC announced the appointment of a special liaison to the American Indian community to oversee efforts to get broadband to reservations.

Many tribal communities around the United States are in remote, rural areas. Humboldt County, Calif., is home to several tribes — among them the Karuk.

In the small community of Orleans, Calif., the Karuk make up a quarter of the population of just under 1,000 people.

The tribe's IT officer, Chris Kleeman, says they even have a hard time getting phone service. "We lose our regular telephones, including 911, hundreds of times each year," Kleeman says. Last July alone, they lost phone service about 250 times, he says.

The telephone lines here can go down for hours, which puts the safety and the lives of residents at risk, says Roberta Kurgiliatti, who works for the volunteer fire department. Kurgiliatti recalls two major fires. In one, she says, the house burned to the ground because the homeowners couldn't call for help."

Get the Story:
FCC Eyes Broadband For Indian Reservations (NPR 6/22)

Relevant Documents:
Press Release: FCC CHAIRMAN GENACHOWSKI APPOINTS GEOFFREY BLACKWELL TO LEAD NEW INITIATIVES ON NATIVE AFFAIRS | Press Release: COMMISSIONER MICHAEL J. COPPS APPLAUDS THE APPOINTMENT OF GEOFFREY BLACKWELL TO LEAD NEW INITIATIVES FOR INDIAN COUNTRY