On Friday, August 16, Congressman Tom O'Halleran joined Frontier Communications at our Navajo Communications office outside Window Rock, AZ to learn more about how we are connecting communities through broadband deployment. We were honored to have Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, Vice President Myron Lizer, and Executive Director for the Navajo Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, Chris Becenti, join the event as well.
Congressman O'Halleran toured the call center and saw the behind-the-scenes operations that make our company run, including bilingual employees who speak both English and the native Navajo language of Diné to better serve our customers.
After the tour, the Congressman, Navajo Nation leadership, and Frontier employees discussed the resources required to map, deploy, and serve such a large rural area. Similar in size to West Virginia, the Navajo Nation represents a vast expanse of challenging terrain that requires abundant investment and resources to fully bring broadband connectivity. From accurate broadband service maps to streamlining processes to public-private partnerships like the Connect America Fund, the group discussed the challenges facing rural broadband deployment and the investment necessary to serve these areas.
During the visit, the Congressman witnessed a demonstration of fixed wireless broadband technology and saw the efficiencies this technology brings to provide connectivity in hard to reach to areas. Fixed-wireless broadband can be a viable, efficient and cost-effective alternative to leasing fiber optic lines or installing new wireline plant. Fixed wireless enables carriers to connect multiple broadband users in remote areas without the need for laying new cables.
Frontier also highlighted our redundant network, which brings reliability to customers, and shared detailed maps of coverage across the Navajo Nation. Through the Connect America Fund, we have already reached 11,000 households with 10/1 Mbps speeds.
With the Congressman's commitment to serving rural and tribal communities and his focus on workforce development, we will be able to ensure that we have the resources we need to continue to connect rural America.
We thank Congressman O'Halleran for his continued work prioritizing bipartisan solutions no matter the issue.
