Navajo Mountain Ribbon Splicing
Stakeholders participate in the Navajo Mountain Ribbon Splicing
UBC Director Rebecca Dilg joined Navajo Nation President Nygren and the Nation’s Broadband Office, Emery Telcom, the Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN), Utah Governor’s Office, and many others to celebrate the completion of a 200-mile fiber optic network to Navajo Mountain High School. This project, which spanned years of development and was supported by a variety of partners and funding sources, demonstrates the impact that broadband deployment can have on rural communities. The vision is for the network to eventually branch out to provide connectivity to homes and businesses in the area. Thanks to the dedication of Emery Telcom, the Navajo Nation Broadband Office, and UETN, this network will provide much-needed connections for which the community has been waiting.
KSL Sunday Edition Features Utah Broadband Center
KSL’s Deanie Wimmer and UBC’s Rebecca Dilg on KSL Sunday Edition
Broadband expansion across the state and particularly in rural Utah was addressed recently on KSL’s Sunday Edition. Highlighting the “Ribbon Splicing” event held at the Golden Spike Historic Park, progress to provide statewide broadband infrastructure was the main topic during the interview with Deanie Wimmer from KSL and UBC Director Rebecca Dilg.
NTIA Tribal Broadband Grants Opened
On June 17, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released two Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to expand broadband connectivity on Tribal lands. One of these NOFOs is for the third round of applications for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. Approximately $540 million in funding is available for round three of this program, and applicants may apply for either broadband infrastructure or broadband use and adoption projects.
The second NOFO is for the Native Entities Grant Program. Approximately $250 million in funding is available through this program, and the purpose of the program is to advance use and adoption of broadband within Native communities.
The deadline for applications for both grants is September 17, 2026.
Connecting Utah Calls
UBC will focus the monthly Connecting Utah calls on technical assistance for BEAD provisional subgrantees for the foreseeable future. All stakeholders are still welcome to attend, however, the topics will be based on BEAD compliance and other relevant issues for subgrantees.
This will allow a regular opportunity for UBC to present important information to subgrantees, as well as a way for subgrantees to raise questions or request additional technical assistance.
Stock photo from Canva.com
BEAD Technical Assistance Corner
UBC has developed a Technical Assistance (TA) webpage for BEAD award recipients. The page includes Frequently Asked Questions, training materials on compliance topics such as NEPA and BABA, and recorded presentations from our in-person training event from February 2026. This new BEAD Technical Assistance Corner section of our newsletter will highlight one technical assistance resource from that webpage each month.
A new addition to the Technical Assistance webpage is a request form to access the UBC Resource Directory. This directory, which is available to internet service providers, vendors, suppliers, and contractors, provides stakeholders the opportunity to connect. If you are interested in accessing or adding to the Resource Directory, you will need to complete the request form.
Upcoming Events
Connecting Utah Call: July 15, 2026
This call will focus on additional technical assistance for BEAD subgrantees
Broadband Alliance Meeting: August 19, 2026