BISHOP, CA – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced a major milestone in California’s effort to close the digital divide: the state has officially turned on the nation’s largest open-access, public broadband network — and connected its first community. 

The Bishop Paiute Tribe is now the first customer of California’s Middle-Mile Broadband Network (MMBN), bringing high-speed, reliable internet to a rural and historically underserved community. Students were among the first to log on — experiencing dramatically faster speeds and new access to education, health care, and opportunity. With 35% of rural Americans lacking internet access, Governor Newsom’s Broadband for All Initiative aims to bridge that divide, serving millions of Californians across all 58 counties.

As the network continues to attract internet service providers, thousands of residents along the Eastern Sierra Nevada and millions more across the state will gain access to more options for reliable and affordable high-speed internet service.

A model for government-to-government relations, the groundbreaking partnership with the Tribe reflects California’s commitment to tribal sovereignty and self-determination. As a tribally-owned internet service provider, the Bishop Paiute Tribe will independently manage and operate its broadband service, including setting pricing and service offerings for households on and off the reservation.