Bishop Paiute Tribe becomes first community lit on California’s middle‑mile broadband network

The Bishop Paiute Tribe celebrated becoming the first community connected to California’s new middle‑mile broadband network at a light‑up event in Bishop, officials said. Tribal leaders, state technology officials and Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke about the project’s history, scale and expected benefits for education, telehealth and economic opportunity.

Chairwoman Emma Williams said the tribe’s broadband effort began in 2009 and advanced through projects including Digital 395, fiber to tribal buildings in 2020 and awards from the Capital Projects Fund and Tribal Broadband Connectivity programs. "We are the first tribe in California to connect to California's middle mile broadband network," Williams said, and she thanked state leaders and tribal staff who helped make the connection possible. She said fiber‑to‑the‑home construction is…