Fiber Systems

In a perfect world, all indigenous communities would have fast Internet delivered through fiber optics. The reality, however, is that many tribes have had to initiate hybrid networks of fiber and wireless systems, repurposing wireless systems for other services from two-way communications to cellular connections or other diverse or even redundant systems. Fiber truly has the means to futureproof a community’s Internet service, and tribes are increasingly pursuing fiber-to-the-home/curb/prem (FTTH), FTTC/FTTP infrastructure builds.Resources to design, engineer, procure, and implement fiber systems are at a premium and are hard to come by. The EnerTribe team has experience in the design, permitting, engineering, and installation of fiber optic systems.

ENGINEERING As an indigenous company we have seen first-hand the negative impacts that can come with poor fiber design, management and provisioning. Our fiber engineers are first in and last out in assisting all phases of a deployment from the initial design, permitting process, and formal engineering. Engineering components such as loading, make-ready, network topology, IP schema, electronic configuration, management, contractor selection, and optimization all require industry leading foresight to ensure what is built is scalable and sustainable. Engineering services for overhead, underground, directional boring, saw cut, plow, trenching, and micro trenching often make up rural deployments, and all require the skills and knowledge of experts. Installing fiber in the ground is relatively simple; however, the required permitting process is an important consideration that cannot be overlooked. The EnerTribe team can assist in environmental permitting throughout the entire process, including environmental assessments and environmental impact studies, for SHPO/THPO, NEPA, and many other critical permitting agencies throughout your build.

PROCUREMENT EnerTribe can assist in competitive pricing and simplifying the purchasing, tracking and management of the many project components that come with fiber installations.

INSTALLATION Since tribes encompass all of North America, it is critical that they work toward being able to take on the management of their infrastructure rather than be completely reliant on us. We believe in structuring the right partnerships for the tribe that are in the region, but with the oversight of a company that specializes in working with tribal governments. As such, we help build ecosystems of local contractors who not only help build your project, but also ensure that the tribe receives the training needed to eventually manage the infrastructure. EnerTribe’s hope is not to serve as the sole contractor, but to train contractors on the intricacies of working with sovereign nations and tribal businesses, helping the tribe expand their resources.

PERMITTING EnerTribe has a highly effective permitting team with decades of permitting infrastructure projects for tribes, broadband providers, and government agencies. Our staff have more than 30 years of experience in natural resource management, research, and education. EnerTribe’s Director of Permitting, Dr. Penny Eckert, has worked extensively with watershed analysis, land use, land tenure, and land management analysis. She has worked both nationally and internationally with environmental impact assessments of large and small projects, and she has authored numerous environmental documents. Dr. Eckert has led interdisciplinary teams in complex environmental assessment projects and has been responsible for the completion of the technical reports. In addition to her technical skills, she excels at establishing successful working relationships with regulatory agencies and negotiating terms and conditions of environmental permits that are practical, economically feasible, and environmentally compliant. Her skills in strategic thinking and her inclusive approach to project leadership have enabled her to be successful in complex problem solving and in finding solutions that are acceptable to all parties. Dr. Eckert is an experienced project manager with specialized skills in federal and state environmental permitting and compliance. She has worked with clients in the private and public sectors to successfully analyze and permit projects. She has managed projects of short and multi-year duration valued as high as $10 million. Dr. Eckert has mentored the EnerTribe team for more than a decade and has single handedly built a department within the EnerTribe circle.