Navajo Nation

The Navajo Nation located in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah are facing a disruption of satellite telecommunications services provided by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) due to a failed audit by the Universal Service Administrative Co or USAC. The USAC which has the authority to administer FCC grants to rural and low-income consumers is charged with mishandling funds to the Navajo Nation's internet providers. As for satellite communications, I was pleased to see the FCC's public service flyer announcing the switch from analog to Digital TV among the handouts provided at a prominent African-American professionals conference that I recently attended. Since 1996, the FCC has been steadily moving television to Digital TV to free up weaker radio frequencies to be auctioned off to new industry and for emergency services. Satellite telecommunications enable the Navajo Nation's telephone services, library online access, and access to online university courses. The Navajo Nation, credited by the pentagon for its skill in creating code cyphers during World War II, are currently battling for continuity of the services on its 27,000 square mile reservation.