NC Tribe Invests in Fiber Optic Network

Think Indian tribes just sell crafts and run gaming casinos? Think again!

One of North Carolina's most rural areas could soon tap into high-speed Internet access that rivals technology in large cities. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has provided $1.9 million for a fiber optic network in six Western North Carolina counties.

The project will offer an unrivaled advance in communications for individuals, businesses, governments, health-care providers and schools, organizers say. It will also mean high-speed service will be available at a rate comparable to urban areas.

The plan targets Jackson, Macon, Swain, Clay, Cherokee and Graham counties, which have limited, and often costly, access to cable and digital subscriber line infrastructure. That's an issue the project's organizers say limits economic development, access to advanced medicine and education.

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