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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT:  May  5,  2003 
 Corrected  Version  Michael  Balmoris  202-  418-  0253  Email  mbalmori@  fcc.  gov 


 FCC  RELEASES  NEW  STUDY  ON  TELEPHONE  SUBSCRIBERSHIP  ON  AMERICAN  INDIAN  RESERVATIONS  AND  OFF-  RESERVATION  TRUST  LANDS 
 Washington,  D.  C.  –  As  part  of  its  Indian  Telecommunications  Initiatives  and  its  ongoing  dialogue  with  the  National  Congress  of  American  Indians  Telecommunications  Subcommittee, 
 the  Federal  Communications  Commission  (FCC)  today  released  a  study  on  telephone  subscribership  on  American  Indian  Reservations  and  Off-  Reservation  Trust  Lands,  presenting 
 subscribership  statistics  based  on  the  2000  Decennial  Census. 
 Statistics  from  the  2000  Decennial  Census  estimated  that  67.9%  of  all  American  Indian  households  living  on  American  Indian  Reservations  and  Off-  Reservation  Trust  Lands:  Federal 
 had  telephone  service.  Comparable  data  from  the  1990  Decennial  Census  estimated  46.6%  of  such  American  Indian  households  had  telephone  service.  The  study  also  shows  subscribership 
 levels  for  Federal  and  State  American  Indian  Reservations  and  Off-  Reservation  Trust  Lands,  and  State  and  Tribal  Designated  Statistical  Areas,  as  well  as  each  tribe’s  penetration  rates  in 
 individual  states. 
 An  important  goal  of  the  Telecommunications  Act  of  1996  is  to  preserve  and  advance  universal  service.  The  1996  Act  provides  that  “[  c]  onsumers  in  all  regions  of  the  Nation, 
 including  low-  income  consumers  and  those  in  rural,  insular,  and  high[-]  cost  areas,  should  have  access  to  telecommunications  and  information  services  .  .  .”  Through  its  regulations  and  policy 
 initiatives,  the  FCC  will  continue  its  endeavors  to  work  with  federally-  recognized  American  Indian  tribes  and  Alaska  Native  villages  to  ensure  that  tribes  and  persons  residing  on  tribal  lands 
 have  access  to  telecommunications  and  information  services. 
 This  study  is  available  in  the  FCC's  Reference  Information  Center,  Courtyard  Level,  445  12th  Street  SW,  Washington,  DC  20554.  Call  Qualex  International  at  (202)  863-  2893  to 
 purchase  a  copy.  This  study  can  also  be  downloaded  from  the  FCC-  State  Link  Internet  site  at  www.  fcc.  gov/  wcb/  stats. 


 Wireline  Competition  Bureau  contacts:  James  Eisner  at  (202)  418-  7302  or  Alexander  Belinfante  at  (202)  418-  0944;  TTY  (202)  418-  0484;  Consumer  &  Governmental  Affairs  contact:  Sue 
 McNeil  (202)  418-  7619. 
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