The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is committed to assisting people living on tribal lands to acquire telecommunication services. Since tribal lands are often located in sparsely populated, remote areas of the country, tribal lands bidding credits are offered to telecommunication providers to help offset some of the costs of providing telecommunication services.
The FCC’s Tribal Lands Bidding Credits are available to winning bidders that deploy facilities and provide service to federally-recognized tribal areas that have a wireline telephone subscription or penetration rate equal to or below 85 percent. The information in the tables below was derived from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs’ 2009 list of federally-recognized tribal entities (
pdf) as well as the United States Census Bureau’s 2000 Census, and is made available as a guideline only. An applicant is solely responsible for performing due diligence as to whether a specific tribal land meets the FCC’s requirement for a tribal lands bidding credit.
The Tribal Lands Bidding Credit program is only one of a number of initiatives the FCC has launched to address the lack of telecommunications deployment and subscribership throughout Indian Country. For additional information on what the Commission is doing, visit the
FCC's Tribal Homepage.
Public Notices
11/12/2014
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 14-1638)
Request for Waiver of Federally Recognized Tribal Land under Section 1.2110(f)(3)(i) to Include Additional Areas within the Eastern Navajo Agency of the Navajo Nation
WTB grants waiver of 1.2110(f)(3)(i) definition to include additional areas within the Eastern Navajo Agency to allow any winning bidder in Auction 97 to seek eligibility for Tribal lands bidding credits (TLBC) in those underserved areas of New Mexico
9/16/2014
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 14-1340)
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Seeks Comment on Petition for Waiver Concerning the Availability of Tribal Lands Bidding Credits for Licenses Covering the Eastern Navajo Agency That May Be Won in Auction 97
Seeks comment on request to extend tribal land bidding credits to the Eastern Navajo Agency in New Mexico for any AWS - 3 licenses won in Auction 97.
3/8/2001
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 01-613)
WTB Announces Enhancements to the ULS to help Winning Bidders of FCC Auctions File for Tribal Land Bidding Credits
This Public Notice announces the Commission's Universal Licensing System (ULS) has been enhanced to help winning bidders in FCC auctions file license applications when seeking a tribal land bidding credit.
12/14/2000
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 00-2836)
WTB Releases Additional Information Regarding the Procedures for Obtaining a Tribal lands Bidding Credit and List of Tribal Lands Data to be used in calculating tribal land bidding credit amounts in auctions where licenses are issued by Economic Areas (EA)
This Public Notice provides additional information regarding the application process for applicants seeking a tribal lands bidding credit.
9/28/2000
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 00-2219)
WTB Announces Availability of Bidding Credits for Providing Wireless Services to Qualifying Tribal Lands
This Public Notice announces on July 27, 1999, the Wireless Bureau will hold a forum to receive feedback from bidders on their experiences with the auction process.