Conflicts between Native Americans and police erupted again this week
at the construction site for the Dakota Access Pipeline. Several Native
American tribes are protesting the $3.8 billion project being built
near a dam on the Missouri River. Meanwhile, at least one tribe member
who’s also in the telecom industry worries an aspect of the pipeline
conflict could impact wireless services on his reservation. Eminent
domain was used to clear the way for the pipeline which, for now, is to
be located near land the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe says is ancestral
soil near the reservation.
Tribe member Fred McLaughlin, general manager of the tribe-owned
local wireless provider Standing Rock Telecom, fears federal and private
entities covet the tribe’s wireless spectrum. Standing Rock Telecom
owns 17 towers and provides monthly contracts to 1,600+ subscribers; its
signals cover 3,500 miles and the service has played an important role
in social media coverage of the protests, reports motherboard. Continue Reading
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