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Governor Cuomo Announces Empire State Development Phase 3 Broadband Grant Awards

Mohawk Networks, LLC Recipient of $10.9 Million Investment to Increase Access to High Speed Internet

Akwesasne, NY – On January 31, 2018, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the Empire State Development Phase 3 Broadband grant recipients at an event held at Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh, NY. The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribally owned enterprise, Mohawk Networks, LLC was awarded $10.9 million in federal and private broadband funding through the New NY Broadband Program. Round 3 awarded $341 million in state and private investments that provides last-mile funding to ensure that 100% of New York households have access to high speed broadband services to connect communities, businesses and schools.

“Investing in the local economy is imperative. We’re helping to build stronger communities by expanding our infrastructure throughout the North Country, impacting access to education, healthcare, public safety and economic development through small business growth and entrepreneurship,” remarked Chief Eric Thompson on behalf of Tribal Council.

Through Mohawk Networks’ subsidiary, North Country Broadband Services, Inc. will run 26-miles of backbone fiber to provide connection to 5 fixed wireless towers in Franklin County to deliver high speed Internet service to 1286 unserved households.

“Our core business model is focused on expanding our broadband network to the unserved households in our region,” shared Interim CEO Allyson Doctor. “Mohawk Networks extends our appreciation to our partners in the growth of our network, the Development Authority of the North Country and PrimeLink, and to the ESD Broadband Program and the State, County and Town officials that supported this highly competitive grant application. We’re connecting communities to what matters.”

In March 2017, Mohawk Networks was awarded $6.4 million Empire State Development Round 2 Grant to build their $7.9 million broadband expansion into Lewis County. The wireless project is currently being built by utilizing existing towers and simultaneously constructing 61 towers to capture 3600 unserved homes.

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribally-owned enterprise was launched in 2015 after the completion of a $15 million broadband project that laid sixty-eight miles of fiber and connected the residents of Akwesasne to reliable, cost-effective broadband service. Mohawk Networks, LLC, a subsidiary of the Tewathahon:ni Corporation, is a telecommunications company providing service to the North Country and is the parent company of North Country Broadband Services, Inc. and Akwesasne TV.

PHOTO CAPTION: The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council and representatives of Mohawk Networks, LLC attended an event at Clinton Community College on Wednesday, January 31, 2018 where New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the Tribe’s broadband company as a recipient of $10.9 million through Round 3 of the New NY Broadband Program. Pictured are (from left) Sub-Chief Agnes Jacobs, Chief Beverly Cook, Governor Cuomo, Sub-Chief Shelley Jacobs, Chief Michael Conners, Chief Eric Thompson, Mohawk Networks Interim-CEO Allyson Doctor, Mohawk Networks Business/Project Development Manager Brenna Susice and Mohawk Networks Marketing and Sales Supervisor Claudia Tarbell.

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The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council is the duly elected and federally recognized government of the Saint Regis Mohawk People.