The Divide: Sacred Wind's John Badal on bringing broadband to Navajo Nation

This episode features John Badal, founder and CEO of Sacred Wind Communications (SWC): a privately owned telecommunications company focused on bridging the digital divide for tribal lands in rural New Mexico. Founded in 2006, Sacred Wind has brought high-speed wireless and fiber broadband access to Navajo lands that previously lacked basic phone services.

Here are some topics discussed in this episode:

  • Why Badal left a larger telco to start Sacred Wind Communications (01:09)
  • What the digital divide looks like for New Mexico's Navajo lands and how it's improved (04:48)
  • The tech Sacred Wind uses to deliver broadband (07:00)
  • How Sacred Wind involves Navajo chapters in broadband expansion plans (08:04)
  • How Sacred Wind's non-profit arm focuses on digital education (10:47)
  • The importance of federal subsidies like the Affordable Connectivity Program to Sacred Wind's work (14:18)

Related links:

— Nicole Ferraro, site editor, Broadband World News; senior editor, global broadband coverage, Light Reading. Host of "The Divide" on the Light Reading Podcast.

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3/10/2022 |
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