Cherokee Nation combats digital divide by building cell phone tower in Kenwood

KENWOOD, Okla. — As Oklahoma prioritizes getting extra methods to have web and cellphone entry in rural areas, one Cherokee nation group is displaying the way it’s getting executed.

The group of Kenwood now has 5G mobile phone entry, with a 355 foot mobile phone tower, appropriate with AT&T. Prior, they didn’t get service in any respect.

The group has about 1,000 individuals.

Rylee Smith’s lived there for 28 years, and came upon the laborious method.

“Most of us don’t use AT&T in my household,” Smith stated. “I used to be form of bummed.”

It’s a begin – as Oklahoma tries to deal with the digital divide in rural communities missing twenty first century cellphone and web entry.

Ladonna Rohr, additionally of Kenwood, says she’d need to drive over 10 miles to make use of her mobile phone.

“Anyplace you will get a service is the place we might need to go,” Rohr stated. “Generally its Locust Grove.”

The tower launched final week, because of federal funding from the American Rescue Plan.

It is going to additionally enable increase security within the space by way of the capabilities of FirstNet. It’s a nationwide first responder community.

The Cherokee Nation can be within the midst of constructing a brand new group heart straight subsequent to the tower.

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