North Carolina / AIANNHCE 0990 / Federally-recognized area

Eastern Cherokee

The full tribal profile includes the report map, demographic tables, broadband tables, FCC provider sections, and interactive charts.

72.3%25/3 availability

66.4%100/20 availability

0.0%1000/100 availability

15Fixed providers

Figure 1. Location of Eastern Cherokee within North Carolina, with boundary detail (inset).

About the Tribal Area

Eastern Cherokee Reservation is a reservation in North Carolina associated with this federally recognized tribe, and it spans about 82 square miles. The latest FCC BDC filing shows 15 fixed providers and 4 mobile providers across roughly 6 service locations, with current availability of 72.3% at 25/3 Mbps, 66.4% at 100/20, and 33.2% at 1000/100.

Tribal Area Description

Eastern Cherokee is a federally recognized tribe in North Carolina with reservation lands. The land base is relevant for broadband planning due to rural service coverage and middle-mile access constraints.

Website Summary: www.ebci.gov

Passes for EBCI Enrolled members must be picked up at the Tribal Council House. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a sovereign nation, meaning it has its own laws, elections, government, and institutions. Cherokee is a sovereign nation, meaning it has its own laws, elections, government, institutions, and the like. Though it certainly has relationships with the United States federal government and the North Carolina state government that are vitally important, students and the general population may be interested to know that the Cherokees are self-governed and autonomous. Many people want to know about becoming a tribal member based on having a relative of Cherokee descent. In the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, Cherokee invites you to explore its vibrant community and breathtaking landscapes. June was a month of continued progress, service, and reflection.

Table 1. Demographics

Indicator
Population
Households
Median age
Male / Female
Avg. household size
Pop. density (per sq mi)
HH density (per sq mi)

Table 2. Economic & Education

Indicator
Median household income
Per capita income
Poverty rate
Unemployment rate
HS diploma or higher
Bachelor's degree or higher

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates. Queried by AIANNHCE code. Population and household density are calculated from Census population or households divided by land area in square miles.

Table 3. Download/Upload Speeds (Mbps)

Period	Download	Upload
2019Q1	17.9 Mbps	9.2 Mbps
2019Q2	15.6 Mbps	9.0 Mbps
2019Q3	14.7 Mbps	5.9 Mbps
2019Q4	16.3 Mbps	5.9 Mbps
2020Q1	16.6 Mbps	2.9 Mbps
2020Q2	14.5 Mbps	3.0 Mbps
2020Q3	11.6 Mbps	2.8 Mbps
2020Q4	17.0 Mbps	3.5 Mbps
2021Q1	17.9 Mbps	4.3 Mbps
2021Q2	14.5 Mbps	5.1 Mbps
2021Q3	15.2 Mbps	8.8 Mbps
2021Q4	18.4 Mbps	10.2 Mbps
2022Q1	16.4 Mbps	9.9 Mbps
2022Q2	24.9 Mbps	10.4 Mbps
2022Q3	23.4 Mbps	7.3 Mbps
2022Q4	36.0 Mbps	9.1 Mbps
2023Q1	50.1 Mbps	15.1 Mbps
2023Q2	66.2 Mbps	12.4 Mbps
2023Q3	48.6 Mbps	12.6 Mbps
2023Q4	55.1 Mbps	14.4 Mbps
2024Q1	85.7 Mbps	41.9 Mbps
2024Q2	99.4 Mbps	47.3 Mbps
2024Q3	86.0 Mbps	48.2 Mbps

Table 4. Coverage by Tier (%)

Year	25/3	100/20	1 Gbps
2015	21.0%	0.0%	0.0%
2016	21.1%	0.0%	0.0%
2017	21.2%	0.0%	0.0%
2018	21.2%	7.8%	0.0%
2019	66.0%	7.8%	0.0%
2020	69.4%	10.0%	0.0%
2021	60.0%	9.8%	0.3%
2022	10.7%	5.0%	0.3%
2023	16.9%	8.0%	1.1%
2024	72.3%	66.4%	0.0%

Table 5. Adoption (%)

Year	All households	Low-income households
2017	31.0%	21.5%
2018	33.1%	28.7%
2019	40.0%	46.0%
2020	46.3%	49.2%
2021	45.0%	56.5%
2022	42.7%	52.1%
2023	44.9%	63.1%
2024	41.4%	65.0%

Table 6. Current Status (2024, %)

Tier	Coverage
25/3 Mbps	72.3%
100/20 Mbps	66.4%
1 Gbps	0.0%

Table 7. Comparison with National Averages (%)

Metric	Tribal	National
25/3 Mbps	72.3%	92%
100/20 Mbps	66.4%	85%
Adoption	41.4%	78%

Sources: FCC Broadband Data Collection, Ookla Open Data Initiative, and U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates. National benchmarks are carried over from the report comparison section.

Figure 2. Speed Trends (2019–2024)

Figure 3. Availability (2015–2025)

Figure 4. Adoption (2017–2024)

Figure 5. Current Status (2024)

Figure 6. Comparison with National Averages

Figure 7. Fixed Coverage by Technology (25/3 Mbps)

Figure 8. Mobile Area Coverage

Notes: speed trends reflect quarterly mean throughput. Availability shows the share of population with access. Tooltips on the charts expose the underlying values for each series.

Table 8. Broadband Provider Summary

Metric	Value
Fixed broadband providers	15
Mobile broadband providers	4
Broadband serviceable locations	6

Table 9. Broadband Providers

Fixed	Mobile
AT&T Inc.	AT&T Inc.
Charter Communications	T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Frontier Communications Corporation	Telephone and Data Systems, Inc.
T-Mobile USA, Inc.	Verizon Communications Inc.
EchoStar Corporation	—
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc.	—
Verizon Communications Inc.	—
Wilkes Telephone Membership Corporation	—
Zito West Holding, LLC	—
BalsamWest FiberNET, LLC	—
CND Acquisition Corp.	—
Viasat, Inc.	—
Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corporation	—
Space Exploration Technologies Corp.	—
Cherokee Cablevision Inc.	—

Table 10. Fixed Coverage by Technology (% of locations)

Technology	25/3	100/20	250/25	1 Gbps
Any Technology	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	33.3%
Fiber	33.3%	33.3%	33.3%	33.3%
Cable	50.0%	50.0%	50.0%	0.0%
Fixed Wireless	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Copper (DSL)	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Satellite	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	0.0%

Table 11. Mobile Coverage (% of area)

Technology	Coverage
4G LTE	100.0%
5G-NR (Speed Tier 1)	96.6%
5G-NR (Speed Tier 2)	65.5%
Total area (sq mi)	3.055

Table 8. Coverage by Tier and Technology (% of locations)

Dec. 2022

Technology	2/2	10/1	25/3	100/20	250/25	1000/100
All Fixed Wireless	59.4	33.5	4.3	0.1	0.0	0.0
All Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
All Wired	10.6	10.6	4.9	4.3	3.9	0.4
All Wired and Licensed Fixed Wireless	64.6	41.0	8.9	4.4	3.9	0.4
Any Technology	100.0	100.0	100.0	4.4	3.9	0.4
Any Terrestrial	64.9	41.4	9.0	4.4	3.9	0.4
Cable	1.8	1.8	1.8	1.6	1.4	0.0
Cable/Fiber	4.3	4.3	4.3	4.1	3.9	0.4
Copper	6.7	6.7	0.7	0.3	0.0	0.0
Fiber	2.5	2.5	2.5	2.5	2.5	0.4
GSO Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Licensed Fixed Wireless	59.1	33.1	4.2	0.1	0.0	0.0
NGSO Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Other	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Unlicensed Fixed Wireless	0.8	0.8	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0

June 2023

Technology	2/2	10/1	25/3	100/20	250/25	1000/100
All Fixed Wireless	32.1	31.4	6.7	0.1	0.0	0.0
All Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0
All Wired	12.8	12.8	6.8	6.1	4.4	0.4
All Wired and Licensed Fixed Wireless	40.6	40.2	12.9	6.2	4.4	0.4
Any Technology	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	4.4	0.4
Any Terrestrial	40.7	40.2	13.1	6.2	4.4	0.4
Cable	4.0	4.0	4.0	4.0	2.3	0.0
Cable/Fiber	6.1	6.1	6.1	6.1	4.4	0.4
Copper	7.4	7.4	0.8	0.0	0.0	0.0
Fiber	2.1	2.1	2.1	2.1	2.1	0.4
GSO Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Licensed Fixed Wireless	31.8	31.2	6.4	0.1	0.0	0.0
NGSO Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0
Other	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Unlicensed Fixed Wireless	0.9	0.9	0.4	0.0	0.0	0.0

Dec. 2023

Technology	2/2	10/1	25/3	100/20	250/25	1000/100
All Fixed Wireless	45.5	42.0	9.2	3.8	0.0	0.0
All Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0
All Wired	27.6	27.6	6.7	4.1	3.9	1.4
All Wired and Licensed Fixed Wireless	58.8	56.1	15.3	7.8	3.9	1.4
Any Technology	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	3.9	1.4
Any Terrestrial	58.9	56.4	15.6	7.8	3.9	1.4
Cable	2.8	2.8	2.8	2.8	2.5	0.0
Cable/Fiber	4.1	4.1	4.1	4.1	3.9	1.4
Copper	24.4	24.4	2.8	0.0	0.0	0.0
Fiber	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.4
GSO Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Licensed Fixed Wireless	45.3	41.6	8.9	3.8	0.0	0.0
NGSO Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0
Other	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Unlicensed Fixed Wireless	1.2	1.2	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.0

June 2024

Technology	2/2	10/1	25/3	100/20	250/25	1000/100
All Fixed Wireless	46.0	45.6	18.6	11.1	0.0	0.0
All Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0
All Wired	64.4	64.4	55.2	54.0	52.9	28.2
All Wired and Licensed Fixed Wireless	74.3	74.1	61.4	58.8	52.9	28.2
Any Technology	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	52.9	28.2
Any Terrestrial	74.4	74.2	61.4	58.8	52.9	28.2
Cable	28.4	28.4	28.4	28.4	27.3	0.0
Cable/Fiber	54.0	54.0	54.0	54.0	52.9	28.2
Copper	25.1	25.1	2.9	0.0	0.0	0.0
Fiber	28.2	28.2	28.2	28.2	28.2	28.2
GSO Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Licensed Fixed Wireless	44.5	44.1	18.2	11.1	0.0	0.0
NGSO Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0
Other	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Unlicensed Fixed Wireless	3.7	3.7	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.0

Dec. 2024

Technology	2/2	10/1	25/3	100/20	250/25	1000/100
All Fixed Wireless	49.4	49.2	19.8	10.1	0.0	0.0
All Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0
All Wired	63.7	63.7	54.8	53.4	53.4	27.6
All Wired and Licensed Fixed Wireless	77.2	77.1	62.5	58.4	53.4	27.6
Any Technology	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	53.4	27.6
Any Terrestrial	77.5	77.3	62.5	58.4	53.4	27.6
Cable	26.4	26.4	26.4	26.4	26.4	0.0
Cable/Fiber	53.4	53.4	53.4	53.4	53.4	27.6
Copper	25.1	25.1	3.1	0.0	0.0	0.0
Fiber	27.6	27.6	27.6	27.6	27.6	27.6
GSO Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Licensed Fixed Wireless	48.2	48.0	19.6	10.1	0.0	0.0
NGSO Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0
Other	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Unlicensed Fixed Wireless	2.8	2.8	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0

June 2025

Technology	2/2	10/1	25/3	100/20	250/25	1000/100
All Fixed Wireless	52.4	49.0	22.4	8.4	0.0	0.0
All Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0
All Wired	62.8	62.8	53.8	52.2	52.2	27.9
All Wired and Licensed Fixed Wireless	77.4	75.6	61.5	56.2	52.2	27.9
Any Technology	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	27.9
Any Terrestrial	77.5	75.8	61.6	56.2	52.2	27.9
Cable	24.9	24.9	24.9	24.9	24.9	0.0
Cable/Fiber	52.2	52.2	52.2	52.2	52.2	27.9
Copper	24.9	24.9	3.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Fiber	27.9	27.9	27.9	27.9	27.9	27.9
GSO Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Licensed Fixed Wireless	52.1	48.7	22.1	8.4	0.0	0.0
NGSO Satellite	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	0.0
Other	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Unlicensed Fixed Wireless	1.9	1.9	0.4	0.0	0.0	0.0

FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC), June 2025 filing vintage. Coverage values show the share of residential broadband serviceable locations by technology and speed tier across D22, J23, D23, J24, D24, and J25 filings.

Source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC), June 2025 Filing (J25). Fixed coverage shows the share of residential broadband serviceable locations, and mobile coverage shows the share of tribal land area.