In June 2025, the Karuk signed a fiber lease agreement with Yurok Telecommunications Corporation (YTEL). Under this agreement, YTEL will build and lease dark middle-mile fiber
infrastructure over Martin’s Ferry Bridge per the drawing. The Karuk Tribes ancestral territory is along the upper Klamath River from Happy Camp/Yreaka to Aikens Creek. They have protected their ceremonies for centuries and continue to practice traditional lifeways, including their annual World Renewal Ceremonies. The neighboring Yurok Tribe shares similar cultural values and works alongside the Karuk people in efforts to protect the Klamath River and restore environmental balance across their homelands.
This fiber infrastructure is what was formally known as the Klamath River Rural Broadband Initiative (KRRBI) to bring high-speed internet to some of the most remote and underserved communities in Northern California.
Project Lead: Joshua Deixler, Project Manager
YTEL Voices
YTEL Voices is the collective voice of Yurok Telecommunications Corporation, sharing stories, updates, and insights on how technology is strengthening the Yurok Tribe. From expanding broadband access to preserving cultural traditions in a digital world, we explore the ways connection shapes our present and future.
The Yurok people have always stayed connected—through the river, through storytelling, through the wisdom passed down across generations. Today, that connection continues in new ways. As YTELbuilds a high-speed internet network across the reservation, we are creating new opportunities while ensuring that the values and traditions of the Yurok Tribe remain at the heart of everything we do.
Follow along as we share the journey of bringing reliable, community-led internet to the Yurok people.
