Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The American Samoa Department of Commerce (ASDOC) along with its Broadband Coordination, Opportunities, Redevelopment and Deployment Office (BCORD) released the American Samoa Territorial Broadband Strategy (ASTBS) last Thursday via a Zoom conference and Facebook live stream.

The broadband strategy was developed to be a resource to help the territory implement digital inclusion plans to reduce the digital divide and prioritize digital equity for its residents.

“As the necessity of the internet has increased, we need to make sure that our territory and our people are not left behind, and critically, that we invest in technologies that will allow us to protect and preserve our Samoan culture,” said ASDOC Assistant Director Michael McDonald.

“Closing this digital divide and achieving the digital equity is critical for our residents and our territory to thrive. As we work towards our objectives, our goal is that the ASTBS serves as a valuable resource to help our government, businesses, and anchor institutions to strategically prioritize digital equity and help level the playing field for our residents,” he said. “Digital equity is achieved when individuals have digital literacy skills, access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet service, and a device to access and fully use the internet. These are the tools necessary for the ability to fully participate in our society, democracy and economy.”

Formally titled, “2021-2026 Territorial Broadband Strategy — Building American Samoa’s e-Resilience”, the plan has been used as part of program design and development, intra-department communications with ASG, and as the justifying foundation for over $40 million in federal grant applications so far, with many more opportunities expected in the very near future. The plan will also guide prioritization of resources and implementation of key strategies to accelerate adoption of broadband across all industries.

The territorial broadband strategy was created through the support of the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, which helps promote planning for innovation and economic growth across America’s states and territories.

The strategy document is available for download at https://tinyurl.com/h3pbhk9v or visit