Link: Internet shutdown frustrates Navajo Nation - SantaFeNewMexican.com.
All of seventh-grader Nikkolas Page's school assignments are done on the Internet.
He logs on to a computer each day at 1 p.m. at the Inscription House Chapter on the northwestern side of the Navajo Nation in Arizona, downloads his assignments, and when he's done, submits the answers online.
Twice a week, he's required to attend live sessions with other students and teachers.
The 12-year-old was in Flagstaff this past week doing standardized tests required of all Arizona public-school students, but he might find his online schooling is not as easy to do this week.
The chapter house, which operates like a city government, was one of about 70 where Internet service was shuttered a week ago. OnSat Network Communications Inc., the company that had provided the service, said that's because it has not received $2.1 million in federal funds needed to pay a subcontractor for satellite time.
The Universal Service Administration Co., which administers the E-rate program, is withholding the funding because of a tribal audit that showed OnSat may have double-billed the tribe. The audit also raised questions about how the tribe requested bids for the Internet contract.
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