Bishop Paiute Tribe
The Bishop Paiute Tribe is a federally recognized sovereign tribal nation in Bishop, California, with 2,000+ enrolled members, operating as an independent ISP on California's Middle-Mile Broadband Network alongside tribal enterprises in gaming, broadcasting, and economic development.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersBishop, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Bishop Paiute Tribe does
The Bishop Paiute Tribe is a federally recognized sovereign tribal nation headquartered at 50 Tu Su Lane, Bishop, California, at the foot of the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is the fifth-largest tribe in California by enrollment, with more than 2,000 enrolled members, and is governed by an elected Tribal Council currently led by Interim Chairwoman Emma Williams, with Meryl Picard (Treasurer/Secretary), Jeff Romero (Vice-Chairman), Steven Orihuela, and Dale "Chad" Delgado as council members. The organization operates as a diversified tribal enterprise, with wholly owned subsidiaries including Wanaaha Casino (gaming and hospitality), Bishop Paiute Development Corporation (economic development), Bishop Paiute Tribal Radio Station KBPT 96.1 (broadcasting), Owens Valley Indian Water Commission (water rights), Paiute Gaming Commission (regulatory), and the Owens Valley Paiute Shoshone Cultural Center (cultural preservation). It also delivers public services across departments such as Education, Environmental, Social Services, Head Start, Historic Preservation, TERO, Tribal Police, and Public Works.
The tribe's core technology product is the Tribal Fiber Broadband Service, launched in April 2026 when the tribe became the first community to connect to California's Middle-Mile Broadband Network (MMBN) — a 423-mile high-capacity fiber backbone running from Barstow to Reno along Highway 395, delivered via a $0 contract with the California Department of Technology under the state's $3.2 billion Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative (SB 156, 2021). The service is built on dormant fiber infrastructure the state acquired and upgraded to create an open-access backbone serving rural and Tribal communities in the Eastern Sierra Nevada region. Customers connect at the middle-mile layer at no wholesale cost; the tribe independently operates as the last-mile Internet Service Provider with full authority over retail pricing, service tiers, and product offerings.
The business model combines sovereign-tribal-government revenue (intergovernmental funding, member services, grants) with diversified commercial enterprise (gaming/hospitality at Wanaaha Casino, development corporation activities, radio broadcasting) and now subscription-broadband revenue. Broadband is sold to households both on and off the reservation on a monthly subscription basis, with pricing set by the tribe and all margin retained — a direct-to-consumer ISP model administered in-house with no third-party ISP intermediary. Wholly owned subsidiaries are governed and operated by the Tribal Council and its appointed boards, and the tribe has no parent company. The organization employs 101–250 people, is actively recruiting C-suite executive roles as of mid-2026, and markets its programs through its website, Facebook, Instagram, and monthly tribal newsletters.
Bishop Paiute Tribe firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bishop Paiute Tribe
- Legal name
- Bishop Paiute Tribe
- Website
- https://bishoppaiutetribe.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Bishop Paiute Tribe is a federally recognized sovereign tribal nation in Bishop, California, with 2,000+ enrolled members, operating as an independent ISP on California's Middle-Mile Broadband Network alongside tribal enterprises in gaming, broadcasting, and economic development.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bishop Paiute Tribe industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tribal Broadband and Government Services
- NAICS
- American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Governments (921150), American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Governments (92115)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tribal/First Nations Casino Operations (MPAEAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Indigenous/Tribal Education Authorities & Boards (EDADABAM)
Keywords
Where Bishop Paiute Tribe is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bishop
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bishop Paiute Tribe business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Broadband Service Sales: The tribe acts as its own Internet Service Provider, setting pricing and retaining profits from selling broadband services to households on and off the reservation. The tribe signed a $0 contract with the California Department of Technology for access to the middle-mile network infrastructure.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Wholesale network access provided at no cost; retail pricing set by the tribe |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Bishop Paiute Tribe product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Bishop Paiute Tribe operates as a federally recognized sovereign tribal nation providing broadband internet service as its own independent ISP to the Bishop Paiute Reservation and surrounding Eastern Sierra Nevada communities. The Tribe also operates the Wanaaha Casino, KBPT 96.1 tribal radio station, and the Bishop Paiute Development Corporation, while delivering tribal governance programs, education, environmental stewardship, elder care, and family formation services to community members.
Product overview
The Bishop Paiute Tribe operates as a sovereign tribal nation with a diversified portfolio of tribal enterprises and public services. The core technology product is their Tribal Fiber Broadband Service, where the tribe serves as its own independent Internet Service Provider connected to California's Middle-Mile Broadband Network. Supporting commercial enterprises include Wanaaha Casino, Bishop Paiute Development Corporation, and KBPT 96.1 Tribal Radio Station. The tribe also provides extensive social programs including education, environmental protection, family services, elder care, head start, historic preservation, social services, and public safety through various tribal departments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Wanaaha Casino: Tribal casino and hospitality enterprise operated by the Bishop Paiute Tribe.
- Bishop Paiute Development Corporation
Products and services
- Tribal Fiber Broadband Service
Quantifiable outcome
- 423 miles of high-capacity fiber infrastructure connecting the community
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Bishop Paiute Tribe
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Bishop Paiute Tribe technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Bishop Paiute Tribe partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship.
- California Department of TechnologyflagshipThe Bishop Paiute Tribe signed a $0 contract with the California Department of Technology, becoming the first customer of California's Middle-Mile Broadband Network. The partnership allows the tribe to connect to the 423-mile fiber segment running from Barstow to Reno along Highway 395. The tribe independently manages and operates its broadband service, including pricing and offerings, retaining profits from sales to its community.
- State of CaliforniaflagshipCalifornia's $3.2 billion Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative (MMBI) selected the Bishop Paiute Tribe as its first customer. Governor Gavin Newsom participated in the switch-on ceremony. The state acquired and upgraded dormant fiber infrastructure to create a high-capacity backbone serving rural and Tribal communities throughout the Eastern Sierra Nevada region.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bishop Paiute Tribe competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hoopa Valley Tribe: California tribal nation that operates its own public utility district and broadband/telecom service (HoopaConnect), making it the most directly comparable tribe-as-ISP model to Bishop Paiute Tribe's Middle-Mile Broadband Network deployment.
- Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA): Navajo Nation-owned utility that delivers electricity, water, and telecom/broadband services to tribal members across a vast rural footprint; the most scaled precedent of a sovereign tribal nation operating a telecommunications utility directly comparable to Bishop Paiute's ISP function.
- Gila River Telecommunications: Gila River Indian Community's broadband and telecom arm delivering fiber and wireless service to tribal and surrounding communities; directly comparable as another sovereign-tribe ISP operating in a rural region with similar infrastructure-underserved dynamics.
- Coeur d'Alene Tribe: Federally recognized tribe that operates its own utilities and has invested in tribal broadband infrastructure, paralleling Bishop Paiute's sovereign-network model in service of a rural, sovereign community.
Broad incumbents
- Seminole Tribe of Florida: Large diversified sovereign tribal enterprise anchored by Seminole Hard Rock gaming plus hospitality, real estate, and other holdings; comparable as a benchmark for how a major tribe operates multiple revenue-generating businesses under sovereign status.
- Cherokee Nation Businesses: Diversified holding company of the Cherokee Nation spanning hospitality, gaming, aerospace, and federal services; useful comparator for understanding how a sovereign tribe scales a multi-enterprise portfolio beyond its core programs.
- Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation: Connecticut-based sovereign tribal nation operating Foxwoods Resort Casino and a portfolio of tribal enterprises; relevant as a comparable for the gaming-and-diversified-enterprise model that also funds tribal broadband and self-sufficiency initiatives.
- San Manuel Band of Mission Indians: California-based sovereign tribal nation operating Yaamava Resort & Casino and a diversified enterprise portfolio; comparable as another California tribal nation of similar sovereign commercial scale pursuing self-sufficiency across multiple businesses.
- Morongo Band of Mission Indians: California-based sovereign tribal nation operating Morongo Casino Resort and several non-gaming enterprises; directly comparable as a California tribe using diversified enterprises to fund tribal sovereignty and community programs.
Regional players
- Table Mountain Rancheria: Smaller California-based tribal nation operating Table Mountain Casino and related enterprises in the Central Valley; comparable as a same-state, similarly-sized tribal government that runs a gaming-led enterprise portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Bishop Paiute Tribe social profiles
Digital presenceBishop Paiute Tribe financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bishop Paiute Tribe leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Bishop Paiute Tribe subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Bishop Paiute Tribe funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bishop Paiute Tribe M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bishop Paiute Tribe
What does Bishop Paiute Tribe do?
The Bishop Paiute Tribe operates as a federally recognized sovereign tribal nation providing broadband internet service as its own independent ISP to the Bishop Paiute Reservation and surrounding Eastern Sierra Nevada communities. The Tribe also operates the Wanaaha Casino, KBPT 96.1 tribal radio station, and the Bishop Paiute Development Corporation, while delivering tribal governance programs, education, environmental stewardship, elder care, and family formation services to community members.
Is Bishop Paiute Tribe a public or private company?
Bishop Paiute Tribe is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Bishop Paiute Tribe founded?
Bishop Paiute Tribe was founded in 1999. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Bishop Paiute Tribe based?
Bishop Paiute Tribe is headquartered in Bishop, United States, in the North America region.
How does Bishop Paiute Tribe make money?
One revenue line is on record: broadband Service Sales.
Who are Bishop Paiute Tribe's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hoopa Valley Tribe, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), Gila River Telecommunications and Coeur d'Alene Tribe. Broad incumbents are Seminole Tribe of Florida, Cherokee Nation Businesses, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and Morongo Band of Mission Indians. Table Mountain Rancheria is listed as a regional player.
Does Bishop Paiute Tribe have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bishop Paiute Tribe.
What industry is Bishop Paiute Tribe in?
Bishop Paiute Tribe's product category is Tribal Broadband and Government Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAEAAAD, Tribal/First Nations Casino Operations, with a secondary code of EDADABAM, Indigenous/Tribal Education Authorities & Boards. Its NAICS code is 921150 and its SIC code is 4832.