LUMMI NATION, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A new option for internet service is coming to residents on the Lummi Nation reservation.

The Lummi Indian Business Council says final testing is expected to be finished by Friday, July 17, for a new tribally-managed broadband network.

A failure in the network’s testing environment over the Fourth of July weekend prompted engineers to transition the system to its permanent network earlier than planned.

Crews are currently installing new service lines to prepare homes for the service.

The network will be optional for both tribal and non-tribal households on the reservation, while current internet providers will continue to serve the area.

It comes after a damaged regional fiber line on Old Marine Drive disrupted internet and cellular service for several networks across northwest Whatcom County last Thursday.

Service was restored by Friday afternoon and the Lummi Nation says the outage was not related to its broadband project.

Broadband is an umbrella term for many different forms of high-speed internet connection technologies. That includes fiber internet, which is considered the most advanced on the market. It uses fiber-optic cables to transmit data as light signals for extremely high-speed connections.

The Lummi Nation’s network, called Lummi Nation Connect, will use fiber internet.