GCI wins big at 2021 Best of Alaska Business Awards

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — GCI was voted Alaska's top Telecommunications Provider by Alaska Business magazine readers in this year's Best of Alaska Business Awards. GCI was also selected as the editor's choice for Best Corporate Citizen.

The Denali Award for Best Telecommunications provider came after a year of big progress and big announcements for the company. In 2020, GCI launched Alaska's first 5G network that now boasts speeds twice as fast as other wireless carriers. The award also comes on the heels of PCMag.com's naming of GCI as Alaska's fastest ISP in a year where the company's network stood up to the test of unprecedented demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. GCI delivers access to 1 gig internet speeds to 77% of Alaskans and plans to get even faster in 2022 with the launch of 2 gig internet speeds.

"GCI owns and operates Alaska's biggest, most advanced network and we're proud to be recognized by Alaska Business readers as the state's best telecommunications provider," said Vice President & Chief Engineer of GCI Network Services Chris Mace. "GCI's Network Services team takes pride in the work we do. We're committed to ensuring that Alaskans have access to fast, reliable connectivity, whether they're at home, at work, or on-the-go. I feel fortunate to work with such a talented and motivated team. We invest tens of millions of dollars every year to grow and maintain our network. I'm glad that Alaskans are taking note."

As a company with a strong aversion to resting on its laurels, GCI announced plans earlier this year to deliver 1 gig service, for the first time, to the Northwest Alaska communities of Kotzebue and Nome. GCI is also in the midst of a two-year project to deliver fiber-based telecommunications services to remote communities in the Aleutians, including Dutch Harbor, and is developing plans to bring fiber service to Bethel, Alaska.

GCI, one of Alaska's leaders in corporate philanthropy, was pleased to be one of the companies to receive the editor's choice for Best Corporate Citizen. Each year, GCI donates more than $2 million in cash, products, and connectivity to organizations across the state.

"It's an honor for GCI to be selected as one of the editor's choices for Alaska's top corporate citizen, especially after all the challenges we faced in 2020. So many companies, non-profits and individuals deserve recognition for their efforts during the pandemic," said GCI Contributions and Events Senior Manager Megan Mazurek. "Here at GCI, all the credit goes to our employees across the state who work hard to make their communities better. Our employees live and work in the communities we serve. We're your neighbors. That's why giving back to those communities is so important to GCI."

Since 2017, GCI has contributed over $500,000 to nonprofits that help prevent and lower the rate of suicide in the state and their communities by promoting mental wellness and making community-minded connections. The GCI Suicide Prevention Fund is accepting applications for its 2021 grant funding cycle. Committed to Alaska students and STEM education, GCI provides $100,000 in scholarships to 50 students through the GCI Scholarship Program and GCI Donovan Walsh Scholarship. GCI is committed to giving back to the communities it serves and provides employees with 16 hours of paid leave to volunteer with local organizations. In 2020, more than 320 GCI employees volunteered over 2,900 hours with local non-profit organizations across the state.

About GCI

Headquartered in Alaska, GCI provides data, mobile, video, voice and managed services to consumer, business, government, and carrier customers throughout Alaska, serving more than 200 communities. The company has invested more than $3 billion in its Alaska network and facilities over the past 40 years and recently launched true standards-based 5G NR service in Anchorage, now the nation's northernmost 5G service area. Learn more about GCI at www.gci.com. GCI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Broadband Corporation (Nasdaq: LBRDA, LBRDK, LBRDP). Learn more about Liberty Broadband at http://www.libertybroadband.com.