Aleutians Fiber Project construction kicks off in Ouzinkie
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Crews have begun the local fiber network buildout in the Aleutians Fiber Project community of Ouzinkie! The community, located on Spruce Island, approximately 10 miles north of Kodiak, is home to 114 residents who, once network construction and testing are complete, will have access to 2.5 gig residential internet speeds.
With construction underway, crews with GCI contractor Inline Cable Corporation will be digging trenches and installing fiber conduit throughout the community in preparation for the deployment of fiber-optic cable directly to homes and businesses.
“With all the permits and materials in place, our team is excited for the start of construction in the first of our phase two Aleutians Fiber Project communities,” said GCI Principal Program Manager Rebecca Markley. “Once complete, Ouzinkie residents will have access to the same consumer products available in GCI’s urban markets, like Anchorage and Fairbanks, and we’ll be one step closer to closing the digital divide in Alaska.”
In conjunction with the network buildout within the community, crews aboard the fiber ship IT Integrity will install marine fiber to the community, connecting Ouzinkie to the 800+ mile fiber-optic backbone deployed in 2022.
Being mindful of local communities’ customs, culture and priorities when building out the Aleutians Fiber project, GCI has retained cultural monitors through Area M Consulting, which will be involved for the duration of the project. The cultural monitor team, led by King Cove native Sean Mack, will monitor construction and record and identify any unexpected and uncovered historical sites.
The first phase of the $100 million project is partially funded by a $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development’s ReConnect Program. It includes an 800-mile-long subsea fiber-optic backbone, deployed in 2022, and the delivery of high-speed internet to Unalaska, King Cove, Sand Point, Akutan, Chignik Bay and Larsen Bay.
The second phase of the project leverages the 800-mile subsea fiber to deliver service to six more communities in the region. The Native Village of Port Lions, in partnership with GCI, was awarded a $29.3 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to bring connectivity to Chignik Lagoon, Chignik Lake, Cold Bay, False Pass, Ouzinkie and Port Lions in the coming years.
For more information on GCI’s Aleutians Fiber Project, visit https://www.gci.com/aleutianfiberproject.
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 $4 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.