Unalaska trenching
AU-Aleutians Fiber Project

By the end of 2022, Unalaska’s network will be among the nation's most advanced

GCI crews have installed more than 70,000 feet of fiber conduit in Unalaska, so far

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Groundwork in Unalaska is progressing on schedule, and GCI is closer than ever to bringing urban-level internet speeds to the Aleutians. So far, crews in Unalaska have dug nearly 36,000 feet of trench and installed nearly 70,000 feet of fiber conduit in the community. GCI expects to launch 2 gig internet speeds in Unalaska in late 2022.

“Our crews have been working hard through some challenging conditions these last several months to prepare Unalaska for 2 gig connectivity,” said GCI Senior Program Manager John Burnett. “To adapt the U.S. Postal Service’s unofficial motto, ‘neither snow nor wind nor supply chain issues stays these crews from the swift completion of groundwork readying the community for fiber-optic connectivity.’”

By the time groundwork in Unalaska is complete, crews will have installed more than 529,000 feet of conduit on the island. GCI plans to begin laying subsea fiber this summer to extend the company’s fiber-optic infrastructure to the Aleutians.

“Soon, GCI crews will start preparing local homes and businesses for fiber directly to the premises,” said Director of GCI Rural Affairs Jenifer Nelson. “This key element of last-mile connectivity means that once our fiber buildout is complete in Unalaska, the community will have the most advanced network in the state – even more so than Anchorage. It further demonstrates GCI’s commitment to bringing transformational change and digital equity to Alaska communities, no matter how remote they may be.”

The AU-Aleutians Fiber Project will run approximately 800 miles from Kodiak along the south side of the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutians to Unalaska. The project will deliver urban-level speed, service and reliability for the first time to the communities of Unalaska, King Cove, Sand Point, Akutan, Chignik Bay, and Larsen Bay.

The project is expected to cost $58 million. GCI was awarded a $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect program in support of the project. The company will invest $33 million of its own capital to pay for project costs not covered by the ReConnect grant. More information about the project can be found at www.gci.com/aleutians.

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.