GCI awarded $5M federal grant to deploy fiber network in Aleutian community of Perryville
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Fiber-optic connectivity is coming to Perryville! GCI has been awarded a $5 million grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Community Connect program to build a local fiber-to-the-premises network in the remote Aleutian community. The buildout of fiber infrastructure in Perryville will be incorporated into the second phase of GCI’s ongoing Aleutians Fiber Project.
Once complete, Perryville residents will have access to 2.5 gig consumer internet speeds, urban internet plans and pricing, and unlimited data.
“GCI is excited for the opportunity to add Perryville to the Aleutians Fiber Project,” said GCI Senior Vice President of Corporate Development Billy Wailand. “We’re appreciative of the support from the USDA Rural Development Community Connect program and their recognition of the importance of bringing this transformative level of connectivity to more rural Alaska communities. We look forward to working with our community partners at the Native Village of Perryville as we work to further close the digital divide in the region.”
As part of the grant, GCI, in partnership with the Native Village of Perryville, will also equip the local community center with computers, office equipment, connectivity, and more, free of charge for at least two years.
“Gaining high-speed fiber-optic connectivity will be life changing for Perryville residents, expanding access to economic and educational resources and bolstering health care and public safety in our community,” said Native Village of Perryville Administrator Dana Phillips. “There’s still a great deal of work to be done, but we’re looking forward to working closely with GCI to make the process as efficient as possible.”
The Aleutians Fiber Project, when completed, will bring fiber connectivity and urban Internet service to Perryville and 12 other communities on Kodiak Island, the Alaska Peninsula, and the south side of the Aleutian Chain. It was funded through generous grants by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development ReConnect and Community Connect programs, as well as more than $50 million in private funding by GCI.
GCI has launched 2.5 gig consumer internet speeds in four Aleutians Fiber Project communities: Unalaska, Sand Point, King Cove and Akutan. Fiber-optic connectivity is on the horizon for Chignik Bay and Larsen Bay, which are both in the final stages of network testing. Construction is almost complete in Ouzinkie and Port Lions, where the local fiber infrastructure is being built out.
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.
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.