GCI crews prepare Deering, Kivalina for fiber-optic connectivity
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Fiber-optic connectivity and 2.5 gig residential internet speeds are fast approaching in Deering and Kivalina. Crews are wrapping up the local fiber network buildouts in both communities and once network testing is complete, both Northwest Alaska communities will be ready for the launch of urban level internet speeds, plans and pricing this fall.
“It’s been a busy year for our fiber crews and they’ve pushed hard to build out the local fiber infrastructure in Deering and Kivalina as we work to close the digital divide in Alaska,” said GCI Principal Program Manager Rebecca Markley. “Once the build is complete and 2.5 gig residential internet speeds launch, residents of both communities will have access to the same level of internet connectivity as our customers in Anchorage. It’s going to be transformational.”
In 2023, project crews deployed more than 170 miles of new subsea fiber, connecting Deering and Kivalina to existing fiber-optic middle mile infrastructure in Kotzebue.
The Deering-Kivalina Fiber Project is one of three concurrent major fiber initiatives underway for GCI as it works to bring fiber-optic connectivity to more rural Alaska communities. GCI’s Aleutians Fiber Project, in partnership with the Native Village of Port Lions, will bring 2.5 gig residential internet speeds to 12 Aleutian, Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island communities. GCI has also partnered with Bethel Native Corporation on the AIRRAQ Network fiber project to deliver urban-level connectivity to 13 Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta communities.
Over the past 40 years, GCI has invested more than $4 billion in its statewide network. More than 97 percent of Alaskans live within GCI’s network footprint.
For more information about GCI internet service, visit: https://www.gci.com/internet.
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.