GCI fiber-optic connectivity on the horizon in Akutan
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Fiber-optic connectivity is on the horizon in Akutan! Construction is complete in the Aleutians Fiber Project community and now the GCI project team is working through an extensive checklist of technical network testing before launching urban level speeds, plans, and pricing to residential customers this summer.
Once the new service is launched, Akutan will join Unalaska, Sand Point, and King Cove with lightning-fast 2.5 gig consumer internet speeds.
“Our crews pushed hard these last few months to build out the brand-new local fiber network in the community,” said GCI Project Manager Jerry Walker. “I’m proud of the work we’ve done, so far, and am excited to see the impact the Aleutians Fiber Project will have on the community and throughout the region.”
Construction crews will soon be moving on to Chignik Bay and Larsen Bay. The two communities are slated to be the fifth and sixth Aleutians Fiber Project communities connected to GCI’s extensive fiber-optic network, wrapping up the project’s first phase.
“We’re working through the final logistics and planning efforts in Chignik Bay and Larsen Bay before construction begins,” said Walker. “Working in very small communities accessible only by boat or airplane adds a level of complexity to network buildouts that you don’t experience most other places. With a combined population of around 115 residents, options for lodging in Chignik Bay and Larsen Bay are limited and you can’t just drive to the store for a forgotten piece of material. Every detail must be planned and accounted for before we start work.”
The first phase of the $100 million project is partially funded by a $27.5 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 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.
For more information about the 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.