GCI teams wrap up annual refueling effort for mountaintop TERRA microwave towers

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – After 283 trips using specialized helicopters to deliver more than 112,660 gallons of fuel, the annual effort to refuel GCI’s 22 remote mountaintop microwave towers is complete. The towers are crucial components of GCI’s Terrestrial for Every Rural Region in Alaska (TERRA) network, a 3,300-mile-long hybrid fiber-microwave network that brings terrestrial connectivity to approximately 45,000 Alaskans in 85 rural communities.

“To complete this refueling operation is a massive undertaking and one you’re likely to only find in Alaska,” said GCI Senior Manager of Facilities Operations Earl Merchant. “Despite the mountain of logistics, and the literal mountains themselves, our crews worked throughout the summer and fall to make sure each of these towers are able to remain operational and self-sufficient for months at a time.”

Each mountaintop repeater site has one or two 4,500-gallon tanks. Arctic diesel fuel is hauled in between 410 and 440 gallons at a time by helicopter. Refueling each site takes as many as 16 different trips up the mountain. GCI purchases the fuel from Alaska companies and works with local businesses throughout the process.

GCI technicians and staff from Bethel, Unalakleet, Kotzebue, Nome, Fairbanks, Wasilla, Palmer and Anchorage supported the effort. The company also works closely with local aviation contractor Bering Air. The annual refueling effort for the 2024 season wrapped up September 28

A team of 225 GCI employees, including local site agents, technicians, and specially trained tower climbers are dedicated to the operations and maintenance of GCI’s rural infrastructure, ranging from TERRA and local access networks to satellite earth stations and wireless towers.

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.