Native Village of Port Lions, GCI partnership brings 2.5 gig residential internet speeds to Port Lions and Ouzinkie
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Fiber-optic connectivity has arrived in Port Lions and Ouzinkie! These are the first of six communities to be connected through the second phase of the Aleutians Fiber Project, which is a partnership between the Native Village of Port Lions and GCI. The second phase of the Aleutians Fiber Project is funded in part by a $29.3 million grant awarded to the Native Village of Port Lions through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP).
Residents in Port Lions and Ouzinkie now have access to 2.5 gig consumer internet speeds, unlimited data and urban plans and pricing.
“Even though our communities are less than 20 miles from the city of Kodiak, we have long been a world apart when it comes to connectivity,” said Crystal Eggemeyer, Tribal Administrator, Native Village of Port Lions. “With the arrival of fiber, our residents now have access to the same level of connectivity available in the state’s urban areas. This is a prime example of how local and federal agencies, businesses, Tribal organizations, and leaders from across the region can successfully collaborate to bring digital equity to rural Alaska.”
After extensive planning, design and engineering work, construction began in Port Lions, located 12 miles north of the city of Kodiak, and Ouzinkie, on Spruce Island, in August 2024 as the project’s first phase approached completion.
“Fiber is a future-proof technology that will deliver capacity to meet any future data needs in Port Lions and Ouzinkie,” said GCI Senior Vice President of Corporate Development Billy Wailand. “With a brand new state-of-the-art local fiber network in place, the lightning-fast levels of connectivity that are now available will be transformative for consumers, fishing and maritime industries, schools and clinics in these two Aleutian communities.”
In addition to Port Lions and Ouzinkie, 2.5 gig consumer internet speeds have also been launched in Akutan, Chignik Bay, King Cove, Larsen Bay, Sand Point and Unalaska through the Aleutians Fiber Project.
The Aleutians Fiber Project, when completed, will bring fiber connectivity and urban internet service to 13 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.
For more information on GCI’s Aleutians Fiber Project, visit https://www.gci.com/aleutianfiberproject.
About the Native Village of Port Lions
The Native Village of Port Lions was established after the 1964 earthquake and Tsunami destroyed the Village of Afognak. Most of the people from the Afognak Village moved to the new location named in honor of the Lions Club for helping the people reestablish a community. The federally recognized Port Lions Tribal Government was established in 1973. At that time the Native Village of Port Lions was the only Tribal Government for the Afognak people. The tribe provides essential services to its members and others that live in the community of Port Lions such as road maintenance, recycling programs, senior meal services, child activity programs and more. Learn more about the Native Village of Port Lions at https://portlionstribe.net/.
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 $4.7 billion in its Alaska network and facilities over the past 45 years. Through a combination of ambitious network initiatives, GCI continues to expand and strengthen its statewide network infrastructure to deliver the best possible connectivity to its customers and close the digital divide in Alaska. 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.