Surveys start for second phase of GCI’s Aleutians Fiber Project
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Efforts are ramping up in six more GCI Aleutians Fiber Project communities! Survey crews from GCI and its contractor, STG Incorporated, recently completed site surveys for cable landing stations in Chignik Lagoon, Chignik Lake, Cold Bay, False Pass, Ouzinkie and Port Lions.
The second phase of the Aleutians Fiber Project, funded through a federal grant to the Native Village of Port Lions will close the digital divide and bring digital equity to six more Aleutian, Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island communities. In total, 12 communities will be served by GCI’s subsea fiber that was deployed in 2022.
“With the first phase of GCI’s Aleutians Fiber Project coming up on its halfway point, these surveys mark the beginning of the second phase of the project,” said GCI Principal Program Manager Rebecca Markley. “Cable landing stations serve as the connection point between the subsea fiber and local access network. The site surveys are one of several steps that need to be complete before construction can begin in these communities in the coming years.”
The first phase of the $100 million project is partially funded by a $25 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..
“We’re excited to see boots on the ground in Port Lions and the rest of the project’s phase two communities,” said Native Village of Port Lions Administrator Denise May. “The new, high-speed connectivity is going to be transformational for our communities. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we’re excited to work closely with GCI to make the process as efficient as possible.”
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.