GCI plans fiber deployment across Aleutians

Nov. 16, 2020
The project, expected to be completed by the end of 2022, will see the deployment of a new submarine cable network of approximately 800 mi.

Alaskan communications services provider GCI plans to deploy a fiber-optic network connecting Unalaska and the five Aleutian communities of King Cove, Sand Point, Akutan, Chignik Bay, and Larsen Bay, according to a blog on the ACA Connects website. GCI is an ACA Connect member operator. GCI will partner with Alaska United on the project, which is being funded by a $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect program and $33 million from GCI.

The project, expected to be completed by the end of 2022, will see the deployment of a new submarine cable network of approximately 800 mi. The submarine network will run from Kodiak along the south side of the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutians to Unalaska. GCI expects the subsea system will remain operational in the harsh Artic conditions for more than 25 years. In Unalaska, GCI will deploy fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) infrastructure to enable provision of gigabit broadband. The service provider also expects to launch streaming IP video and improve existing services like mobile wireless.

“The AU-Aleutians Fiber Project is yet another example of GCI’s willingness to invest in rural Alaska when other companies are unable or unwilling to do so,” said GCI CEO and Founder Ron Duncan. “Fiber service, the gold standard of broadband connectivity, will enable Unalaska, the nation’s largest fishing port, and the other project communities to realize their full economic potential while advancing the national security interests of the United States.”

“The project will provide a data connectivity solution to Unalaska and the other served communities that is significantly faster than any satellite solution, including the low earth orbit (LEO) satellites currently in deployment,” added Greg Chapados, GCI’s president and chief operating officer.

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About the Author

Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave

Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.

He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.

You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.

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