The fiber will add critical network redundancy between Juneau and Southcentral Alaska
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Cordova Telecom Cooperative (CTC) and GCI Communication Corp. (GCI) have partnered to enhance the capabilities of CTC’s planned 560-mile subsea fiber project between Cordova and Juneau – Fiber Internet Serving Homes in Southeast Alaska (FISH in SEAK). This will be the first new cable between Southcentral Alaska and Juneau in nearly two decades and adds critical redundancy to the network infrastructure connecting Alaska to the Lower 48. In addition to network redundancy, the FISH in SEAK project will deliver fiber broadband internet to the unserved community of Pelican and includes fiber branches to serve Yakutat, Gustavus, and Hoonah.
CTC’s FISH in SEAK project is supported by a $35 million grant awarded in 2023 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service ReConnect program and $12 million in matching funds by CTC. Through the partnership, GCI will invest more than $12 million of additional private funding to support a more capable and scalable network that meets Alaska’s future connectivity needs.
“We greatly appreciate GCI’s support of our FISH in SEAK project,” said CTC CEO Jeremiah Beckett. “Alaskans benefit when its telecommunications companies work together with a shared commitment to close the state’s digital divide. Through the investment of USDA, CTC, and GCI, we’re expanding and fortifying key network backbone infrastructure for the state and delivering fiber for the first time to four remote Southeast Alaska communities.”
“Critical state services require network diversity,” said GCI Senior Vice President of Corporate Development Billy Wailand. “GCI turned up the first subsea cable to Alaska in 1999 and landed a second diverse fiber in 2008. We are thrilled to partner with CTC on its FISH in SEAK project, which includes a next generation cable that ensures Alaska and its capital city continue to benefit from the newest technologies and adds another crucial layer of redundancy to the network.”
“The USDA has a long history of supporting critical telecommunications projects in Alaska that deliver tangible benefits to Alaskans and help close the digital divide,” said Rural Utilities Service Administrator Karl Elmshaeuser. “When providers work together, they can amplify the impact of these federal investments. This project is a prime example.”
Design, engineering, and survey efforts for the project are underway. The deployment of the new subsea fiber is expected to take place in 2027.
For more information about the FISH in SEAK project, visit: https://ctcak.net/news/.
About Cordova Telecom Cooperative
Cordova Telecom Cooperative is a member-owned local co-op serving the telephone, high speed internet, and technology needs of the community of Cordova, Alaska since 1978. Founded in 1997, Cordova Wireless provides cellular voice, text, and data services to Cordova, as well as Prince William Sound fishing grounds and Yakutat, Alaska. More information about Cordova Telecom and Cordova Wireless can be found at www.ctcak.net, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cordovatelecomcoop.
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.
Media Contact
Josh Edge, GCI
Phone: 907-575-3622
Email: jedge@gci.com
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