Oil Patch Bits: GCI gives broadband gift

GCI has contributed a $30 million broadband gift to the University of Alaska system. University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton said the gift is essential to the university’s mission of education, research and public service. The university, he said, had requested the money from the Alaska legislature for several years to increase its broadband capacity, but didn’t receive the support it needed. The broadband gift from the communications company provides up to 10 gigabits-per-second from Anchorage to Seattle, benefitting not only the university but Alaska schools through a network that is part of the state’s multi-partner Distance Education Consortium.