Arctic Directory 2016: GCI expands high-speed network to more communities

GCI announced recently that it will expand high-speed terrestrial broadband service to the Northwest Arctic Borough and Norton Sound, delivering services to 10 new communities this year. GCI’s terrestrial for every rural region in Alaska network delivers low latency network connections and high-speed internet access. These speed increases, supported by Ericsson technology, will dramatically improve the performance of online health, education and government services.

Terrestrial broadband provides high-speed data streaming which is a transformational service for many rural Alaska communities. By the end of 2016, Buckland, Kiana, Noorvik, Selawik, Koyuk, Elim, Golovin, White Mountain, Stebbins and St. Michael will join the growing list of rural Alaska communities with access to TERRA. With TERRA, these communities will have access to high-quality video conferencing, a critical tool for health care and education that can result in long-term cost savings for Alaskans and the agencies that serve them.

“GCI has brought high-speed internet to some of the most remote locations on earth,” said Greg Chapados, executive vice president and COO of GCI. “We’ve seen how much a community can benefit from the improved medical care, improved education and improved economic opportunities that accompany access to broadband. We’re truly connecting Alaskans to the rest of the world. The projects are hard and the environment unforgiving, but we’re an Alaska company and we don’t expect things to be easy.”

Through video conferencing, students can take field trips without leaving their village, interact with highly qualified teachers regardless of location and collaborate with students across the globe. Rural patients have access to specialty doctors who can diagnose and treat ailments and are able to consult with physicians at larger hospitals.

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