Oil Patch Bits: GCI launches fastest internet in Anchorage neighborhood

Residents of the Anchorage neighborhood of Rogers Park can now surf the web at record speeds as General Communication Inc. has launched its 1-gig Internet service.

GCI President and CEO Ron Duncan said 8 percent of GCI’s consumer subscribers across the state have signed up in advance for the 1-gig service, about 8,000 customers. The company plans to expand the service to include the Railbelt and Southeast Alaska, which is expected to cost up to $25 million.

“It’s the fastest Internet available in Alaska and, on a consumer basis, anywhere in the country,” Duncan said.

The service is available only to GCI customers and will only work on the latest smartphones, computers and other devices. Routers older than one year will not be able to run the network.

Also, GCI is allowing customers to download at high speeds, but data limits are still set.

Rival telecommunications company Alaska Communications only offers 1-gig service to business customers, but does not have data limits, according to ACS spokeswoman Hannah Blankenship. The company has no plans to move into the high-speed consumer market.