Oil patch bits: GCI crews continue fiber deployment in remote communities

Petroleum News

As reported by GCI News Aug. 8, on the heels of the launch of 2.5 gig residential internet speeds in Bethel, the first community connected through the AIRRAQ Network, project crews remain hard at work in more Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta communities in preparation for the future arrival of fiber. Teams are currently building out local fiber infrastructure in Eek, Platinum, Napaskiak and Oscarville. The AIRRAQ Network is a partnership between Bethel Native Corp. and GCI to bring fiber-optic connectivity to 13 Y-K Delta communities.

In the coming months, project crews will deploy thousands of feet of aerial and underground fiber within each community directly to local homes and businesses.

"Launching fiber-optic service in Bethel was a huge milestone for our project crews, and we're eager to keep the momentum going," said GCI Senior Staff Program Manager Nikki LaTona. "The AIRRAQ Network is an extremely complex project with a lot of moving parts. To make the most of Alaska's crucial and limited summer construction season, our teams have worked tirelessly to ensure all the pieces are in place for construction to go smoothly in each community. That includes everything from permitting and surveys to staging equipment, organizing transportation and lodging for our crews, and more -- it's a massive effort."

BNC and GCI launched fiber-optic connectivity in Bethel in May, bringing access to the same speeds, plans and pricing as those in Alaska's urban areas to the regional hub's more than 6,000 residents.

"For the first time, our communities have access to first-class internet service right here at home," BNC President & CEO Ana Hoffman said. "I've often said 'first-class people deserve first-class internet service,' and, with the launch of AIRRAQ, we are making that a reality. AIRRAQ is not just a technology upgrade -- it's an economic multiplier and an investment in our people, meaning jobs, training, and capacity-building for our communities, something BNC is deeply committed to."

The 840-mile AIRRAQ Network fiber project is a partnership between BNC and GCI that will deliver affordable 2.5 gig residential internet speeds and unlimited data plans to more than 11,800 people in Western Alaska. The project will connect 13 communities, including: Bethel, Platinum, Eek, Napaskiak, Oscarville, Atmautluak, Kasigluk, Nunapitchuk, Quinhagak, Tuntutuliak, Tununak, Toksook Bay and Emmonak. For more about the AIRRAQ Network fiber project at: https://www.gci.com/bethel-airraq-network.