GCI

The milestone for the tribal-private partnership that has unspooled hundreds of miles of fiber optic cables along the seafloor, riverbeds, and tundra of the region comes at a time when little is certain about the future of rural broadband.

Internet and mobile service provider GCI says that it’s completed a major step toward bringing fiber-optic internet to the lower Kuskokwim Delta. The collaborative network will span hundreds of miles, and could bring faster, cheaper internet to homes by early next year.

Reporter Jenna Kunze says the shift in many far-flung communities to satellite internet has been profound.

While cell service has been partially restored by GCI technicians, a complete lack of phone service last weekend turned a hassle into a public safety risk.

Pamyua returned home to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta for a performance at Bethel’s high school gym in early August. It was in honor of a major broadband internet project in the region. The band, and event sponsors, say both the project and performance are about celebrating connectivity and sharing culture.

Telecommunications company GCI says Mountain Village, St. Mary’s, Tununak and Quinhagak will have their cell services upgraded to 3G. This means residents…

Alaska telecommunications company GCI has announced $100,000 in donations to support nine suicide prevention efforts across the state. Two village…