March 14, 2018 — ANCHORAGE, Alaska–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Doing business in Alaska’s arctic region, off the road system, comes with a unique set of logistical and technological challenges. Alaska Communications (NASDAQ: ALSK) is working with rural businesses to provide solutions, allowing them to be more connected than ever.
“Many businesses in the Arctic regions have offices in Anchorage and other metropolitan communities. Having access to competitive, high-speed broadband will allow them to connect without limits,” said Bill Bishop, senior vice president, Business Markets. “Businesses can become more efficient and effective because they won’t be constrained by shared networks, slow connectivity and data caps.”
Alaska Communications is proud to provide support solutions to Nome-based Kawerak, a regional non-profit corporation, by offering competitive, high-speed broadband. This move will address the extremely high prices and substantial bandwidth constraints previously faced by the Bering Strait Regional corporation.
“This contract will have a positive impact on business, connectivity and how Kawerak works with companies and customers outside of Nome,” said Bishop.
In addition to its work in Nome, Alaska Communications is bringing new services to Utqiaġvik, Kotzebue, Point Hope and Wainwright. For the first time, Native corporations, government agencies, health care clinics, schools and businesses now can access competitive, high-speed, reliable broadband and managed IT services. Additionally, high-speed, reliable broadband is available through a fiber optic network where most new oil and gas development is occurring in Alaska’s North Slope.
The fiber optic broadband network is now available following a multi-year effort by Quintillion to lay infrastructure and connect two undersea fiber optic cable networks. The connection increases capacity and builds redundancy on the subsea fiber optic system, which allows Alaska Communications to expand broadband and managed IT service offerings to Arctic region businesses. Previously, only high-cost microwave and satellite were available from a sole provider.
Alaska Communications is first making this new network available to business customers and select telecom carriers. It will work with local exchange carriers in each community to bring high-speed broadband opportunities to homes.
