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GCI’s Aleutian Islands Fiber Project will have connected a dozen communities when construction is complete.
By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
Construction has continued in the first phase of GCI’s Aleutian Islands Fiber Project.
The ambitious project is a $100 million endeavor by the Anchorage-based ISP to connect some of the most remote U.S. communities.
In the latest development, construction is reaching the community of Larsen Bay.
According to a June 3 announcement, Larsen Bay’s residents are being prepared for the arrival of fiber-optic services later this year.
The community, listed with a population of 33 on GCI’s website, is included the Aleutian Islands Fiber Project’s first phase.
To reach Phase I communities, GCI is utilizing an 800-mile-long subsea fiber-optic backbone.
The subsea cable was deployed in 2022, according to GCI.
Larsen Bay (pictured) is one of 12 communities that will be connected through GCI’s Aleutians Fiber Project.
The project’s website describes communities where construction is planned or has already occurred.
“Located in a deep fjord, Larsen Bay is situated next to some of the best fishing grounds in the Kodiak Archipelago.”
Another community involved in Phase I, Chignik Bay, is listed with a population of 84. The community is described as the only port of call between Sand Point and Kodiak.
Communities like Akutan, Unalaska, Sand Point, and King Cove have already been connected, according to published reports.
The network will deliver 2.5 Gbps speeds to the region when completed, according to GCI.
‘Closer to Russia than to the contiguous U.S.’
GCI’s Aleutian Islands project webpage explains how life in the Aleutians is unique.
“Unalaska, King Cove, Sand Point, Akutan, Chignik Bay, and Larsen Bay — some of the nation’s most remote communities — are closer to Russia than to the contiguous U.S. Until now, customers in these communities could only be served by satellite connectivity.”
GCI Project Manager Jerry Walker explained what Larsen Bay residents will see when GCI crews are working this summer.
“In the coming months, our crews will be digging trenches, deploying fiber conduit that will house and protect the local fiber network,” he said.
Walker also said GCI would be connecting local homes and businesses to the new infrastructure.
“Once complete, Larsen Bay residents will have access to the same consumer products available in GCI’s urban markets,” he said.
GCI retains cultural monitors for construction process
Cultural sensitivities in the Aleutian Islands are a focal point. As a result, GCI has brought cultural monitors on board for the project.
The team of monitors with Area M Consulting, led by a King Cove native, “will monitor construction and record and identify any unexpected and uncovered historical sites.”
A 2022 release from GCI explains why Area M Consulting was retained.
“Area M was brought on the project through an RFP process due to the cultural and historical significance of the region,” the release stated.
The group is also tasked with helping the project comply with the National Historic Preservation Act.
With the announced construction in Larsen Bay, GCI Senior Rural Affairs Director Jenifer Nelson reiterated that GCI respects the traditions, history, and culture of Aleutian Islands communities.
“Including the villages, tribes and local residents in the process of the project has been a priority for us,” Nelson said.
A breakdown of funding for both phases
The first phase of the project has a price tag of $58 million.
Funding sources for Phase I includes a $25 million grant from the USDA ReConnect Program.
Another $33 million in capital from GCI will also fund Phase I, the project’s website detailed.
Phase II, to be funded with a $29.3 million NTIA grant, will extend fiber to another six communities, according to GCI’s website.
Chignik Lagoon, Chignik Lake, Cold Bay, False Pass, Ouzinkie, and Port Lions are all listed as Phase II communities.
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