Crews have started repairs on GCI’s subsea fiber cable in Unalaska.
Megan Webb, director of corporate communications for the internet and cell phone provider, said in an email Wednesday morning that crews had retrieved both ends of the cable from the seafloor and are prepping them for splicing.
The repair vessel, the Cable Innovator, arrived on site earlier this week, sheltering in nearby Cape Cheerful to wait out high winds.
GCI’s cable was damaged in a late December storm, interrupting cell and internet services for local customers, including emergency calls.
After several days of outages, 911 calling and wireless voice service have been fully restored to the island, but Webb said internet speeds may not support higher-bandwidth usage, like streaming and video calls.
Webb said Wednesday morning that repairs should take about three days, depending on the weather.
