GCI

The 800-mile fiber optic project had just passed a huge milestone earlier this month, when the company ran their first test and successfully brought connectivity to Unalaska. But on Monday, mere weeks away from the official launch, something damaged the cable.

The moment many Unalaskans have been waiting years for is just around the corner: fast and affordable high speed internet has made its way to the island and is about to get booted up.GCI has been working since the spring of 2020 to bring fiber optic broadband to the region through its Aleutians Fiber project. And now, two and a half years later, the initial cable tests are finished and things are about to “get lit,” according to the telecommunications company.

Work has started to lay 800 miles of subsea cable that project engineers say will bring high speed internet to Unalaska and Akutan by the end of the year.

Nearly 2,000 tons of subsea fiber has begun the journey from Europe to Alaska and its eventual home on the ocean floor along the Aleutian Chain. The fiber — which is the foundation of GCI’s 800-mile Aleutians Fiber Project — would close the digital divide and bring high speed internet to homes in some of the most remote communities in the nation, including Unalaska.

A local internet provider that has previously only offered WiFi to Unalaskans announced last month that it's launching a new LTE service. The island now has three options for cell service, and OptimERA is one of them.

GCI crews began construction in Unalaska Tuesday in preparation to bring fiber optic broadband to the island.

An Alaska-based telecommunications company says it's reached a major milestone in its mission to bring Unalaskans improved digital connectivity through a…

Unalaskans could see a significant boost in internet service by late 2022, if GCI completes work to lay fiber cable as planned. The telecommunications…

The federal government says it's investing $46.5 million to bring high speed internet to communities across coastal Alaska. That's expected to improve…

GCI says it won't move forward with bringing broadband communications to Unalaska at this time unless they receive a large grant from the USDA.The company…