ASTAC Launches Fastest Internet Offering to North Slope
An ASTAC technician works on a fiber slack loop in Wainwright.
ASTAC
Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative (ASTAC) has launched the North Slope’s first and only 25/5 Mbps internet service, called Home Internet 25+.
“Today we are proud to being the launch of our Home Internet 25+ in Utqiaġvik, Wainwright, Point Home, and Nuiqsut,” says Jens Laipenieks, ASTAC CEO and general manager.
“This new offering will provide the speeds needed for families who continue to work and do schooling from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Since January 2018, ASTAC has installed more than 62 miles of fiber networks connecting almost 2,200 locations to fiber. Eighty-five percent of North Slope residences now have an end-to-end fiber optic broadband connection when coupled with Quintillion’s subsea fiber optic cable network.
“Quintillion is proud to partner with ASTAC to bring fast, reliable, and affordable internet to these North Slope communities,” says Quintillion CEO George Tronsrue III.
“Our subsea fiber network was built to help improve the lives of rural Alaska residents. These new services will do that and come at a time when they are needed more than ever.”
These new offerings will also have a suspend feature allowing customers to pause and restart their data usage throughout their billing cycle to self-manage their usage. The new Home Internet 25+ plan is $75 less than ASTAC’s Home Internet plan and customers can save 75 percent on usage fees if they exceed their data bucket allotment.
An ASTAC technician lashes a fiber cable to an aerial stand in Utqiagvik.
ASTAC
The cooperative has made tremendous technological improvements in its forty-plus years in business. From providing basic landline service to dial-up internet to a 25/5 Mbps internet speed in the most northern area of the world, ASTAC will work to continually improve the telecommunications services for its membership.
ASTAC now meets the Federal Communications Commission’s standard of 25 Mbps (download speed) over 3 Mbps (upload speed) to ensure rural Americans receive internet service comparable to those in urban areas.
Making History
The track of oil and gas development in Alaska shows the footprints of bold companies and hard-working individuals who shaped the industry in the past and continue to innovate today. The May 2024 issue of Alaska Business explores that history while looking forward to new product development, the energy transition for the fishing fleet, and the ethics of AI tools in business.