GCI Fiber Project Upgrades Port of Alaska Connectivity

Supporting Alaska’s maritime industry, GCI is wrapping up the first phase of a project to deliver fiber optic connectivity to the Port of Alaska in Anchorage and laying the groundwork to extend that service to other shipping stakeholders in the area. Crews broke ground in November 2019 on the more than $600,000 project and have worked throughout the winter to install 3.5 miles of fiber optic cable to the Port, enabling it and nearby businesses to take advantage of GCI’s top-notch connectivity.

“Enhancing GCI’s infrastructure in one of Anchorage’s most-important industrial areas is a crucial step to support our business customers and ensure they have access to the best possible connectivity,” says Vice President of GCI Business Sales Lori Davey. “GCI makes the investments necessary to enable technological advances and keep our community competitive.”

The Port of Alaska is the gateway for commerce in Alaska. Each year 90 percent of the goods and products that Alaskans use pass through the Port. That includes everything from gasoline and heating oil to most of what’s found in local grocery stores. The Port is also one of only nineteen commercial ports in the nation designated as a Department of Defense Strategic Seaport, because of its vital role in supporting overseas deployments, fuel for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, vehicle transportation and more.

“As the world has become more and more connected and the need for accurate, real-time information continues to grow, it’s important that we can support those companies that keep Alaska running,” said Port of Alaska Director Steve Ribuffo. “This investment by GCI enables us to explore a number of technological upgrades to our systems that will improve our operation so we can continue to serve Alaskans for decades to come.”