GCI Invests $12M in Cordova Telecom Subsea Cable to Southeast
Photo Credit: Dolores Harvey | Adobe Stock
Matching a capital investment by Cordova Telecom Cooperative (CTC) in a subsea fiber optic cable to Southeast, GCI is buying into the FISH in SEAK project with $12 million of its own. FISH in SEAK stands for “Fiber Internet Serving Homes in Southeast Alaska,” and it would be the first new cable installed between Southcentral and Southeast in more than two decades. CTC has been planning the 560-mile link to Juneau, with service along the way in Yakutat, Hoonah, Pelican, and Gustavus.
Capable and Scalable Cable
FISH in SEAK is largely funded by a $35 million grant from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service ReConnect program, and CTC is providing $12 million in matching funds. Through its partnership in the project, GCI is investing more than $12 million of additional private funding to support a more capable and scalable network that meets Alaska’s future connectivity needs.
“We greatly appreciate GCI’s support of our FISH in SEAK project,” says CTC CEO Jeremiah Beckett. “Alaskans benefit when its telecommunications companies work together with a shared commitment to close the state’s digital divide.”
Current Issue
December 2025
Once completed, the submarine cable system will provide terabit capacity among the communities, facilitating gigabit speeds to end users through “fiber-to-the-home” links. The FISH system will also serve as a more advanced and reliable counterpart to Cordova’s existing fiber optic cable, which is vulnerable to a single point of failure.
“Critical state services require network diversity,” says GCI Senior Vice President of Corporate Development Billy Wailand. “GCI turned up the first subsea cable to Alaska in 1999 and landed a second diverse fiber in 2008. We are thrilled to partner with CTC on its FISH in SEAK project, which includes a next generation cable that ensures Alaska and its capital city continue to benefit from the newest technologies and adds another crucial layer of redundancy to the network.”
In exchange for its investment, GCI gains access to unused capacity in the cable for its traffic to Juneau.
Beckett adds, “Through the investment of USDA, CTC, and GCI, we’re expanding and fortifying key network backbone infrastructure for the state and delivering fiber for the first time to four remote Southeast Alaska communities.”
FISH in SEAK is the eastward branch of CTC’s two-pronged undersea connection. The utility is also planning the 171-mile FISH West to connect Cordova and Seward, with branching units for additional connectivity to Johnstone Point and Chenega.
“The USDA has a long history of supporting critical telecommunications projects in Alaska that deliver tangible benefits to Alaskans and help close the digital divide,” notes Rural Utilities Service Administrator Karl Elmshaeuser. “When providers work together, they can amplify the impact of these federal investments. This project is a prime example.”
Design, engineering, and survey efforts for the project are underway. The deployment of the new subsea fiber is expected to take place in 2027.
Operator Overhaul for Ketchikan Shipyard: AIDEA Puts JAG at the Helm
The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority welcomes JAG Marine Group to replace Vigor Alaska as operator of the Ketchikan Shipyard.
State Nets $17.5M in North Slope Lease Sale
Eleven companies bid $17.5 million for 287 tracts, covering 519,000 acres, for the largest state North Slope lease sale in a decade.
CILC Receives $200K Grant from KeyBank as Bicentennial Birthday Gift
A grant from KeyBank, on the occasion of its 200th anniversary, helps Cook Inlet Lending Center strengthen its Financial Wellness Program.
Also in this issue: building a company and planning an exit strategy; several ESOPs, and UAS’ foray into a new model for tuition. Enjoy!