GCI Launches Upgraded Wireless Sites in Bristol Bay
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Faster mobile data speeds have come to Bristol Bay! GCI has launched its first upgraded wireless sites in Dillingham as part of a project to bring improved voice service and faster mobile data speeds to Dillingham and surrounding communities.
The first phase of the project includes upgrades to a total of five wireless sites in Dillingham, which will be turned up individually as the project progresses over the coming months. Dillingham customers can expect service improvements, including voice and data speeds, as each site is turned up and performance on the site optimized.
The project leverages network improvements from a previous partnership between GCI and Nushagak Electric and Telephone Cooperative (NETC). GCI also plans to bring faster speeds to three more Southwest Alaska communities—Manokotak, Aleknagik and Clark’s Point in the future.
“This project demonstrates GCI’s continued commitment to serving and investing in rural Alaska. These service improvements will make a big difference for our customers in Southwest Alaska’s economic hub. GCI and NETC have long partnered to deliver and improve connectivity throughout the Bristol Bay region and we greatly appreciate their support in helping us increase data speeds to the region.”
—Maureen Moore, Chief Customer Experience Officer, GCI
Dillingham, Manokotak, Aleknagik and Clark’s Point are home to more than 3,100 year-round residents, with populations that greatly expand during fishing season when seasonal workers take part in the world-famous Bristol Bay sockeye salmon run.
What happens when a city with fewer than 300 residents becomes a major freight and tourism hub, despite being accessible only by boat, plane, or a one-lane highway/railroad tunnel managed on a strict schedule?
If you’re in the City of Whittier, you get busy. The city has two separate transportation planning efforts underway, including a safety action plan under the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All initiative, which focuses on improving safety for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and emergency responders. The second is Whittier Moves, the city’s transportation master plan, which serves as the long-term roadmap for growth.