Alaskan telecommunications provider GCI has extended 5G mobile services and launched Voice over LTE (VoLTE) in Unalaska, one of the most remote communities in the US. Unalaska is more than 4,000 miles from New York City and is Positioned near the tail end of the Aleutian Chain. This move aims to provide residents with lightning-fast data speeds and heightened voice service reliability, marking a transformative moment in their mobile communication experience.
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GCI Brings 5G to Unalaska
According to GCI, the recent expansion and upgrades are a result of the USD 4.9 million investment. As a result, residents of Unalaska will now have access to 5G mobile service and 2.5 Gbps internet speeds that were introduced in the community towards the end of last year.
"The community has been waiting for better wireless service for years, and now it's here. It's a big deal! GCI has been working for years on a strategy to deliver better service to customers in the Aleutians. Our Aleutian fibre project not only brought high-speed internet to the community but also provided the foundation we used to upgrade wireless service. That means seamless connectivity for Unalaska," said the statement.
AU-Aleutians Fiber Project
GCI's AU-Aleutians Fiber Project, an 800-mile subsea fibre project, is a two-phase project to bring 2,000 Mbps internet speeds and affordable, unlimited data plans to a dozen Aleutian, Alaska Peninsula, and Kodiak Island communities with fibre by the end of 2024.
Unalaska, renowned for housing Dutch Harbor, one of the nation's leading fishing ports, has long grappled with limited connectivity due to its geographical isolation at the far end of the Aleutian Chain. GCI's investment has now brought 5G service to this remote enclave, positioning it at the forefront of technological connectivity.
Also Read: GCI Expands 5G Wireless Service in Alaska’s Capital City
GCI said it was the first provider in Alaska to launch 5G services, which first launched in Anchorage in 2020, followed by Fairbanks, Palmer, Wasilla, Juneau, Eagle River and Girdwood. GCI expanded 5G services to Juneau in June, as reported by TelecomTalk.
However, the rollout of 5G service in Unalaska serves as a remarkable testament to GCI's commitment to extending advanced connectivity even to the most remote corners of the state.
