Project to bring affordable, high-speed fiber internet to 7 communities.
This July, a team from Calista Corporation and Alaska Communications visited Upper Kalskag, Lower Kalskag, Tuluksak, Akiak, Akiachak, Kwethluk and Napakiak to discuss and share updates on their Alaska FiberOptic Project.
This project will bring affordable, reliable high-speed fiber internet to residents and businesses in the seven communities, thanks to a resolution of support from each Tribe and funding provided by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
An important goal for this visit was for the project’s design and construction team to receive input and address questions from community members and tribal leaders.
Local knowledge about the Kuskokwim River passed down through many generations of our Shareholders is important to the project as Alaska Communications plans the fiber path. While the majority of the fiberoptic cable will lie in the riverbed, the project will use existing electrical poles in each community to bring fiber to local homes and businesses.
During the village meetings, residents asked about the plan for addressing fiber cuts. Alaska Communications shared information on its plan in place for addressing outages and cuts; it is also exploring backup connectivity solutions that could be used if an outage occurs.
The project team is currently working through the environmental review and permitting process, which will continue through 2024. Fiber construction will begin in 2025, with service available by the end of 2026.
Learn more about this exciting project by visiting akfiberopticproject.com.
This article was originally published in the September/October 2023 Storyknife Newsletter.
