ANCHORAGE, Alaska, July 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, GCI
announced a trailblazing $150 million
partnership with Intelsat, a global leader in satellite service.
The partnership will dramatically expand GCI's geosynchronous (GEO)
satellite capacity to meet growing demand for communications
services in rural communities across Alaska. The deal not only provides GCI
continued access to C-band and Ku-band capacity, which is already
part of GCI's satellite service portfolio, it also provides new
access to statewide Ka-band capacity.
"Today's announcement is another example of GCI's continued
commitment to our rural customers and our willingness to make the
investment necessary to serve small, remote communities across the
state," said GCI CEO Ron Duncan.
"Some people have expressed concern that Alaska is running out of GEO satellite
capacity — well, that's no longer an issue. This deal will nearly
quadruple our available capacity. GCI intends to remain the leader
in connectivity in rural Alaska.
The Intelsat partnership is part of a much broader rural
connectivity strategy that includes our AU-Aleutians Fiber
Project."
GCI, Alaska's largest
telecommunications company, has delivered satellite-based
connectivity for 35 years and has the largest footprint of
satellite-delivered data, video and voice services in the state.
The new, long-term deal ensures GCI will meet the growing demands
of rural customers including regional tribal health care providers,
school districts, government agencies, and businesses.
"What sets GCI's satellite service apart is that we manage the
network from end to end, combining Intelsat's satellite capacity
with GCI's satellite engineering and remote logistics know-how,"
said GCI Senior VP of Corporate Development Billy Wailand. "That
approach enables us to be responsive to our customers and their
evolving needs, delivering a high-value service and a quality user
experience for our customers. Our networks are resilient, safe,
secure and reliable."
Intelsat is a pioneer in satellite communication with an
unmatched fleet of both wideband and high-throughput
satellites that deliver service to a diverse portfolio of
clients. Intelsat is the largest provider of satellite
communications for the U.S. military and recently acquired the
inflight commercial aviation service Gogo. More than 100 million
households rely on Intelsat for their TV service. For the new
partnership, Intelsat will supply a high-throughput,
multi-satellite solution over a new and enhanced managed earth
station platform and a tri-band (C, Ku, and Ka) network that will
cover the entire state of Alaska.
"We're thrilled to partner with a leading global satellite
provider with a proven track record and a vision for the future,"
said Wailand.
Delivering service in rural Alaska requires a comprehensive approach and a
willingness to use every tool in the toolkit. For GCI, that toolkit
includes fiber, microwave, GEO satellites like those operated by
Intelsat, and eventually low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. GCI has
been actively engaged in talks with LEO providers including SpaceX,
OneWeb, and Telesat.
"We are confident that LEOs will become an important part of
GCI's toolkit over time," said Wailand. "But before we begin
encouraging some of our customers to consider a move to LEO
satellites, we need to be confident in their performance and
ability to meet our customers' current and future demands. Our
partnership with Intelsat provides GCI and our customers with an
immediate solution that addresses capacity needs today, as well as
the ability to integrate future technologies like LEOs when they
become ready."
"At the end of the day, it's about delivering value and reliable
service to our customers, and we couldn't have found a better, more
capable partner than Intelsat," said Wailand.
About GCI
Headquartered in Alaska, GCI provides data, mobile, video,
voice and managed services to consumer, business, government, and
carrier customers throughout Alaska, serving more than 200 communities. The
company has invested more than $3
billion in its Alaska
network and facilities over the past 40 years and recently launched
true standards-based 5G NR service in Anchorage, now the nation's northernmost 5G
service area. Learn more about GCI at www.gci.com. GCI is a wholly
owned subsidiary of Liberty Broadband Corporation (Nasdaq: LBRDA,
LBRDK, LBRDP). Learn more about Liberty Broadband at
http://www.libertybroadband.com.
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SOURCE GCI