The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a plan today to increase broadband and mobile service capabilities throughout Alaska. Over $1 billion of federal Universal Service Fund (USF) money will be provided to 15 Alaska-based wireless and wireline telecommunications providers over a 10-year period as a part of the “Alaska Plan.”
According to a press release from the Alaska Telephone Association (ATA), the executive director of ATA, Christine O’Connor, says 85% of rural Alaskans will have access to 4G wireless service over the next 10 years because of the FCC’s decision today.
Tina Pidgeon of the GCI General Counsel stated that, because of the Alaska Plan, “Alaska carriers like GCI will be able to leverage this federal support to incent private investment and bring Alaskans the kind of service that people in the Lower 48 take for granted.”
Funds for the plan come from a $4.5 billion federal service program to fund communications services and assist telecommunications providers like TelAlaska and GCI, among others.
