Napaskiak, Alaska

USDA grant award expands AIRRAQ broadband fiber project to three more rural Alaska communities

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Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Digital divide, State, Partnership, NTIA, U.S. Department of Defense Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace, Culture, Tribe, GCI, Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Napaskiak, Alaska, Delta, USDA Rural Development, II, Student, USDA, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015, III, BNC, Tunnel, Internet service provider, Platinum

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Aug. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GCI announced today that it has been awarded a $35 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development's ReConnect program to bring fiber-optic connectivity to Toksook Bay, Emmonak, and Tununak. Connectivity will be delivered to the three communities through an expansion of the AIRRAQ Network, a joint GCI-Bethel Native Corporation (BNC) project to deliver high-speed broadband service to communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.

Key Points: 
  • Connectivity will be delivered to the three communities through an expansion of the AIRRAQ Network , a joint GCI-Bethel Native Corporation (BNC) project to deliver high-speed broadband service to communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.
  • GCI has been awarded a $35 million grant from the USDA to bring connectivity to three more rural Alaska communities.
  • The name was chosen by GCI's project partner, BNC, because the fiber will enable Y-K Delta residents to share their stories and culture with the world.
  • "USDA Rural Development is working alongside Tribes, municipalities, and telecommunication companies like GCI to connect remote and rural communities to high-speed internet," said USDA Rural Development's State Director for Alaska Julia Hnilicka.

Crews survey potential landing sites for Airraq Network fiber in Western Alaska

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Friday, October 28, 2022
Rein, Engineering, Indigenous Peoples' Day, Rural Utilities Service, Nasdaq, Utility, Government, Telecommunication, BNC, Delta, Geo, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Human, USDA, NTIA, GCI, Compliance, Reconnect, Digital divide, Wetland, Internet, Indigenous peoples, Napaskiak, Alaska, RUS, Mouth, Kuskokwim River, Almaty University of Power Engineering and Telecommunications, Mobile phone, Cable television, Canal, Renewable energy, Platinum

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Oct. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- With the announcement of the Airraq Network (pronounced EYE-huk) fresh in their memories, survey crews have begun plotting the route for the joint Bethel Native Corporation (BNC)-GCI broadband fiber project. With Alaska's short construction season, every second counts, especially when launching such a large, ambitious project.

Key Points: 
  • With the announcement of the Airraq Network (pronounced EYE-huk) fresh in their memories, survey crews have begun plotting the route for the joint Bethel Native Corporation (BNC)-GCI broadband fiber project.
  • ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Oct. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- With the announcement of the Airraq Network (pronounced EYE-huk) fresh in their memories, survey crews have begun plotting the route for the joint Bethel Native Corporation (BNC)-GCI broadband fiber project.
  • The survey crews are led by GCI Principal Engineer of Telecommunications Delivery Bruce Rein, who's only weeks removed from completing the subsea fiber deployment for GCI's AU-Aleutians Fiber Network .
  • Project contractor Benthic Geoscience conducted an initial feasibility survey to capture likely landing sites using geo-referenced drone photography.

Bethel Native Corporation, GCI partner to close digital divide in Western Alaska

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Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Rural Utilities Service, USDA Rural Development, Commerce, Nation, Culture, Government, Information, Telecommunication, BNC, Napakiak, Alaska, Education, Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta, Investment, Multimedia, Nasdaq, Partnership, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Human, Friends, Delta, GCI, Kuskokwim River, RUS, Indigenous Peoples' Day, Internet, Digital divide, Napaskiak, Alaska, Hearing, Beauty, USDA, NTIA, Communication, Mouth, Indigenous peoples, School, Internet service provider, Mobile phone, Canal, Cable television, Tourism, Online shopping, Management, Platinum, Lower Kuskokwim School District

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Oct. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Affordable, reliable, high-speed internet is coming to Western Alaska! Bethel Native Corporation (BNC), in partnership with GCI, Alaska's largest telecommunications company, today announced the launch of a partnership to bring fiber-optic connectivity to Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The project will bring 2 gigabit internet speeds and affordable plans to more than 10,000 Alaskans.At an event held in Anchorage at the Alaska Native Heritage Center on Indigenous Peoples' Day, the partners announced more than $73 million in broadband grants recently awarded by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) and the USDA's Rural Utilities Service ReConnect program.The partners announced the new project name, the Airraq Network (pronounced EYE-huck). Airraq, a traditional Yup'ik game similar to cat's cradle, translates to "string that tells the story."

Key Points: 
  • Bethel Native Corporation (BNC), in partnership with GCI, Alaska's largest telecommunications company, today announced the launch of a partnership to bring fiber-optic connectivity to Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.
  • The Bethel Native Corporation has been awarded a $42 million grant from the NTIA to build a fiber network to Bethel, Platinum, Eek, Napaskiak, and Oscarville.
  • GCI will upgrade its existing cable plant in Bethel and deploy fiber-to-the-premises local access networks in the four other communities.
  • Bethel Native Corporation is respected as a business leader with offices in Bethel, Anchorage and the Lower 48.

Bethel Native Corporation awarded $42.4M federal grant to bring fiber internet service to Alaska's Y-K Delta residents

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Thursday, October 6, 2022
Quality of life, Government, People, Telecommunication, BNC, Fiber, Multimedia, Partnership, Nasdaq, Alaska Native corporation, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Human, Indigenous Peoples' Day, Kuskokwim River, GCI, Digital divide, Napaskiak, Alaska, NTIA, Telephone, Mouth, Uranium, Mobile phone, Platinum

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Oct. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bethel Native Corporation (BNC) has been awarded a $42.4 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program to deploy a 405-mile fiber optic network from Dillingham to Bethel, Alaska. The project, to be completed in partnership with Alaska telecommunications provider GCI, will bring urban-level 2 gig internet service to consumers in Bethel and Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) communities along the fiber route.  

Key Points: 
  • The project, to be completed in partnership with Alaska telecommunications provider GCI, will bring urban-level 2 gig internet service to consumers in Bethel and Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) communities along the fiber route.
  • Bethel Native Corporation and project partner GCI focus on fiber to close the digital divide in Western Alaska.
  • "BNC celebrates this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring high-speed internet service to Bethel, Platinum, Eek, Napaskiak and Oscarville," said BNC President and CEO Ana Hoffman.
  • Bethel Native Corporation is respected as a business leader with offices in Bethel, Anchorage and the Lower 48.