The Alaska Broadband Office has posted an interactive map highlighting the state’s Final Proposal subgrantee awards for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
The map enables users to see awardees’ winning projects as a group and isolate each project individually. Projects are identified by location ID, project name, ID, description and community. There is an empty space for the project address, suggesting that this information may be added in the future.
Alaska awardees are Matanuska Telecom Association Inc.; Alaska Communications Systems Holdings Inc.; GCI Communications Corp.; Alaska Communications Systems Holdings Inc.; SpitwSpots Inc.; Alaska Communications Systems Holdings Inc.; Matanuska Telecom Association Inc.; Bush-Tell Inc.; GCI Communications Corp.; Quintillion Subsea Operations LLC; Iguigig Village; Bush Tell Inc.; Native Village of Atka; Bristol Bay Telephone Cooperative Inc.; Quintillion Subsea Operations LLC; Alaska Connects; Copper Valley Telephone Cooperative Inc.; Bush Tell Inc.; Nushagak Electric and Telephone Cooperative Inc.; Alaska Connects; Alaska Telephone Company; GCI Communications Corp.; Alaska Telephone Company; APT Wireless Inc.; Copper Valley Telephone Cooperative Inc.; Copper Valley Telephone Cooperative Inc.; Alaska Telephone Company; Matanuska Telecom Association Inc.; and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX’s Starlink service).
In September 2024, Alaska’s Broadband Office director Thomas Lochner told Telecompetitor that the state had 20,475 underserved and 37,781 unserved locations.
At least two of the Alaska grantees issued press releases on their BEAD projects. The Alaska Power & Telephone Company (AP&T) received four grants totaling $4.6 million to provide fiber projects in the Tok and Naukati and in the Goose Creek neighborhood of Thorne Bay. The company will provide $1.2 million in matching funds.
“By combining public investment with private expertise, we can continue expanding modern telecommunications infrastructure to more rural and remote areas of Alaska,” AP&T CEO Bill Marks said in a press release.
Alaska Communications received a grant of more than $124 million to deploy fiber and fixed wireless broadband to more than 9,000 unserved and underserved locations in Anchorage, Akhiok, Anchor Point, Bird Creek, Delta Junction, Fairbanks, Homer, Hope, Indian, Kasilof, Kenai, Kodiak, Manley Hot Springs, Minto, Old Harbor, Salcha, Soldotna, Sterling, and Womens Bay. The company will use its own capital, along with BEAD grant money, to bring broadband access to another 12,000 Alaska locations.
“We’re proud to help bring fast, dependable broadband to more homes and businesses in Alaska,” said Paul Fenaroli, Alaska Communications president and CEO. “This investment will make a real difference for families, students, healthcare providers and entrepreneurs who rely on strong connectivity to thrive.”
Additional information about Alaska broadband, including state funding resources, awards made, BEAD news, state-specific coverage, and more can be found on the Telecompetitor Broadband Nation webpage for the state.
