GCI announces trailblazing satellite deal to expand its capacity

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 https://www.libertybroadband.com.

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SOURCE GCI