- Details
- By Chez Oxendine
- Economic Development
A joint venture between Bethel Native Corporation and telecommunications provider GCI is installing fiber lines in four more Alaska Native communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.
Construction teams are installing aerial and underground fiber lines in Eek, Platinum, Napaskiak and Oscarville that will connect homes and businesses directly to the network, according to a GCI press release.
The buildouts are part of the AIRRAQ Network, a project to connect more than 11,800 residents across 13 communities in the region. The network broke ground in Bethel in late 2022 using money from the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program.
"The AIRRAQ Network is an extremely complex project with a lot of moving parts," said Nikki LaTona, GCI senior staff program manager. "Our teams have worked tirelessly to ensure all the pieces are in place for construction to go smoothly in each community."
Fiber service launched in Bethel in May, bringing urban-level internet speeds and pricing to the regional hub's 6,000 residents.
"For the first time, our communities have access to first-class internet service right here at home," said BNC President and CEO Ana Hoffman. "AIRRAQ is not just a technology upgrade—it's an economic multiplier and an investment in our people, meaning jobs, training and capacity-building for our communities."
The name "AIRRAQ" refers to a traditional Yup'ik string game and translates to "string that tells the story."
BNC and GCI held public meetings and listening sessions in tribal halls and school gyms throughout the region, including presentations in Yup'ik, to guide construction planning.
"Long before any trench was dug or any cable shipped, we were meeting with village leaders, tribal councils and residents to understand their needs and concerns," said GCI Rural Affairs Senior Director Jenifer Nelson.
The full AIRRAQ Network will connect Bethel, Platinum, Eek, Napaskiak, Oscarville, Atmautluak, Kasigluk, Nunapitchuk, Quinhagak, Tuntutuliak, Tununak, Toksook Bay and Emmonak.
