Repairs have been completed to the fiber optic cable that was damaged that has affected Internet and cellular services for large portions the Northern Alaska and Western Alaska.
GCI announced the repair via email to customers on Monday, fourteen months after the cables were cut during an ice scouring incident within the Arctic Ocean west of Prudhoe Bay. Many of the people affected in the regions had intermittent connectivity to the internet and mobile as well as, at times even no internet access in any way.
The company that constructed and operates Quintillion, the company that built and owns Quintillion was originally hoping that that the service would be restored within eight weeks, however that timeframe was changed numerous times.
In the beginning, when the cable broke, GCI switched customers to its satellite as well as TERRA networks, which provided some connectivity. However, GCI spokesperson Heather Handyside said the company is now transferring customers back to its faster fiber-optic network that connects with the Quintillion cable.
“That restoration effort is already underway,” Handyside said. “And I am convinced that the consumer customers are already experiencing improved service as a result.”
Handyside stated that GCI will be watching its network during the entire week. When network performance improve GCI will stop providing the credit it’s been offering customers since the cable’s initial interruption in June.
“It’s going be a long time I’m sure you’ll be aware of the remainder of the week, to tweak the processes to ensure that the traffic levels are optimal and that everybody is receiving the connectivity they had in the days prior to break time,” she said.
Network updates are delivered between the hours between midnight as well as 6 a.m. Internet services through Northern and Western Alaska are expected to improve over the course of the week. Updates on the Quintillion cable breakout are available on the Quintillion site.
