Alaska Communications (NASDAQ: ALSK), the state´s broadband and managed IT services company, recently became a satellite network provider, the company said.
The company entered an agreement with Eutelsat Americas, a subsidiary of Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL), leasing transponder space in the C-Band. This now allows favorable economics and significant savings in offering services for businesses, schools, health care providers, and government applications in remote communities across Alaska.
One of the remote areas Alaska Communications will serve with its new satellite capabilities is TDX at St. Paul Island, a community north of the Aleutian Island chain almost 300 miles out in the Bering Sea. TDX is the Alaska Native Corporation for St. Paul Island. TDX, as the primary internet service provider, will provide last mile broadband internet service to its customers through its newly laid fiber optic cable to each home, and will be using Alaska Communications´ new satellite offering to provide the middle mile broadband capacity to the island.
Alaska Communications will help TDX with its main focus: using broadband to improve the quality of life in St. Paul´s remote and harsh environment.
Alaska Communications chose Eutelsat´s EUTELSAT 115 West B satellite because of its coverage across Alaska, and reliable and efficient performance. Satellite services can also create enhanced back-up services, proving redundancy for several customers as well as the company´s Arctic Fiber network. Coupled with a teleport located in Anchorage to reduce latency, Alaska Communications is well positioned to serve rural Alaska with satellite technology for years to come.
Alaska Communications is the provider of advanced broadband and managed IT services for businesses and consumers in Alaska. The company operates a highly reliable, advanced statewide data network with the latest technology and the most diverse undersea fiber optic system connecting Alaska to the contiguous US. For more information, visit www.alaskacommunications.com or www.alsk.com.
