14 November 2024
Copper Valley Telecom (CVT) has announced a major step forward in connectivity for Alaska’s remote coastal regions.
With support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) ReConnect Program, CVT will bring high-speed fibre internet access to the village of Tatitlek and surrounding communities in the Chugach Census Area.
This project builds on the successful 2020 completion of the ‘Fiber to the Home’ initiative, which brought 25/3Mbps fibre-based internet to the village of Tatitlek, a first for off-grid Alaskan communities. Now, thanks to a $16.5 million USDA ReConnect Program grant, CVT will extend subsea fibre from Valdez to the remote community of Ellamar, continuing all the way to Tatitlek. This new subsea fibre will replace the existing microwave signal that currently connects these communities to Valdez. The microwave link, while crucial for initial connectivity, has bandwidth limitations that have been increasingly strained as internet usage has grown over the years. The new fibre infrastructure will provide 1Gbps download and 1Gbps upload speeds, ensuring reliable, future-proof internet access for more than 140 residents in the region.
Tatitlek is home to indigenous communities that have long maintained subsistence lifestyles, and the harsh climate, with average winter temperatures near freezing and frequent heavy precipitation, presents logistical challenges. Snowfall and storms can disrupt transportation and communication, making high-speed internet access even more critical for education, healthcare, business, and staying connected with the broader world.
By replacing the microwave signal with subsea fibre, CVT’s new infrastructure will significantly improve internet performance and reliability. It will also support essential services, providing high-capacity connections to local schools, healthcare providers, and tribal government facilities. This leap from the current 25/3Mbps service to 1/1Gbps speeds will empower the community to take full advantage of remote learning, telemedicine, and small business opportunities, helping the residents of Tatitlek and surrounding areas thrive despite their geographic isolation.
