Off-the-Grid Alaskan Coastal Village Celebrates Fiber Access

25/3 Fiber-based Internet Reaches Tatitlek

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Oct 09, 2020, 20:17 ET

VALDEZ, Alaska, Oct. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Copper Valley Telecom ("CVT"), a telecommunications cooperative, announced today the completion of the "Fiber to the Home" project in the indigenous village of Tatitlek, Alaska. This makes CVT one of the first telecommunications companies in the United States to provide 25/3 fiber-based Internet speeds to a remote, off-the-grid indigenous village.

Copper Valley Telecom customers in the indigenous village of Tatitlek, Alaska, now have access to a more robust and reliable service than they had previously. The 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload enhances connectivity to this small village from its previous 10/1 internet connectivity.

"The fact that we can provide fiber to the home in an indigenous village that is off-the-grid, not otherwise connected, is exciting because it meets the FCC requirements for middle mile broadband in the middle of Prince William Sound, Alaska." Chris Mishmash, Director of Facilities & Wireless Operations.

The combination of upgrading the middle mile microwave technology capacity, including antennas and fiber optics, was challenging. CVT utilized barges and helicopters to upgrade technology in the remote village while overcoming the harsh weather conditions of Alaska. The ethernet microwave signal, sent from a tower in Valdez, Alaska, is transferred via towers at Shoup Bay, Naked Island, and ends in Tatitlek. The signal is then transmitted to fiber optics and distributed to the community providing enhanced service to the Alaskan village.

The Tatitlek community is receiving the new 25/3 service at a competitive price of $45.00/month.

About Copper Valley Telecom
For over fifty years, Copper Valley Telephone Cooperative ("CVTC"), dba Copper Valley Telecom, has proudly served the Valdez and Copper River Basin areas of Alaska. The company offers high-quality communication services to both residential and businesses, including telephone, long-distance, high-speed internet connectivity, and wireless voice and LTE data. CVT provides high capacity special access services for schools, libraries, hospitals, government agencies, and other anchor institutions via a robust fiber optic and microwave network. For more information on all of Copper Valley's services, please visit cvtc.org.

SOURCE Copper Valley Telecom