PCMag.com names GCI Alaska's fastest ISP for seventh consecutive year
GCI expects scores to increase even more as it progresses toward 10 gig internet speeds
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For the seventh straight year, GCI has been named Alaska's fastest internet service provider (ISP) by PCMag.com. GCI raised the bar yet again, setting a record high PCMag Speed Index (PSI) score of 176.7.
GCI's PSI score places it well above national providers Cox, Sparklight and AT&T Internet, which scored 143.8, 142.6, and 134, respectively. GCI's PSI score is also nearly three times higher than low earth orbit satellite provider Starlink, which clocked in at 60.5.
According to PCMag.com, "[GCI] set a record high of 149.0 last year for a PSI and eclipsed it again this time with a 176.7. It even has plans to introduce 10-Gig in the coming years."
"We're pleased to be recognized as Alaska's fastest ISP for the seventh year running," said GCI Chief Communications Officer Heather Handyside. "With the launch of residential 2 gig internet speeds last year and the addition of even more communities to our fiber-optic footprint, it's great to see that third-party analysis confirms what we already know — GCI delivers Alaska's fastest internet on the state's most advanced network!"
GCI was the first ISP in Alaska, and among the first in the country, to make 2 gig internet speeds widely available. Currently, GCI provides access to residential 2 gig internet speeds to 80% of Alaskans and is on track to deliver 10 gig service.
"Not only are we offering the best internet experience in Alaska, but we are also offering packages that combine GCI's superior internet service with 5G mobile service to provide cost savings and value for Alaskans," said GCI Chief Marketing Officer Kate Slyker. "Our customers can now get 5G and home broadband together starting at $99 a month for both services — it's a phenomenal deal. We are committed to sharing Alaska's most advanced network for Alaskans at an unmatched value."
GCI continues to expand its fiber footprint in Alaska and expects to launch 2 gig service in six new communities through its AU-Aleutians Fiber Project. The project is scheduled to deliver urban-level speed, service and reliability for the first time to the communities of Unalaska and Akutan by the end of 2022, Sand Point and King Cove by the end of 2023, and Chignik Bay and Larsen Bay in late 2024. GCI is also exploring a potential project to extend its fiber to Bethel, Alaska, which would deliver urban-level internet to the western Alaska community.
GCI's investment in its network doesn't just mean faster internet speeds, it also lays the groundwork for improved wireless service for its customers.
"As our PCMag rating indicates, GCI's internet service is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition, but it's important to point out that we have the same intention for GCI's wireless network," said Handyside. "In fact, we've already achieved that in Anchorage, where our 5G network delivers mobile data speeds that are twice that of AT&T. Alaskans need fast connectivity everywhere, not just at home."
GCI launched Alaska's first 5G network in Anchorage in 2020 and is currently expanding its 5G footprint in the Matanuska Valley. GCI expects to invest approximately $150 million in 2022 to improve wireless connectivity in communities across the state.
To determine a provider's PSI score, PCMag incorporates 80% of the download speed with 20% of the upload speed, based on results from PCMag's speed test tool. ISPs must receive a minimum of 100 different tests to be considered.
About GCI
Headquartered in Alaska, GCI provides data, mobile, video, voice and managed services to consumer, business, government, and carrier customers throughout Alaska, serving more than 200 communities. The company has invested more than $4 billion in its Alaska network and facilities over the past 40 years and recently launched true standards-based 5G NR service in Anchorage, now the nation's northernmost 5G service area. Learn more about GCI at www.gci.com. GCI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Broadband Corporation (Nasdaq: LBRDA, LBRDK, LBRDP). Learn more about Liberty Broadband at http://www.libertybroadband.com.
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