Grant Program Status:
Closed
The goal of the Rural Alaska Broadband Internet Access Grant
Program is to facilitate long-term affordable broadband Internet
services in rural Alaska communities where these services do
not currently exist. To accomplish this goal, the program
provides up to 75% of the funding companies require to expand
Internet service to communities without it and to keep rates
comparable to those in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau for at
least 2 years.
The Internet Connectivity
Spreadsheet (updated 1/12/2007) provides
Internet
connectivity levels and Internet service rates throughout
Alaska.
Information was gathered from Department of
Commerce, Community & Economic Development’s (DCCED)
community profile website, Internet Service Provider (ISP)
websites, and information provided by ISPs and throughout the
State of Alaska. Further, the Internet Connectivity Spreadsheet
is based on the technical specification for broadband Internet
service of at least 200Kbps downstream (from the network to
the end user) and 64Kbps upstream (from the end user to the
network). The broadband standard has been changed to
768Kbps downstream and 200Kbps upstream.
Parties with
updated or corrected information on Internet service should
email their comments to Rich Gazaway
(richard.gazaway@alaska.gov) and Jess Manaois
(john.paul.manaois@alaska.gov).
Note: Community designations are based on Alaskan communities
identified by DCCED. Rate information is based on rates for
month-to-month stand-alone Internet service, and does not
include any Internet rate discounts available for (1)
committing to a proscribed of service or (2) purchasing
Internet service in conjunction with another service offering.
Rates for broadband service are based on grant program
guidelines for broadband service; an asymmetrical
transmission speed standard of 256Kpbs/64Kbps.
Press Releases
ROUND 5 PROGRAM INFORMATION
Grant Awards
GCI Communications, Corp. and Unicom, Inc.
Communities: Unalakleet
Rates/Throughput:
|
|
1.5Mbps/512Kbps
|
|
Monthly Recurring Charge
|
$ 54.99
|
|
Installation Charge
|
$100.00
|
Yukon Telephone Company and BBN, Inc.
Communities: Ruby and Tanana
Rates/Throughput:
|
|
768Kbps/256Kbps
|
|
Monthly Recurring Charge
|
$50.00
|
|
Installation Charge
|
$80.00
|
Press Releases
09/27/2011: RCA Awards Federal Grants
for Internet Access in Rural Alaska
12/10/2010: RCA Extends Filing
Deadline for Round 5 Grant Applications
11/15/2010:
RCA
Releases Round 5 Grant Application Guide
ROUND 4 PROGRAM INFORMATION
Press Releases
10/29/2008: RCA Extends Filing
Deadline for Round 4 Grant Applications
09/19/2008:
RCA
Releases Round 4 Grant Application Guide
ROUND 3 PROGRAM INFORMATION
Additional Information
04/18/2008: Alascom, Inc., d/b/a AT&T Alascom has
notified the Regulatory Commission of Alaska
that it is providing broadband Internet access
to Shemya Station.
Press Releases
04/10/2008: RCA Releases Round 3 Grant Application
Guide
ROUND 2 PROGRAM INFORMATION
Grant Awards
Listed below are the potential grant recipients. Contracts for
Round 2 grantees have not been executed.
Alascom, Inc., d/b/a AT&T Alascom
Communities: Edna Bay, Naukati Bay, Port Alexander,
Port Protection, Tenakee Springs
Rates/Throughput:
|
|
Up to
256Kbps
|
Up to
512Kbps
|
Up to
768Kbps
|
|
Monthly Recurring Charge
|
$45.00
|
$65.00
|
$75.00
|
|
Installation Charge
|
$99.00
|
$99.00
|
$99.00
|
Yukon Telephone Company
Communities: Manley Hot Springs
Rates/Throughput:
|
|
2Mbps/512Kbps
(downstream/upstream)
|
|
Monthly Recurring Charge
|
$50.00
|
|
Installation Charge
|
$75.00 (Free during Maintenance
Phase)
|
Press Releases
05/01/2006: RCA Releases Round 2 Grant Application
Guide
ROUND 1 PROGRAM INFORMATION
Application Guide
08/28/03: The following submission deadlines have changed:
|
Submission
|
Original
|
Changed
|
|
Grant Application Guide Available
|
08/08/03
|
08/08/03
|
|
Grant Applications (Proposals) Deadline
|
11/01/03
|
11/03/03
|
|
Grant Applications Reviewed and Evaluated
|
12/05/03
|
12/05/03
|
|
Grant Applicants Notified
|
01/09/03
|
01/09/04
|
|
Ten Day Appeal Period Ends
|
01/23/03
|
01/23/04
|
|
Drafting Grant Agreements
|
02/06/03
|
02/06/04
|
Updated Community Information:
09/08/03: The list of eligible communities are based on data
accumulated from the 2000 Denali Commission
Telecommunications Study list and from the 2000
Census information, and may be eligible pending
determination by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Community Facilities Grant.
The community list may not be up-to-date. If a
community is believed to be eligible and is not
identified on the Eligible Community, the applicant
must provide substantive evidence that the
community is eligible. If a community listed below
has either local dial-up OR broadband services, the
community is not eligible under this program.
07/28/2003:
Pre-defined list of Approved Communities as of April 29, 2003
Grant Awards
GCI Communications Corp.
Communities: Allakaket, Crooked Creek, Dot Lake,
Grayling, Holy Cross, Mentasta Lake, Red
Devil, Shageluk, Sleetmute, Stony River,
Tetlin
Rates/Throughput:
|
|
Up to
256/64Kbps
Single Use
|
Up to
256/64Kbps
Shared Use
|
|
Monthly Recurring Charge
|
$49.99
|
$99.99
|
|
Installation Charge
|
$99.00
|
$99.00
|
|
Equipment Charge
|
$299.00*
|
$299.00*
|
* Equipment charges are covered by the grant funds during the
Start Up and Maintenance Phases
United Utilities
Communities: Anaktuvuk Pass, Chefornak, Eek, Kipnuk,
Kongiganak, Kwigillingok, Lower Kalskag,
Newtok, Nightmute, Tuntutuliak, Tununak,
Upper Kalskag
Rates/Throughput:
|
|
256Kbps/64Kbps
(downstream/upstream)
|
|
Monthly Recurring Charge
|
$49.95
|
|
Installation Charge
|
$99.95
|
Yukon Telephone Company
Communities: Tyonek
Rates/Throughput:
|
|
1.544Mbps/512Kbps
(downstream/upstream)
|
|
Monthly Recurring Charge
|
$50.00
|
|
Installation Charge
|
$40.00 (During Maintenance
Phase)
|
Press Releases
12/02/2004: Notice
of Request for Additional Grant Funding by
United Utilities (see additional information
below)
05/05/2004: DCCED
Awards Federal Grants to Internet Access to
Rural Alaska
10/07/2003: Federal Government Authorizes
Second $7.5
Million Grant for Rural Internet Access in
Alaska
08/11/2003: RCA
Releases Grant Application Guide for Rural
Alaska Broadband Internet Access Program
08/08/2002: State
Receives $7.5 Million for Rural Internet
Access
United Utilities, Inc. Request for Additional Grant Funding
7/22/2005: RCA
Decision - UUI Request to Amend the Grant
Agreement
09/28/2004: Request for Additional
Grant Funding -
Redacted
03/09/2004: UUI
Amendment to Initial Grant Proposal -
Redacted
01/22/2004: Award
Letter and Request to Amend Training
Proposal
11/03/2003: UUI Initial Grant Proposal (on file at the RCA;
a redacted version is available for public
inspection)
Public Comments in Favor of Additional Funding
12/23/2004: Mike
Williams/Myron Naneng, Sr., The Association
of Village Council Presidents
12/13/2004: Senator Lyman F. Hoffman
- Alaska State
Legislature
11/10/2004*: Martin
Leonard III, National Science Foundation
11/09/2004*: Joseph
Seibert, Bethel Broadcasting, Inc. (KYUK)
11/04/2004*: Joli
Morgan, University of Alaska Fairbanks
(Kuskokwim Campus)
10/27/2004*: Greg
Moore, Alaska Telecommunications Users
Consortium
10/25/2004*: Gene
Peltola, Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation
no
date:Carlton Kuhns, Yuut ElitnaurViat ,
Peoples Learning Center
In addition, over 100 preprinted postcards were received
from potential end users supporting UUI's request for
additional funding.
*Comments filed before UUI's Notice was issued
Public Comments Opposing Additional Funding
01/04/2005: United
Utilities, Inc. Response to Opposing
Comments
Last Updated: 09/07/2007
Date Issued: 4/11/2008