Alaska To Get A 100 Terabit Fiber Optic Connection To The Continental U.S.

Alaska has some of the slowest internet speeds in the country and that’s largely because of its distance from the continental United States. Remote Alaskan residents have already raised their voices about their substandard internet access. However, plans are now in motion which will significantly improve internet access for some of the most remote residents of the country.

Most of the existing connections for Alaska rely on a few submarine cables in addition to wireless and satellite connections. It goes without saying that there’s major room for improvement here and that’s what MTA Fiber Holdings plans on doing.

MTA Fiber Holdings has confirmed that it’s going to lay the “first and only all-terrestrial” fiber optic network which will run from Alaska into the Lower 48. This line will begin at the North Pole and is going to connect through Canada and connect with local carriers before ultimately connecting with “any major hub” in the United States.

“This is a major step for Alaska that will ensure future capacity requirements for MTA members and can support the continuing growth of broadband across the state of Alaska,” MTA CEO Michael Burke said.

The company added in its press release that only internet traffic that both originates and terminates in the United States will be carried over this network. This new fiber optic network will have the capacity to deliver 100 terabits per second initially with the company working to improve the delivery rate in the future. The network is expected to be completed by next year as the construction has already begun.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: General