GFC

CI: Who is GCI? 

Brad Spees:  GCI is the largest telecommunications company in Alaska. The company’s network, which provides voice, video, and broadband data services, passes 90 percent of Alaska households. GCI operates Alaska’s most extensive terrestrial / subsea fiber optic infrastructure which connects not only Anchorage but also Fairbanks, and Juneau / Southeast Alaska to the lower 48 states with a diversely routed, protected fiber network. The company’s satellite network provides communications services to small towns and communities throughout rural Alaska. GCI is now in the process of constructing Alaska’s first truly statewide mobile wireless network, which will seamlessly link urban and rural Alaska for the first time in the state’s history.

A pioneer in bundled services, GCI is the top provider of voice, data, and video services to Alaska consumers with a 70 percent share of the consumer broadband market. GCI is also the leading provider of communications services to enterprise customers, particularly large enterprise customers with complex data networking needs. More information about the company can be found at www.gci.com.

CI: What does GCI do?
 
Brad Spees: Our focus is to facilitate collaboration thorough deploying technology in a high-quality, creative and cost-effective manner. Our business is to connect Alaskans with each other and to the rest of the world.   (Editors note:   GCI connects GFC to the world and vice versa - thank you.)

 
CI: What makes GCI unique?
 
Brad Spees: Our commitment to connect all Alaskans regardless of their location, urban or rural, sets GCI apart. We have invested over $1.0b in our network providing the bandwidth needed for Alaskans to participate in the global economy, and we continue to connect more and more communities with advanced services. In addition we take a truly collaborative approach and apply a variety of technologies, with innovation and quality of thought, to encourage growth and mutually beneficial outcomes.

What’s New?
 
·   Constructing Alaska’s first truly statewide mobile wireless network using worldwide GSM-standard  (See Attached Map)
·    EvDO Rev A Data “Air Cards” for the fastest mobile computing in Anchorage, Fairbanks & Juneau and surrounding areas.
·    Now serving Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka and Angoon with broadband fiber optics.
·     Completed our second route-diverse fiber optic link between Fairbanks and Anchorage.
 
CI: How would you like to collaborate with others?
 
Brad Spees: Most importantly we would like to have the chance to listen and understand the common and unique needs of harvesters, growers, manufacturers, processors, supply chain partners and buyers to see how we can work together to facilitate collaboration using a variety of telecommunications technologies. We gained excellent insight during our participation in Global Food 2007 that helped shape our offerings, especially in rural areas, and look forward to Global Food 2009.

Participating in Global Food Alaska 2009
 
Brad Spees
Vice President, Commercial Sales & Marketing
GCI
907.868.8548 Office
907.227.1707 Mobile
907.868.9583 Fax
www.gci.com