ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Dec. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- GCI (NASDAQ: GNCMA) today announced plans to deploy Alaska's first one-gigabit (1,000 megabits-per-second) Internet service, fiber re:D, which will be available in Anchorage by 2015.

"Last January, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a national challenge to make gigabit Internet service speeds available in every state by 2015. GCI will meet that challenge by deploying one gigabit service in Anchorage by 2015," said Ron Duncan, GCI president and CEO.

"This announcement is another example of GCI's continuing commitment to provide Alaskans the latest in communications technology. We were the first Alaska carrier to provide single-hop satellite long distance calling, the first to provide high-speed Internet service, the first to construct redundant high capacity fiber cable networks between Alaska and the lower 48, and the first to provide terrestrial broadband service in rural Alaska. Since our founding, GCI has invested well in excess of $2 billion in Alaska's communications infrastructure, and we continue to lead the market in technological innovation. We're focused on 'what's next?' to benefit Alaskans.

"As part of the move to a gigabit in Anchorage, we will also substantially enhance our existing premier re:D broadband service in Anchorage. Fifty megabits per second (Mbps) is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of Alaskans who depend on the Internet for bandwidth-intensive innovative services. Therefore, as of today, we're doubling our re:D download speeds to 100 Mbps and reducing the price of re:D by 12.5 percent. This is the first of a series of free re:D speed increases.

"GCI is excited to bring this opportunity to Anchorage, and we want to share that excitement with Anchorage residents," Duncan continued. "To do that, we have developed a plan so that customers can help prioritize the deployment of fiber re:D.  If you want gigabit service for your neighborhood, please visit www.gci.com/getfibered to let us know and encourage your neighbors to do the same. The Anchorage neighborhoods expressing the most interest will be the first to get fiber re:D."

About Gigabit Service:
Today, about a dozen cities in the United States have residential gigabit Internet service.  According to the FCC, gigabit Internet service will provide download speeds 100 times faster than today's national average and 20 times faster than GCI's previous top speed of 50 Mbps. Consumers will benefit not only from the ability to access existing Internet services at dramatically higher speeds but also from the ability to use new Internet applications that have not even been thought of yet.

How fast is a gigabit?

About GCI:
GCI is the top provider of voice, data and video services in Alaska, through which consumers can experience entertainment everywhere.  More information about GCI can be found at www.gci.com.

SOURCE GCI