Greatest Web Suppliers in Alaska

Alaska has lots to supply, together with rugged pure magnificence, nationwide parks, gorgeous glaciers and contemporary seafood. Nevertheless, the choices are restricted in terms of web choices out there to the state’s 730,000 residents. Whether or not it is fiber, mounted wi-fi, DSL or satellite tv for pc, you may must make some compromises when selecting an web service supplier in Alaska. Based on our CNET consultants, GCI is the highest decide for many within the state — if it is out there in your neighborhood.

What’s the finest web supplier in Alaska?

GCI is CNET’s decide for one of the best web service supplier in Alaska, because of prime speeds of two.5 gigabits per second and the widest (and nonetheless rising) availability of any wired supplier within the state.

For those who’re attempting to find the bottom costs round or the quickest blazing speeds, we have additionally discovered these prime choices. One of many least expensive web plans in Alaska is obtainable by Alaska Communications that includes as much as 2,500Mbps beginning at $80 a month.

Nearly any selection of web supplier in Alaska will include some compromises, whether or not in velocity, worth or reliability. Rural residents usually have to decide on between satellite tv for pc, mounted wi-fi or DSL connections, with satellite tv for pc as the one viable possibility for some. Whereas the broadband scene might sound a little bit bleak, there are causes for optimism as over $1 billion in federal funding is pouring into the state to enhance web entry in underserved communities. 

Greatest web choices in Alaska in 2025

Supply: CNET evaluation of supplier information

Web breakdown by metropolis in Alaska

It’s laborious to cowl the broadband choices of a whole state like Alaska and provides particular person cities the eye they deserve. That’s why we additionally compile lists of one of the best web suppliers throughout totally different cities in Alaska. We deal with particulars equivalent to web connection sorts, most speeds, least expensive suppliers and extra. Test again later for those who don’t discover the town you’re in search of beneath. We’re working so as to add extra areas each week. 

Low cost web choices in Alaska

You gained’t discover discount basement costs on web service in Alaska. Lots of the providers that are available in on a budget facet within the contiguous 48 states aren’t out there on this northern state. Which means no bundling bargains with the likes of 5G dwelling web service from Verizon 5G Residence Web or T-Cell Residence Web. In case your month-to-month web invoice is underneath $100 for an honest velocity stage, you then’re doing fairly nicely in Alaska. GCI and Alaska Communications have plans for underneath 100, however speeds will differ primarily based on location and the kind of web connection.

Alaska broadband particulars at a look

Many rural Alaska ISPs have roots in long-time phone cooperatives which have advanced to supply web providers. That’s why DSL is a standard possibility for these native firms. There are some drawbacks with legacy DSL networks, like slower prime speeds than you’d get with cable or fiber. DSL could be serviceable when there are few different choices. FCC information means that 100% of residents can entry broadband speeds, outlined as at the very least 25Mbps down and 3Mbps up. That quantity consists of the attain of satellite tv for pc web, which is not an ideal resolution for everybody resulting from expense or lack of a transparent view of the sky. 

The story of fiber in Alaska is fairly slim in the mean time. The FCC exhibits solely about 10% of residents can entry fiber. If we have a look at gig speeds and better, that drops to only 7%. What little fiber entry there’s tends to be centered on extra populated areas. There are some sudden pockets of fiber. Native ISP Copper Valley Telecom providers Valdez, a metropolis of underneath 4,000 individuals, with speeds as much as 1,000Mbps. Fiber is all the time on the prime of dwelling web want lists, however Alaska’s terrain and distant areas make it a difficult place to construct in depth fiber networks.

The way to discover web offers and promotions in Alaska

The most effective web offers and prime promotions in Alaska rely upon what reductions can be found throughout a given time. Most offers are short-lived, however we glance continuously for the newest provides. 

Massive suppliers run the identical normal pricing year-round in some elements of the nation. The smaller and extra native suppliers in Alaska, equivalent to GCI, don’t comply with a sure timeline when altering their costs.

For a extra in depth record of promos, take a look at our information on the finest web offers.

How briskly is Alaska’s broadband?

In the case of dwelling web, Alaska is available in at 49 for Ookla’s This fall 2023 Speedtest.web rating of web speeds for the 50 states (and Washington, DC). Alaska ranks on the backside of the record with a median obtain velocity of 119Mbps. The US total is at 262Mbps. That is fairly a distinction. Ookla lists GCI as Alaska’s quickest supplier, with a good median obtain velocity of 284Mbps.

Quick web could be laborious to come back by within the Final Frontier. About 100% of Alaska houses can entry web speeds of at the very least 100Mbps, in line with the FCC. Transfer as much as 250Mbps, and that dips to 70%. If quick web is a should for you and also you’re transferring to Alaska, you’ll wish to do some homework about the place to land. Your finest guess for gig speeds will probably be within the greater cities.

As of February 2025, Ookla experiences that Alaska has a median obtain velocity of 165Mbps for mounted web. Ookla city-level information confirmed Anchorage with a median mounted web obtain velocity of 250Mbps, Fairbanks was 258Mbps, and Juneau logged 272Mbps. These numbers can change over time. 

With restricted choices, switching to a sooner supplier will not be all the time possible. You may take advantage of your web connection by following these steps to hurry up your Wi-Fi.   

What’s an excellent web velocity?

Most web connection plans can now deal with fundamental productiveness and communication duties. For those who’re in search of an web plan that may accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you may have a greater expertise with a extra sturdy connection. This is an outline of the really useful minimal obtain speeds for numerous purposes, in line with the FCC. Observe that these are solely pointers and that web velocity, service and efficiency differ by connection kind, supplier and tackle.

For extra data, consult with our information on how a lot web velocity you actually need.

• 0 to 5Mbps permits you to deal with the fundamentals: looking the web, sending and receiving e-mail and streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40Mbps offers you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps ought to give one consumer ample bandwidth to fulfill the calls for of contemporary telecommuting, video streaming and on-line gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps permits one to 2 customers to concurrently interact in high-bandwidth actions like videoconferencing, streaming and on-line gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps permits three or extra customers to interact in high-bandwidth actions on the identical time.

How CNET selected one of the best web suppliers in Alaska

Web service suppliers are quite a few and regional. In contrast to the newest smartphone, laptop computer, router or kitchen instrument, it is impractical to personally take a look at each web service supplier in a given metropolis. What’s our strategy? For starters, we faucet right into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and velocity data that attracts from our personal historic ISP information, associate information and mapping data from the Federal Communications Fee at FCC.gov. 

It doesn’t finish there. We go to the FCC’s web site to verify our information and guarantee we take into account each ISP that gives service in an space. We additionally enter native addresses on supplier web sites to search out particular choices for residents. We have a look at sources, together with the American Buyer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Energy, to guage how completely satisfied prospects are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and costs are topic to frequent adjustments; all data supplied is correct as of publication. 

As soon as we’ve this localized data, we ask three major questions: 

• Does the supplier supply entry to fairly quick web speeds? 
• Do prospects get first rate worth for what they’re paying? 
• Are prospects proud of their service? 

Whereas the reply to these questions is usually layered and complicated, the suppliers who come closest to “sure” on all three are those we advocate. When deciding on the most affordable web service, we search for the plans with the bottom month-to-month charge, though we additionally think about issues like worth will increase, tools charges and contracts. Selecting the quickest web service is comparatively simple. We have a look at marketed add and obtain speeds and take into account real-world velocity information from sources like Ookla and FCC experiences. (Ookla is owned by the identical mum or dad firm as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

To discover our course of in additional depth, go to our how we take a look at ISPs web page.

What is the closing phrase on web suppliers in Alaska?

Alaska poses lots of challenges to the enlargement of high-speed and reasonably priced broadband. The terrain could be unforgiving, the climate could be excessive and lots of communities are in distant areas. Thankfully, there was a concentrate on broadband enlargement, particularly in these distant areas. Cordova Telecom Cooperative introduced in 2023 it will be putting in a submarine fiber optic cable from Cordova to Juneau to ship fiber to Pelican, Yakutat, Gustavus and Hoonah. The undertaking may take 5 years to finish. Alaska may also obtain $100 million in US Division of Agriculture funding to construct out fiber (and a few wi-fi) web within the Bethel, Yukon-Kuskokwim, Kusilvak and Hoonah-Angoon areas. GCI’s work to deliver fiber-based wired connections to distant communities can also be notable. In December 2023, GCI linked over 4-thousand Alaskans to entry speeds of as much as 2.5Gigs via its Aleutians Fiber Undertaking. Relating to enhancing broadband, Alaska has nowhere to go however up.

Residents can count on to select from a variety of DSL, satellite tv for pc and stuck wi-fi plans. Though, choices are restricted in most distant areas, Alaskans usually have entry to satellite tv for pc suppliers like Starlink with plans beginning at $120 a month. GCI provides prime speeds of two,500Mbps for $190 a month.

Web in Alaska FAQs