Editing GCI Communication (section)

==Products==

===Television===
Based in [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]], GCI provides cable television service to approximately three-quarters of Alaska residents.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gci.com/about/coover.htm |title=GCI Company Overview |access-date=October 1, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505062052/http://www.gci.com/about/coover.htm |archive-date=May 5, 2010}}</ref> GCI has upgraded most of its network to support digital cable broadcasts and provides [[HDTV|high-definition]] broadcasts in some of the state's larger cities.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gci.com/forhome/cable/hdtv.htm |title=HDTV - GCI Cable |access-date=January 22, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070127081632/http://www.gci.com/forhome/cable/hdtv.htm |archive-date=January 27, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> GCI leases an array of analog and digital cable boxes, including HD and [[Digital video recorder|DVR]] digital cable boxes, to its customers. In 2008, GCI discontinued analog cable service to Anchorage residences, moving to a fully digital platform. 

GCI launched Yukon TV, a [[Over-the-top media service|OTT streaming]] service, in November 2020, which requires a customer to subscribe to GCI's internet service.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gross|first=Scott|title=GCI launches new service called Yukon TV to replace cable television|url=https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2020/11/25/gci-launches-new-service-called-yukon-tv-to-replace-cable-television/|access-date=2022-02-23|website=Alaska's News Source ([[KTUU-TV]])|language=en}}</ref> In December 2021, GCI announced that it would discontinue cable TV service in the majority of its markets, including all urban markets, in favor of Yukon TV. It would continue to provide cable service in some rural Alaskan communities, including [[Bethel, Alaska|Bethel]] and [[Dillingham, Alaska|Dillingham]], which are not connected to GCI's fiber network.<ref>{{Cite web|last=DeMarban|first=Alex|date=December 3, 2021|title=GCI says to get with the times, it needs to drop its cable TV platform in favor of streaming. Some customers aren't pleased.|url=https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2021/12/02/gci-says-to-get-with-the-times-it-needs-to-drop-its-cable-tv-platform-in-favor-of-streaming-some-customers-arent-pleased/|access-date=2022-02-23|website=Anchorage Daily News|language=en}}</ref>  

GCI also provides content to the state-operated [[Alaska Rural Communications Service]] satellite system, which in turn provides free over-the-air broadcasts of commercial and public television programs to 235 rural Alaskan communities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.alaska.net/~arcs/arcs/|url-status=deviated|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070121203832/http://www.alaska.net/%7Earcs/arcs/|archive-date=2007-01-21|title=Alaska Public Broadcasting, Inc. - Alaska Rural Communication Service}}</ref>

On November 9, 2012, GCI announced plans to purchase [[KTVA]], a CBS-affiliated television station in Anchorage, along with [[KATH-LD|KATH-LD and KSCT-LP]], the NBC-affiliated stations in [[Southeast Alaska]].<ref name="KATH">{{cite web|url=http://kath.tv/?page=news&story=249|title=GCI to purchase NBC for Southeast Alaska KATH-TV and KSCT-TV |access-date=November 9, 2012}}</ref> On December 9, 2013, GCI filed to acquire the CBS affiliates in Southeast Alaska—[[KXLJ-LD]] in Juneau, [[KTNL-TV]] in Sitka, and [[KUBD (TV)|KUBD]] in Ketchikan.<ref name=fcc-kxljgci>{{cite web|title=APPLICATION FOR TRANSFER OF CONTROL OF A CORPORATE LICENSEE OR PERMITTEE, OR FOR ASSIGNMENT OF LICENSE OR PERMIT OF TV OR FM TRANSLATOR STATION OR LOW POWER TELEVISION STATION|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1590593&Service=LD&Form_id=345&Facility_id=184508|work=CDBS Public Access |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |access-date=December 12, 2013| date=December 9, 2013}}</ref><ref name=fcc-kubdgci>{{cite web|title=APPLICATION FOR CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT OF BROADCAST STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT OR LICENSE|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1590491&Service=DT&Form_id=314&Facility_id=60520|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=December 12, 2013|date=December 9, 2013}}</ref> On July 31, 2020, GCI announced its intent to exit the television business and sold the non-license assets of KTVA to [[Gray Television]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-02|title=Deal gives Atlanta company control of Anchorage TV news|url=https://www.alaskapublic.org/2020/08/02/deal-gives-atlanta-company-control-of-anchorage-tv-news/|access-date=2020-09-06|website=Alaska Public Media|language=en-US}}</ref>

In November 2024, GCI announced that it would discontinue all television services by mid-2025, citing that customers "increasingly choose online video streaming as their preferred way to watch their favorite programming". GCI will direct customers to other platforms, particularly [[Xumo]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-12 |title=GCI to shut down pay-TV services, signals 'more support' for Xumo |url=https://www.lightreading.com/video-streaming/gci-to-shut-down-pay-tv-services-signals-more-support-for-xumo |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Light Reading}}</ref>

===Internet===
GCI provides access to the Internet via multiple means. As of January 2015, GCI provides cable modem services in major cities in Alaska with download speeds up to 250 megabits per second or Mbps (re:D Plan). In mid 2015 GCI will be deploying its fiber re:D<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gci.com/internet/fibered|title=fiber re:D – GCI}}</ref> network in the Anchorage area first, with download speeds up to 1 gigabit per second(1,000&nbsp;Mbit/s). To start that campaign, GCI has increased its highest home internet plan (re:D) from 50MMbps to 100&nbsp;Mbit/s and then to 250&nbsp;Mbit/s for free in all available areas that has access to the re:D plan. The re:D plan is currently to this date $174.99 and when the re:D 1&nbsp;Gbit/s Fiber network launches, the price will remain the same. In the rural cities of Nome, Cordova, Bethel, and [[Utqiaġvik]], GCI provides high-speed cable modem services but uses a satellite for the backhaul connection, as the cost to lay cable to these remote areas is prohibitively expensive.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://portal.gci.net/support/kb/kb83/ |title=GCI}}</ref> In some rural communities where GCI does not have a cable TV infrastructure, it provides lower-bandwidth (56-512&nbsp;kbit/s) wireless Internet access over a satellite backhaul.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gci.com/forhome/internet/wireless/wirelessnet.htm |title=GCI WirelessNet - Rural Alaska's Internet Solution |access-date=January 22, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208222346/http://www.gci.com/forhome/internet/wireless/wirelessnet.htm |archive-date=February 8, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Through its own facilities and agreements with other providers, primarily [[Alaska Communications Systems]], GCI provides data network and Internet connections via GPON [[DSL]], PRI leased lines (such as a T1), and other high-bandwidth business-class products. These services are aimed at the business market.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gci.com/forbusiness/internet/index.htm |title=Index |access-date=January 22, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070106074658/http://www.gci.com/forbusiness/internet/index.htm |archive-date=January 6, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The state government is a major customer of GCI, using GCI's infrastructure to provide the backbone for the state's [[wide area network]].

GCI maintains local access numbers throughout the state for analog dial-up service. GCI however no longer offers dial up service to customer accounts, but will continue to support customers who are grandfathered into the service.

GCI also owns [[Alaska United]] fiber optic cable system, which connects Anchorage and Fairbanks with Internet [[Point of Presence|points of presence]] in Seattle and Portland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.alaskaunited.com | title=Alaska United &#124; GCI's Alaska United Fiber Optic Cable System}}</ref> GCI leases capacity on their system to other Internet providers in Alaska, including [[Clearwire]] wireless broadband.

===Wireline telephone===
GCI offers local telephone service in many Alaskan markets, as well as intrastate and interstate long-distance. As the [[competitive local exchange carrier]], GCI primarily contracts with the [[incumbent local exchange carrier]], Alaska Communications Systems, to provide the [[local loop]] from GCI's switches to customers. (This practice is known as UNE-loop.)

GCI is currently deploying [[digital telephony|digital cable telephony]] based on [[PacketCable]] technology in [[Utqiaġvik, Alaska|Utqiaġvik]] as a replacement for the analog copper. In GCI's implementation, the connection between the GCI head end and the subscriber's [[Cable modem#Cable modems and VoIP|EMTA]] uses IP packets but is interconnected with GCI's more traditional circuit-switched infrastructure and backbone.<ref>''Balancing Responsibilities and Rights: A Regulatory Model for Facilities-Based VoIP Competition'', National Cable and Telecommunications Association, February 2004. Accessed via http://ncta.com/DocumentBinary.aspx?id=318 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061114175406/http://www.ncta.com/DocumentBinary.aspx?id=318|date=November 14, 2006}}.</ref>

GCI also provides legacy as well as Cisco [[VoIP]] telephony for many customers, including the state government.

===Wireless telephone===
Through an agreement with [[Dobson Cellular|Dobson Communications Systems]], which provided [[Digital AMPS|TDMA]] and [[GSM]] cellular service under the [[Cellular One]] brand, GCI formerly sold GSM cellular service [[MVNO|under its own name]] while providing Dobson with the back-end network infrastructure. [[AT&T Corporation|AT&T]]'s purchase of Dobson, however, resulted in an agreement on December 3, 2007, that released Dobson, now under the [[AT&T Wireless]] brand, from its contract to use GCI for its back-end network on July 1, 2008; AT&T Wireless now uses existing AT&T Alascom networks. GCI will continue to contract with AT&T Wireless for the use and resale of its products and services through June 30, 2012, but will also invest $100&nbsp;million in its own network. It also plans to spend approximately $10&nbsp;million to complete its acquisition of the remaining 20% of [[Alaska DigiTel]], a competing CDMA-based cellular carrier.<ref>Anchorage Daily News: [http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/262518.html GCI will pump $100 million into its network]{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}. Published January 12, 2008.</ref> On December 4, 2014, GCI agreed to purchase the wireless assets of [[Alaska Communications]] for $300&nbsp;million. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gci.com/news-release/gci-to-purchase-wireless-subscriber-base-from-alaska-communications|title=GCI To Purchase Wireless Subscriber Base From Alaska Communications |date=December 4, 2014 |access-date=December 5, 2014}}</ref>

====Radio frequency spectrum chart====
{{anchor|frequency|spectrum|Hz|MHz|freq|bands|LTE bands}}

The following chart describes radio frequency spectrum bands accessible by the company's customers.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Frequency Band
!Band number
!Protocol
!Generation
!Status
!Notes
|-
|'''1.9'''&nbsp;GHz&nbsp;PCS
|2
| rowspan="2" |GSM/GPRS/EDGE
| rowspan="2" |2G
| rowspan="4" |Active/Refarming to LTE
| rowspan="12" | <ref>{{cite web|title=Spectrum Omega|url=https://specmap.sequence-omega.net/}}</ref>
|-
|'''850'''&nbsp;MHz CLR
|5
|-
|'''1.9'''&nbsp;GHz&nbsp;PCS
|[[UMTS frequency bands|2]]
| rowspan="2" |UMTS/HSPA+
| rowspan="2" |3G
|-
|'''850'''&nbsp;MHz CLR
|[[UMTS frequency bands|5]]
|-
|'''700'''&nbsp;MHz Lower SMH A Block
|[[LTE frequency bands|12]]
| rowspan="4" | LTE/LTE-A
| rowspan="4" | 4G
| rowspan="5" | Active
|-
|'''850'''&nbsp;MHz CLR
|[[LTE frequency bands|5/26]]
|-
|'''1.9'''&nbsp;GHz&nbsp;PCS
|[[LTE frequency bands|2/25]]
|-
|'''1.7/2.1'''&nbsp;GHz&nbsp;AWS
|[[LTE frequency bands|4/66]]
|-
|'''600'''&nbsp;MHz [[Digital dividend after digital television transition|DD]]
|[[5G NR frequency bands|n71]]
| rowspan="4" | NR
| rowspan="4" | 5G
|-
|'''24''' GHz K-band
|[[5G NR frequency bands|n258]]
| rowspan="3"| Spectrum acquired
|-
|'''39'''&nbsp;GHz Ka-band
|[[5G NR frequency bands|n260]]
|-
|'''47''' GHz V-band
|[[5G NR frequency bands|n262]]
|-
|}