On Adak Island in the Bering Sea, approximately 1,200 miles from Anchorage, Alaska, hundreds of mostly empty buildings—including abandoned Navy base houses—remain wired for internet access at a cost exceeding $340,000 annually. These buildings, many devoid of furniture and occupants, are connected via fiber-optic cables installed after the base closure, yet no one reports using the service.

The government has continued payments to Alaska’s largest telecom provider, GCI, despite the company signing a settlement over alleged fraud related to the subsidy. The settlement did not constitute an admission of guilt by GCI nor a concession by the Justice Department regarding the claims’ validity. Additionally, the state of Alaska contributed $3.75 million through its Alaska Universal Service Fund, with some residents reportedly still paying for landlines used as cellphone backups.

Internet speeds on the island, provided by Adak Eagle’s subsidized fiber, range from 1 to 10 megabits per second according to the FCC National Broadband Map. These speeds fall significantly short of the FCC’s 100-megabit per second broadband standard and, at the lower end, are barely sufficient to load modern web pages. Local resident Steven Ivanoff, 26, who plays competitive online games like Overwatch and Fortnite, closely monitors these speeds.

Meanwhile, Congress has allocated $115 million for the exploration and development of Arctic infrastructure. A Pentagon-led task force is currently formulating recommendations on how to proceed with these funds, according to a spokesperson for Senator Sullivan.

This situation highlights ongoing concerns about the efficiency and oversight of internet subsidy programs in remote areas.

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