New high speed internet infrastructure launches services in Arctic Alaska

The Anchorage-based telecommunications company, Quintillion, announces Friday that its subsea fiber optic cable system is ready to launch in five northern Alaska communities.

In October,

. And with the system performing "flawlessly during test mode," Quintillion says it is now being made available to service providers on Dec. 1.

Areas that will benefit include: Utqiaġvik, Wainwright, Point Hope, Nome and Kotzebue.

"We are truly excited to announce that the Quintillion system is ready for service,” said George M Tronsrue III, Quintillion’s Interim CEO. "The Quintillion system makes it possible for local service providers to offer the same world-class products and services available long ago to consumers in the Lower 48. We look forward to helping our enterprise partners in the landing site communities serve their customers faster, better and more cost effectively."

Quintillion's cable system runs along a 1,400 mile subsea and terrestrial fiber optic network. The subsea trunk line runs from Prudhoe Bay to Nome, along with lines branching out to the five additional Arctic communities. And the terrestrial fiber system runs between Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay.

Quintillion says customers should expect to go live "shortly thereafter [Dec. 1]."