Finest Web Suppliers in Alaska

Alaska is a beautiful state with rugged pure magnificence, nationwide parks and contemporary seafood. Nevertheless, its choices are much less expansive in terms of web service for its 730,000 residents. You will must make some compromises when choosing an web service supplier in Alaska. The alternatives differ between fiber, fastened wi-fi, DSL and satellite tv for pc, Based on our CNET consultants, GCI is the highest decide for most people within the state — if it is accessible in your space.

What’s the greatest web supplier in Alaska?

CNET’s decide for the very best web service supplier in Alaska is GCI. The ISP earns the No. 1 spot on our checklist due to high speeds of two.5 gigabits per second and the widest (and nonetheless rising) availability of any wired supplier within the state.

If you happen to’re looking for the bottom costs round or the quickest blazing speeds, we have additionally discovered these high choices. One of many most cost-effective 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, value or reliability. Rural residents usually have to decide on between satellite tv for pc, fastened wi-fi or DSL connections, with satellite tv for pc as the one viable choice for some. Although the broadband scene could sound a bit of bleak, there are causes for optimism as a result of greater than $1 billion in federal funding is pouring into the state to enhance web entry in underserved communities. 

Finest web choices in Alaska in 2025

Supply: CNET evaluation of supplier information

Web breakdown by metropolis in Alaska

It’s arduous 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 the very best web suppliers throughout completely different cities in Alaska. We sort out particulars resembling web connection sorts, most speeds, most cost-effective suppliers and extra. Test again later for those who don’t discover the town you’re searching for under. We’re working so as to add extra places each week. 

Low cost web choices in Alaska

You received’t discover cut price basement costs on web service in Alaska. Most of the companies that are available on a budget facet within the contiguous 48 states aren’t accessible on this northern state. Which means no bundling bargains with the likes of 5G residence web service from Verizon 5G House Web or T-Cell House Web. In case your month-to-month web invoice is below $100 for a good velocity degree, then you definitely’re doing fairly effectively in Alaska. GCI and Alaska Communications have plans for below 100, however speeds will differ based mostly 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 companies. That’s why DSL is a standard choice for these native firms. There are some drawbacks with legacy DSL networks, like slower high speeds than you’ll 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 a minimum of 25Mbps down and 3Mbps up. That quantity consists of the attain of satellite tv for pc web, which is not an ideal answer for everybody because of expense or lack of a transparent view of the sky. 

The story of fiber in Alaska is fairly slim in the meanwhile. The FCC reveals solely about 14% of residents can entry fiber. If we have a look at gig speeds and better, that drops to only about 11%. What little fiber entry there may be tends to be centered on extra populated areas. There are some sudden pockets of fiber. Native ISP Copper Valley Telecom companies Valdez, a metropolis of below 4,000 folks, with speeds as much as 1,000Mbps. Fiber is all the time on the high of residence web want lists, however Alaska’s terrain and distant areas make it a difficult place to construct in depth fiber networks.

How one can discover web offers and promotions in Alaska

The perfect web offers and high promotions in Alaska rely on what reductions can be found throughout a given time. Most offers are short-lived, however we glance incessantly for the most recent affords. 

Giant suppliers run the identical customary pricing year-round in some elements of the nation. The smaller and extra native suppliers in Alaska, resembling GCI, don’t observe a sure timeline when altering their costs.

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

How briskly is Alaska’s broadband?

In the case of residence web, Alaska is available in at 49 for Ookla’s This autumn 2023 Speedtest.web rating of web speeds for the 50 states and Washington, DC. Alaska ranks on the backside of the checklist with a median obtain velocity of 119Mbps. For reference, the US’s general velocity is at 262Mbps. That is fairly a distinction. Ookla lists GCI as Alaska’s quickest supplier, with a decent median obtain velocity of 284Mbps. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the identical guardian firm as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

Quick web could be arduous to return by within the Final Frontier. About 100% of Alaska houses can entry web speeds of a minimum of 100Mbps, based on the FCC. Transfer as much as 250Mbps, and that dips to 78%. If quick web is a should for you and also you’re shifting to Alaska, you’ll wish to do some homework about the place to land. Your greatest wager for gig speeds will likely be within the larger cities.

As of June 2025, Ookla reviews that Alaska has a median obtain velocity of 179Mbps for fastened web. Ookla city-level information confirmed Anchorage with a median fastened web obtain velocity of 259Mbps, Fairbanks was 274Mbps, and Juneau logged 134Mbps. These numbers can change over time. 

With restricted choices, switching to a quicker supplier shouldn’t be all the time possible. You’ll be able to take advantage of your web connection by following these steps to hurry up your Wi-Fi.   

What’s a great web velocity?

Most web connection plans can now deal with fundamental productiveness and communication duties. If you happen to’re searching for an web plan that may accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you will have a greater expertise with a extra strong connection. This is an outline of the advisable minimal obtain speeds for numerous functions, based on the FCC. Notice that these are solely pointers and that web velocity, service and efficiency differ by connection kind, supplier and tackle.

For extra data, check with our information on how a lot web velocity you really want.

• 0 to 5Mbps means that you can sort out the fundamentals: shopping the web, sending and receiving electronic 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 enough 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 similar time.

How CNET selected the very best web suppliers in Alaska

Web service suppliers are quite a few and regional. Not like the most recent smartphone, laptop computer, router or kitchen instrument, it is impractical to personally check 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, companion 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 examine our information and guarantee we contemplate each ISP that gives service in an space. We additionally enter native addresses on supplier web sites to seek out particular choices for residents. We have a look at sources, together with the American Buyer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Energy, to judge how blissful prospects are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and costs are topic to frequent modifications; all data offered is correct as of publication. 

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

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

Whereas the reply to these questions is commonly layered and sophisticated, the suppliers who come closest to “sure” on all three are those we suggest. When deciding on the most cost effective web service, we search for the plans with the bottom month-to-month payment, though we additionally consider issues like value will increase, tools charges and contracts. Selecting the quickest web service is comparatively easy. We have a look at marketed add and obtain speeds and contemplate real-world velocity information from sources like Ookla and FCC reviews.

To discover our course of in additional depth, go to our how we check ISPs web page.

What is the last phrase on web suppliers in Alaska?

Alaska poses a variety 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. Luckily, there was a give attention to broadband enlargement, particularly in these distant areas. Cordova Telecom Cooperative introduced in 2023 it might be putting in a submarine fiber optic cable from Cordova to Juneau to ship fiber to Pelican, Yakutat, Gustavus and Hoonah. The challenge may take 5 years to finish. Alaska can even 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 by means of its Aleutians Fiber Venture. Concerning enhancing broadband, Alaska has nowhere to go however up.

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

Web in Alaska FAQs