Case Study: Alaska’s GCI achieves 5G network modernization and postpaid growth with Ericsson

Connecting Alaskans through bold modernization

GCI Communication Corp., an Alaskan telecommunications provider, was facing a significant challenge as it was losing wireless customers and market share due to poor network performance. Its network was a fragmented patchwork of outdated technologies from multiple vendors, leading to degraded reliability and an inability to meet customer data demands. To address this, GCI partnered with vendor Ericsson for a comprehensive network modernization.

Ericsson implemented a solution using its Radio System RAN Compute portfolio and end-to-end radio access network to completely redesign and upgrade the network. The integrated teams from both companies successfully deployed Alaska's first statewide 5G network, upgrading 76 macro cell sites in Anchorage. This resulted in network speeds that were two times faster, leading to 15 consecutive quarters of postpaid growth for GCI and a significant reduction in customer churn.

Alaska’s GCI Communication Corp. (GCI)