Telecommunications company GCI has entered into a US$150 million partnership with Intelsat (OTCMKTS: INTEQ) to expand the company’s geosynchronous (GEO) satellite capacity to meet the growing demand for communications services in rural communities across Alaska.

The deal not only provides GCI continued access to C-band and Ku-band capacity, which is already part of GCI’s satellite service portfolio, it also provides new access to state-wide Ka-band capacity.

GCI CEO Ron Duncan, said: “Today’s announcement is another example of GCI’s continued commitment to our rural customers and our willingness to make the investment necessary to serve small, remote communities across the state.

“Some people have expressed concern that Alaska is running out of GEO satellite capacity — well, that’s no longer an issue. This deal will nearly quadruple our available capacity. GCI intends to remain the leader in connectivity in rural Alaska. The Intelsat partnership is part of a much broader rural connectivity strategy that includes our AU-Aleutians Fiber Project.”

GCI has delivered satellite-based connectivity for 35 years and has the largest footprint of satellite-delivered data, video and voice services in the state.

GCI Senior VP of Corporate Development Billy Wailand, said: “What sets GCI’s satellite service apart is that we manage the network from end to end, combining Intelsat’s satellite capacity with GCI’s satellite engineering and remote logistics know-how.

“That approach enables us to be responsive to our customers and their evolving needs, delivering a high-value service and a quality user experience for our customers. Our networks are resilient, safe, secure and reliable.”

On its end, Intelsat is the largest provider of satellite communications for the US military and recently acquired the inflight commercial aviation service Gogo. More than 100 million households rely on Intelsat for their TV service.

For the new partnership, Intelsat will supply a high-throughput, multi-satellite solution over a new and enhanced managed earth station platform and a tri-band (C, Ku, and Ka) network that will cover the entire state of Alaska.

“We’re thrilled to partner with a leading global satellite provider with a proven track record and a vision for the future,” said Wailand.

He continued: “We are confident that LEOs will become an important part of GCI’s toolkit over time. But before we begin encouraging some of our customers to consider a move to LEO satellites, we need to be confident in their performance and ability to meet our customers’ current and future demands. Our partnership with Intelsat provides GCI and our customers with an immediate solution that addresses capacity needs today, as well as the ability to integrate future technologies like LEOs when they become ready.”

“At the end of the day, it’s about delivering value and reliable service to our customers, and we couldn’t have found a better, more capable partner than Intelsat.”

GCI has invested more than $3 billion in its Alaska network and facilities over the past 40 years. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Broadband Corporation (Nasdaq: LBRDA, LBRDK, LBRDP).