Chamber hosts assembly candidates

The Anchorage Chamber of Commerce’s “Make It Monday” forum features East Anchorage (Seat H) and Midtown (Seat F) candidates running for the Anchorage Assembly, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, Dena’ina Convention Center.

Candidates will respond to pre-picked and audience questions regarding Anchorage’s business community as well as provide information on where they stand on the issues. Confirmed candidates are: Andy Clary (Seat F); Adam Trombley and Paul Honeman (Seat H).

R.S.V.P. by 5 p.m. today, 272-2401 or www.anchoragechamber.org.

GCI posts $3.5 million profit for 2009

Alaska telecom company General Communication Inc. said it posted $3.5 million in profit last year on $596 million in revenue. The profit compared to a $3.4 million loss in 2008, and the revenue was up from $575 million in 2008, Anchorage-based GCI said.

The company said its consumer business — telephone, cable TV, Internet and wireless — saw $295 million in revenue during the year, up 15 percent.

Its network-access revenue fell 21 percent to $122 million due to price competition and AT&T moving wireless traffic off of GCI’s network. This arm of GCI provides services to other telecom businesses that have no facilities in Alaska for their customers.

It’s business revenue fell 4 percent to $110 million mainly due to providing less on-site support for the oil and gas industry, the company said.

In its consumer business, GCI had as of Dec. 31:

• 90,500 long-distance subscribers, up 2 percent from a year earlier.

• 84,200 local phone lines in service, up 4 percent.

• 130,500 basic cable TV subscribers, down 1.5 percent.

• 79,600 digital cable TV subscribers, up 11 percent.

• 81,500 high-definition/DVR converter boxes in use, up 20 percent.

• 100,200 cable-modem subscribers, up 6 percent.

• 115,100 wireless lines in service, up 30 percent.

During the fourth quarter of last year, total GCI revenue was $148 million, up less than 1 percent. The fourth-quarter loss was $3.7 million, compared with a $4.4 million loss during the same quarter of 2008. The company said the quarterly losses came as it recorded some one-time costs.

Ron Duncan, GCI president, said he expects about $100 million in capital spending this year. He also said GCI is committed to returning some of its cash flow to shareholders by buying GCI shares on the stock market.