Alaska Beat

Verizon Wireless coming to Alaska

Verizon Wireless has confirmed that it is on the cusp of announcing coverage and data plans in the Last Frontier. That's according to a story from the Anchorage Daily News. "Verizon has the largest mobile phone network in the country and competes heavily with AT&T Wireless, which controls Alaska's largest mobile phone network," reports the Daily News. Both Verizon and AT&T offer the popular iPhone as well as an array of other smartphones, including the Android devices, and Apple's iPad. Verizon phones already work in Alaska over the Alaska Communication System network -- and they work well. However, Verizon network users are unable to program their phones from Alaska and must fly Outside to activate data service. The programming must occur somewhere in the Verizon Wireless network -- anywhere in the Lower 48 or Hawaii -- in order to send multimedia texts or to use Internet-capable features. That's all about to change, according to the Daily News story, which further reports that Verizon purchased Alaska broadband licenses from Triad Communications. Triad has owned Alaska broadband spectrum but never developed it. The story does not say when Verizon intends to begin competing in Alaska with AT&T Alascom, General Communications Inc., ACS, Alaska Digitel or other providers. Read a little more here.

Craig Medred

Craig Medred is a former writer for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2015.

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