Alaska Needs Fiber: Old Harbor CEO Makes the Case
CEO explains Alaska’s need for fiber.
WASHINGTON, May 14, 2025– Kristina Woolston, CEO of Old Harbor Native Co., presented her plans for Project Nunapet on Wednesday.
Project Nunapet, funded by the $65 million grant given to the state of Alaska in partnership with the Alaska Communication System, is a project connecting four Alaskan tribal communities with a fiber network. While most of the state is served by microwave and satellite, Woolston said tribes and small towns need a stronger connection.
“We do with what we have. We have truly invested in things that have changed our community,” Woolston said about Alaskan culture.
Alaska needs resources from outside the state. “A variety of infrastructure is required for us to bring sustainability into our communities,” she said.
Woolston expanded on their need for infrastructure, explaining how fiber will aid in their access to airports, where they get most of their imports from. Building a reliable fiber infrastructure will also support their indoor farms, giving them access to smart monitoring and watering systems.
“We recognize … how vital connectivity is to people, to health and wellness, to economies, to education,” she said.
Alaska is so far removed, she explains, that it needed to be connected through fiber more than ever.
“We want to bring the world to Old Harbor, but we want to bring Old Harbor to the world,” Woolston said. “We want to share our culture and our people, and we can’t do that without fiber.”
