Connecting Alaskans

A visitor or newcomer to Alaska might be surprised at the robust cell phone support and internet availability while they travel through the usual tourist destinations. But their surprise will fade quickly as they adjust to the communication technologies they’re already used to. If they travel beyond the Rail Belt, they will find that availability limited, with different technologies in place to insure connectivity. However, the development of the current level of information technology has been a long, hard struggle in the space and battering weather of Alaska. Heather Hudson has written a history of Alaska telecommunications, a history unique among the States, that will serve as a textbook for students of technology and history, a guide for policy makers, as well as a template for rural areas and developing countries struggling to develop their own 21st century infrastructure.