Prior to the installation of the wireless satellite system, citizens of Coffman Cove wanting access to the Internet had to call long distance via a slow dial-up connection. Under this scenario, a single e-mail could take up to 10 minutes to download. This method was very costly, frustrating and limited. In April 2003, citizens of Coffman Cove voted overwhelmingly to utilize municipal funds to create their own Municipal ISP. As a result of the installation, Coffman Cove now has access to T1 equivalent broadcast speeds at government entities, including the public library and city administration building, along with other public buildings.
"We are very pleased with the installation of SkyFrames' wireless network in Coffman Cove," stated Elaine Price, city administrator. "There were many people that said it couldn't be done, but SkyFrames did it."
The satellite broadband service is a combination of wireless connectivity solutions that includes 802.11 and omni-directional radio frequency antennas. In the Coffman Cove ISP, each subscriber will receive his or her own IP address and will be responsible for paying monthly broadband charges. Additional network subscribers have already expressed interest and will be signing up during the next few weeks. Other potential subscribers include ferryboats and fishing vessels that pass Coffman Cove. The wireless broadband signal is projected from Prince of Wales Island into a popular commercial waterway.
Americans living in rural areas are lagging behind the national average in computer and broadband Internet access, regardless of income level. As a result, the federal government is taking a substantial step to help rural communities receive broadband access.
A government delegation composed of Sen. Ted Stevens, Gov. Frank Murkowski, and Rep. Don Young recently visited Coffman Cove and observed that the community has taken a proactive approach to bringing broadband to its citizens, the fishery, the public library and the city's postal service.
The federal government, under the United States Department of Agriculture, recently launched the Rural Broadband Loan and Loan Guarantee Program. The federal government made available $1.4 billion in loans and loan guarantees to provide broadband services to rural communities.
According to Ed Bukstel, vice president of marketing for SkyFrames, the village is just starting on its high-speed journey. "In the near future, they will also have VoIP telephone and Web conferencing features added," he said. "Aside from the technology component, the logistical and human effort was phenomenal. The installation team arrived in Coffman Cove via jet, barge, ferry and seaplane from Philadelphia, Iowa, Wisconsin and California. When the nearest hardware store is 130 miles away, you have to prepare for anything."
Alaska is made up of approximately 300 rural communities such as Coffman Cove. With Coffman Cove online, other rural Alaskan communities now have access to federal resources, as well as a working model to create their own ISP.
