FCC Subsidies Fund 306 Adak Connections as Residents Use Starlink Instead
Updated
Updated · ProPublica · Jul 20
FCC Subsidies Fund 306 Adak Connections as Residents Use Starlink Instead
2 articles · Updated · ProPublica · Jul 20
Summary
$340,000 a year in FCC-backed support is paying to keep internet lines active to hundreds of Adak buildings, though reporters found no resident using the subsidized service.
306 locations remain in Adak Eagle’s federal service obligation after an FCC reduction in 2022, yet the island’s population is estimated at 77 by the state and closer to two dozen by residents.
Starlink displaced the subsidized network after arriving in 2023, with residents saying it is up to 40 times faster and costs $90 to $140 a month versus Adak Eagle plans advertised at $99 to $550.
Adak Eagle’s fiber offers 1 to 10 megabits per second on the FCC broadband map, far below the agency’s 100-megabit broadband standard, while one resident’s Starlink test reached 447 megabits per second.
The case adds to scrutiny of the Universal Service Fund in Alaska: Adak Eagle has received $3.6 million in federal broadband subsidies since 2016, and the FCC did not answer repeated questions about the payments.