Alaska Communications Systems
Enterprise Solutions

ACS invested $175 million to connect Alaska to the Lower 48 via two fiber optic cables: the most advanced fiber optic cable ever to be built in Alaska, the Alaska Oregon Network, and the Northstar cable. These two cables offer Southeast Alaska connectivity and a protected path to the Lower 48, all to be managed via geographically diverse Network Operations Control Centers.

When combined with our best-in-class Metro Ethernet and MPLS offerings, ACS is in a unique position to design and manage your total network.


Before 2009 Alaska's communications traffic was generally connected to the Lower 48 via three undersea fiber optic cables that travel to the Alaska departure point within feet of each other along the Turnagain Arm. Any disaster along this route could wipe out connectivity.


For total security, ACS designed a new fourth cable, AKORN. It avoids Turnagain Arm and travels from Anchorage, to Nikiski, to Homer and on to Florence, Oregon. It's buried deeper than any other cable, offers the highest speed, and the best error correction technology.


To complement AKORN, ACS acquired one of the three existing cables, the Northstar cable, to offer customers a fully protected path via two distinctly unique and geographically diverse routes. Northstar offers connectivity to Juneau in Southeast Alaska.


ACS manages end-to-end networks 24 hours a day, seven days a week, via two NOCCs, one in Alaska and the other in the Lower 48. They will support your needs for business continuity, managed services, and performance reporting.


Let us work with you to design a solution that exceeds your current performance. Call today or email us at business.leads@acsalaska.com


Circuit capacities available DS-1, DS-3, OC-3, OC-12, GigE, OC-48
AKORN cable
design capacity
2.5 Tbps
Northstar cable
design capacity
50 Gbps (upgradeable to 200 Gbps with
current generation terminal equipment)