[December 18, 2014]

Alaska Communications Increases Health Care Access in Prince William Sound, Lower Cook Inlet, and Resurrection Bay

More than 2,200 residents in the Chugach region will have increased access to quality health care thanks to Chugachmiut's leadership and its new technology provider, Alaska Communications (News - Alert) (NASDAQ: ALSK), Alaska's leading broadband solutions provider. Chugachmiut is a tribal consortium serving Native communities with health and social services, education and training in Prince William Sound, Lower Cook Inlet, and Resurrection Bay.

Under the new three-year agreement, Alaska Communications will provide Chugachmiut's clinics in Port Graham, Nanwalek, Seward, Chenega Bay and Tatitlek with Wide Area Network services and faster Internet.

With faster, more reliable connectivity and Internet, Chugachmiut can improve access to health care by virtually connecting its clinics with its regional mid-level clinic in Seward and the Anchorage-based Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC) in real time. Chugachmiut health care providers will also enjoy faster access to applications such as electronic health records and telemedicine technology.

"We're excited about our new relationship with Alaska Communications and the value their experts bring to the residents and healthcare providers in our comunities. We'll improve the care provided by our clinics thanks to this new relationship," Chugachmiut Executive Director Jan Vanderpool said. "Before, communicating patient symptoms with mid-level providers at the regional hub or doctors at ANMC was much slower. Now, on Alaska Communications' network, community health aides and patients in the communities we serve will receive medical treatment guidance quickly and reliably."

"Alaska Communications is delighted to offer broadband solutions to Chugachmiut and its patients. We're proud to invest in Alaskans and support education, health and businesses in rural parts of our state," Alaska Communications President & CEO Anand Vadapalli said. "This new opportunity is a testament to the quality of our statewide network, and the strong relationships our people build by providing a great customer experience every time."

Alaska Communications leveraged existing networks initially built to serve the Kenai Peninsula Borough to bring these services to Chugachmiut. Leveraging this same investment, the company can now also provide broadband to homes and businesses in Port Graham and Nanwalek.

About Alaska Communications

Headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska Communications (NASDAQ: ALSK) is a leading provider of advanced broadband and managed services solutions for businesses and consumers in Alaska. The Alaska Communications network, first in Alaska to earn the Metro Ethernet Forum's (News - Alert) Carrier Ethernet 2.0 certification, includes advanced broadband and voice networks and the most diverse undersea fiber optic system connecting Alaska to the contiguous United States. For more information, please visit www.alaskacommunications.com or www.alsk.com.

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