Anyone know anything about internet availability in Ekuk? (Dillingham: cost, rating)

[Salmon_Tsotsi_2022]

GCI promises my phone from them will work for both voice AND data services in Ekuk. Nobody whom I've been able to query about this topic agrees with GCI, however. All of them (& I've ask a number of folks with firsthand experience during prior years' Bristol Bay salmon seasons) state flat-out that GCI is wrong or lying.

After many hours of searching the web, (as well as multiple chats with GCI employees), I have formed a hypothesis that the reason for this discrepancy might be that in order to get data in Ekuk from GCI, one would be best served to try connecting through NON 5G network options. (The towers on the coverage maps available online all appear to be 2G, 3G or 4G... NO 5G nearby that I can locate.)

Since I won't be able to try said phone out in Ekuk until after I'm essentially marooned there for the whole sockeye season, I would be beyond grateful for anyone who might have any info about the situation of data connectivity in the Ekuk area specifically (& the Dillingham area in general.) I am desperate for any tips or tricks or help anyone might give me which improves my chances of not having to go cold turkey and give up the world wide web for 6-ish weeks.

Furthermore, any info about what the internet situation up there is like, (including which, if any, other carriers/providers might have better connectivity than GCI), is also of interest to me. Please if you can share anything which I can utilize to feed my need of internet while I am up that way, I would appreciate you ENDLESSLY!! All these satellite providers and cellular carriers say they serve Ekuk SPECIFICALLY just as GCI does but if it were true, then somebody who has worked previous seasons there ought to have figured it out and had internet. I'm told by my employer though that not even satellite really gave service despite everyone promising it would. (I am not limited to just doing this on a phone either as I will bring my laptop and am curious about anything which might enable me to get internet on it, also.)

THANKS MUCH AND HAVE AN AWESOME DAY! :-)

[Frostnip]

I can confirm that GCI's coverage maps are a fantasy and that GCI is garbage. I don't know anything about Ekuk in particular.

Satellite providers tend to have very low data caps and high latency, meaning they're not useful for things like gaming or streaming video/audio. They're good enough if you just want to check your email or whatever, but the cost is exorbitant relative to the level of service. They don't work well in heavy weather so you can't really rely on them. Allegedly Starlink is going to change this but I'm skeptical.

Why not just ask your new boss what s/he use for internet?

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by Frostnip

I can confirm that GCI's coverage maps are a fantasy and that GCI is garbage. I don't know anything about Ekuk in particular.

Satellite providers tend to have very low data caps and high latency, meaning they're not useful for things like gaming or streaming video/audio. They're good enough if you just want to check your email or whatever, but the cost is exorbitant relative to the level of service. They don't work well in heavy weather so you can't really rely on them. Allegedly Starlink is going to change this but I'm skeptical.

Why not just ask your new boss what s/he use for internet?

Have to agree with this. I haven't used GCI but know a number of others who have. Their results were hit or miss by location and weather definitely did affect it. FWIW, If others in the area say this or that service is garbage, I'd tend to believe them, not company claims. There are downsides to working in such places OP and poor connectivity is one of them. I would make alternative plans that don't depend on it. It will be temporary.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Salmon_Tsotsi_2022

GCI promises my phone from them will work for both voice AND data services in Ekuk. Nobody whom I've been able to query about this topic agrees with GCI, however. All of them (& I've ask a number of folks with firsthand experience during prior years' Bristol Bay salmon seasons) state flat-out that GCI is wrong or lying.

After many hours of searching the web, (as well as multiple chats with GCI employees), I have formed a hypothesis that the reason for this discrepancy might be that in order to get data in Ekuk from GCI, one would be best served to try connecting through NON 5G network options. (The towers on the coverage maps available online all appear to be 2G, 3G or 4G... NO 5G nearby that I can locate.)

Since I won't be able to try said phone out in Ekuk until after I'm essentially marooned there for the whole sockeye season, I would be beyond grateful for anyone who might have any info about the situation of data connectivity in the Ekuk area specifically (& the Dillingham area in general.) I am desperate for any tips or tricks or help anyone might give me which improves my chances of not having to go cold turkey and give up the world wide web for 6-ish weeks.

Furthermore, any info about what the internet situation up there is like, (including which, if any, other carriers/providers might have better connectivity than GCI), is also of interest to me. Please if you can share anything which I can utilize to feed my need of internet while I am up that way, I would appreciate you ENDLESSLY!! All these satellite providers and cellular carriers say they serve Ekuk SPECIFICALLY just as GCI does but if it were true, then somebody who has worked previous seasons there ought to have figured it out and had internet. I'm told by my employer though that not even satellite really gave service despite everyone promising it would. (I am not limited to just doing this on a phone either as I will bring my laptop and am curious about anything which might enable me to get internet on it, also.)

THANKS MUCH AND HAVE AN AWESOME DAY! :-)

You should stick with Sitka if you need to be connected. Ekuk is 16 miles out of Nowhere; there aren't other carriers.

http://ekukfisheries.com/faq-items/w...have-internet/

Internet is very limited and not reliable, do not come if you rely on having daily Internet.

http://ekukfisheries.com/faq-video-a...***-fisheries/

It is important to note that at this time, there is no internet available in Ekuk.

[Northrick]

Originally Posted by Salmon_Tsotsi_2022

Since I won't be able to try said phone out in Ekuk until after I'm essentially marooned there for the whole sockeye season, I would be beyond grateful for anyone who might have any info about the situation of data connectivity in the Ekuk area specifically (& the Dillingham area in general.) I am desperate for any tips or tricks or help anyone might give me which improves my chances of not having to go cold turkey and give up the world wide web for 6-ish weeks.

I can't tell you anymore about internet service in Ekuk other than what was already said, but I'm quite certain that the bolded part of your post is not fatal. Bring some books.

[riceme]

Originally Posted by Northrick

I can't tell you anymore about internet service in Ekuk other than what was already said, but I'm quite certain that the bolded part of your post is not fatal. Bring some books.

Without judgement for OP I will add to this that they may even find life without the world wide web liberating, calming, and a marked improvement to life with it.