The Divide: MTA's Wanda Tankersley on Alaska's middle-mile problem

In this episode, we hear from Wanda Tankersley, chief operating officer (COO) at MTA (or Matanuska Telecom Association), a telecommunications co-op in Alaska. 

We discuss the unique middle-mile challenges to providing broadband in a rural and rugged state like Alaska, as well as the company's AlCan ONE project, the first all-terrestrial fiber line connecting Alaska to the Lower 48. We also get into MTA's recent efforts to connect students to high-speed Internet, the impact of supply chain and labor shortages on its plans to expand, and more.

[Ed. note: Tankersley refers to MTA's coverage area as the size of West Virginia; however, the correct size comparison is the state of Massachusetts.]

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