GCI Extends Alaska's Successful SchoolAccess® Program to Rural New Mexico and Arizona Schools

ANCHORAGE, AK - By this July, classwork, homework and research will become as easy as pointing and clicking a computer mouse for more than 10,500 students attending 22 rural schools in New Mexico and Arizona.

General Communication, Inc. (GCI), an Alaska-based integrated telecommunications provider, announced today that it has signed a multi-year contract to provide Internet access to these schools via its SchoolAccessSchoolAccess®reg; program. The agreement will allow the schools to take advantage of on-line educational resources by using the company's high-speed satellite network to deliver high bandwidth Internet service. GCI will provide e-mail, web hosting, security, network optimization, network management and content filtering services to deliver a comprehensive technology solution for school districts.

"SchoolAccess is committed to working with rural districts in the Southwest where challenges to providing broadband connectivity are most pervasive," said Martin Cary, GCI vice president of broadband services. "SchoolAccess is partnering with these districts to help them close the 'Digital Divide' and prepare their students for the 21st Century."

The SchoolAccess program was first deployed successfully in Alaska where GCI provides satellite-delivered voice, video and data services to most of the state's rural communities. Today, more than 70,000 rural Alaska students are connected to the Internet with SchoolAccess. GCI provides e-mail service, a custom user interface, a help desk, onsite training and website hosting for more than 155 of the state's rural schools, and another 85 schools in urban areas.

SchoolAccess reduces the need for schools to train and maintain a technology staff, especially with its 24-7 monitoring and technical support aimed exclusively at educators.

According to Cary, by successfully deploying SchoolAccess in the most rural school districts in Alaska, GCI created a service philosophy and platform that would address the Internet needs of school districts in other rural areas of the country.

He said the New Mexico and Arizona agreements calls for 14 VSATs (very small aperture terminals) to be installed this summer and for all of the school sites to receive Internet services by July.

New Mexico schools coming into the SchoolAccess program include schools in Cuba, Gallup, Grants, Lumberton, San Fidel, Thoreau, Zuni, Gallina, Lybrook and Deming. In Arizona, schools in St. Michael's, Pinetop, McNary and Ganado will receive the SchoolAccess program. In addition, eight schools in the Humboldt Unified District in Arizona will receive SchoolAccess services bundled with existing terrestrial service.

"For years, we've worked toward improving how education is delivered by encouraging the use of the Internet as a critical resource," Cary said. "SchoolAccess allows rural students to retain their cultural ties and have access to the educational enhancements made possible by the Internet."

SchoolAccess is a premium Internet service that utilizes the E-rate program to enable rural schools to afford broadband access and high-quality services such as filtering, e-mail, web hosting, and network administration. SchoolAccess works closely with schools to meet their individual technological needs. More information about SchoolAccess can be found at www.schoolaccess.net.

GCI (Nasdaq:GNCMA) is an Alaska-based integrated communication provider that delivers voice, video and data services through its fiber optic, satellite, hybrid fiber coaxial and metropolitan area networks. More information about GCI can be found at www.gci.com.