What do boat captains, environmental specialists, surveyors, and PistenBully operators have in common? They all contribute to telecom infrastructure development in Alaska, an industry where UIC Commercial Services companies are playing a greater role.
Permitting
Before a single cable is installed, someone has to navigate the permits. UMIAQ Environmental has been guiding telecom companies through that process since 2014, helping bring improved connectivity to more than 25 Alaska communities. By evaluating project design and construction methods during the early planning phases, UMIAQ Environmental’s permitting and GIS specialists identify necessary permits, easements, and rights-of-way well in advance. Their proactive approach helps clients mitigate unforeseen delays by aligning construction schedules with critical environmental windows, such as subsistence seasons and migratory bird nesting periods.
UMIAQ Environmental’s GIS team develops informative and easy-to-read maps during the permitting process. This example is a section of a tower viewshed map. The yellow portion visually shows the area where the tower can be seen from the ground.
Nearshore installation
The M/V Uŋalaq makes its way to site with a large reel of cable and equipment to support the dive operation.
For nearshore fiber optic cable installation, companies need a dedicated marine vessel that can serve as “mission control” for months at a time. Bowhead Transport’s M/V Uŋalaq has provided that support for multiple projects throughout Western Alaska, from Kotzebue to Naknek, for the last few summers. Stationed offshore, the vessel houses crews and serves as a base for underwater cable deployment operations. The Uŋalaq’s shallow draft makes it well-suited for the remote coastal areas where this work happens, and its deck space allows project teams to stage cable reels and coordinate dive operations directly from the boat.
Installation on land
UIC Oil & Gas Support laying fiber optic cable on snow-covered tundra. Each mobilization requires equipment and cable to be hauled on sleds/skis. Spring 2025
UMIAQ Design survey teams are working on telecom projects in Western Alaska and on the North Slope. Working in some of the most remote and environmentally sensitive areas in the state, survey crews contend with extreme weather, unstable ground conditions, and long mobilization times. During installation, they verify that the cable is being placed according to the planned alignment and they create an accurate record of where the infrastructure is ultimately located. This as-built data becomes essential for future maintenance, expansion, and coordination with other utilities, especially in regions where landmarks are minimal and access is limited.
UIC Oil & Gas Support has been building its telecom track record since 2023, when it facilitated the first tundra fiber optic cable installation on the North Slope for ASTAC. Since then, UICOGS has performed multiple fiber projects across the North Slope for ASTAC, NSTI and Quintillion. These range from oilfield infrastructure to community village connectivity.
UIC Oil & Gas Support assists fiber optic cable installation by setting poles and anchors along the first phase of the new Deadhorse to Utqiaġvik fiber optic line. Installation in remote areas requires careful logistics and scheduling. March 2026
Telecom work on the North Slope is defined by extreme weather, limited access, and the complexity of both tundra lay and stream crossings. Managing logistics around thaw cycles and environmental restrictions is as important as the installation itself. Each installation includes direct lay of cable on tundra, trenched cable under shallow streams, and above-ground cable over deeper and faster waterways, which entails drilling holes for telephone poles on either side of the stream, and then setting poles and anchors.
Installation of fiber optic cable on the North Slope requires specialized equipment and the ability to haul it to remote areas over snow and ice. This UIC Oil & Gas Support drill is used to bore holes through frozen ground so that telephone poles can be set and anchored. March 2026
Throughout this process, the UICOGS crew works closely with telecom splicing experts, providing a mobile splicing shed for the intricate work of fusing individual fiber strands to connect each new section of cable. There are hundreds of strands in each cable, making this a delicate and time-intensive process.
The wide range of support tasks, equipment and knowledge required for telecom installation and repair has made UICOGS a go-to partner on the North Slope. When a line was damaged in Utqiaġvik in late January 2026, they mobilized quickly from Deadhorse to provide emergency logistical support to reduce impact to the community. UICOGS was also selected by Quintillion to support the first phase of a new Deadhorse to Utqiaġvik line this spring.
Supporting telecom infrastructure looks different for each of these companies, but through their work our employees have a common role: improving connectivity for Alaska communities.