In just a few months, satellite internet has reshaped web access in rural Alaska

A Starlink Revolution: Transforming Internet Connectivity in Remote Alaska

Across Alaska, on fishing boats and cabin roofs and conex containers, flat white antennas are popping up like high-tech mushrooms.

They’re Starlink terminals, delivering new technology that in just a few months has started radically transforming internet connectivity in some of the most remote parts of the state.

The company, a subsidiary of SpaceX, started sending thousands of low-orbit satellites into space in 2019, shifting the paradigm on internet infrastructure around the globe.

Since late last year when Starlink internet became available in Alaska, thousands of residents have signed up at a pace that’s exceeding expectations, observers say.

The Starlink signal isn’t perfect, they say. Its strength diminishes as more users compete for bandwidth. But it’s also gotten faster and steadier as SpaceX has added satellites to the system.

Experts also say satellite-delivered internet is inferior to faster, more stable internet delivered over fiber-optic lines. Alaska telecommunications companies will extend hundreds of miles of that cable in the coming years across much of rural Alaska, thanks in part to

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs Addressed:

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Targets Identified:

1. SDG 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure
2. SDG 9.3: Increase access to information and communication technology
3. SDG 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard cultural and natural heritage

Indicators:

• Number of households and communities connected to reliable internet infrastructure (related to SDG 9.1)
• Percentage increase in internet connectivity in remote areas (related to SDG 9.3)
• Number of cultural and natural heritage sites with improved connectivity (related to SDG 11.4)

Analysis:

1. The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). The article discusses the transformation of internet connectivity in remote parts of Alaska through the use of Starlink terminals, which is an example of innovative infrastructure development.

2. Based on the content of the article, the following targets can be identified:

– SDG 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure.

– SDG 9.3: Increase access to information and communication technology.

– SDG 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard cultural and natural heritage.

3. The article mentions or implies indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

– Number of households and communities connected to reliable internet infrastructure: This indicator relates to SDG 9.1 and measures the extent to which quality and reliable internet infrastructure is being developed and accessible in remote areas.

– Percentage increase in internet connectivity in remote areas: This indicator relates to SDG 9.3 and measures the progress in increasing access to information and communication technology in underserved areas.

– Number of cultural and natural heritage sites with improved connectivity: This indicator relates to SDG 11.4 and measures the efforts to protect and safeguard cultural and natural heritage through improved connectivity.

4. Table presenting the findings:

| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |

|——|———|————|

| SDG 9 | Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure | Number of households and communities connected to reliable internet infrastructure |

| SDG 9 | Increase access to information and communication technology | Percentage increase in internet connectivity in remote areas |

| SDG 11 | Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard cultural and natural heritage | Number of cultural and natural heritage sites with improved connectivity |

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: adn.com

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