Alaska Power & Telephone Company (AP&T) shared the achievement of key milestones for the SEALink fiber optic project undertaken by its subsidiary AP&T Wireless (APTW). In December of 2021, US Department of Agriculture Rural Utility Services (RUS) provided the SEALink project with environmental clearance, authorizing construction. Shortly after RUS environmental approvals, APTW executed a contract with Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke, a German subsidiary of the submarine cable manufacturer Prysmian Group, for supply and installation of the submarine fiber optic cable in 2022 – two years ahead of the project's original schedule.

The SEALink project will create a 214-mile submarine fiber optic cable from Prince of Wales Island to Juneau, with an overland crossing on Mitkof Island through the community of Petersburg. The project also involves terrestrial network build-outs in the communities of Coffman Cove and Kasaan, which currently lack broadband service. The project is funded by a $24.5m grant from USDA Rural Utility Services, and over $7m in matching funds from APTW.

Meanwhile, APTW has been making arrangements to begin constructing SEALink's terrestrial project features in 2022. It anticipates boring on Mitkof Island will begin in the coming weeks, followed by development of Mitkof-based aerial transport fiber. After that, AP&T will begin fiber-to-the home build-outs in the communities of Kasaan and Coffman Cove.

Improved residential service should begin to become available in 2023.