Quintillion has paved a road on a big scale. They were first and only telecommunications operator to build a subsea and terrestrial fiber optic cable network in the US Arctic, providing Alaskans in remote parts of the state with a high-speed broadband network that enables remote work, telehealth, online entertainment, digital education tools, and more.
However, Quintillion’s impact didn’t stop there. The telecommunications company took a plunge into the growing space industry and moved it’s strategy “Up.” Here is why Quintillion decided to make this shift and build its High Latitude Data Acquisition (HiLDA) ground station.
How Did Quintillion Get to Space?
Starting with its fiber optic cable network, Quintillion was already making headway on advancing technology in the last frontier. This network spans 1,700 miles, with 1,200 miles of subsea fiber cables and 500 miles of terrestrial fiber. It originates in Nome and transits along the west coast to terminate in Seattle.
Quintillion is now working on getting this network “out” to unique areas around Alaska and eventually connecting a cable system to Asia and Europe through the Arctic.
Although these are impressive accomplishments, Quintillion decided that it wanted to go up to the ultimate frontier: space. The Quintillion High Latitude Data Acquisition (HiLDA) ground station is located in Utqiaġvik at 72 degrees latitude. It’s designed to service polar-orbiting satellite companies that need to downlink data to a ground station.
Why Is It Important for Quintillion To Be in Space?
Quintillion’s decision to get involved in the space industry was based on three primary factors: Quintillion’s access to its existing fiber optic cable network, the Arctic location of its operations, and its partnership with Alaskan companies and native corporations in the area.
The HiLDA ground station is on US soil, allowing US-based companies, government or military organizations, and American allies a neutral, secure location to downlink and process the data from space. And since it is located at the northernmost point in the United States, satellite operators can downlink data multiple times a day as close to real-time as possible.
Quintillion also has fiber optic cables that are the most reliable and fastest to relay information gathered from satellites to its intended destination. With Quintillion’s advantage of owning a fiber-optic network, it can exchange data to the lower 48 via fiber.
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