D.C. Memo: GCI in Alaska Shutting Down Cable TV In Mid 2025

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Cable: Cord cutting just claimed another victim. GCI in Alaska has announced it will terminate its traditional cable TV service next year and will help video subscribers migrate to online services, including Xumo and YouTube TV. According to federal records, GCI has at least 10,000 cable TV subscribers. GCI put the word out Monday in a letter to subscribers, saying it will “sunset” TV service in the middle of 2025. "This decision was not made lightly. We’re proud of our decades-long history of providing cable TV service to Alaskans, but we believe the right path forward is to support customer choice on video by focusing our resources on providing the best Internet and mobile data experience in Alaska," the company said. Liberty Broadband, GCI's corporate parent since 2020, did not disclose GCI's cable TV subscriber totals in its third quarter results. In August, GCI reported in a filing with the U.S. Copyright Office having 9,649 basic cable TV subscribers in Anchorage, 1,971 in Fairbanks, and 390 in Sitka. GCI reported 22,391 Anchorage subscribers in 2021. In the message to subscribers, GCI said it had "seen our customers increasingly choose online video streaming as their preferred way to watch their favorite programming." Charter Communications has offered to buy Liberty Broadband's 26% interest in Charter, but Charter CEO Christopher Winfrey has indicated that his preference was not to include GCI in the deal. It was unclear if GCI's exit from cable TV will impact the Liberty-Charter negotiation. A Liberty Broadband spokeswoman did not respond to email on that issue. GCI is recommending the Xumo streaming service to customers. Xumo is a joint venture between Comcast and Charter. "Over the coming months, GCI will provide more support for Xumo to help you find your favorite shows and channels on other streaming services." GCI also said the current streaming device used for Yukon [cable] TV can easily access popular apps like Netflix, Disney+, and Paramount+, ensuring you can continue to enjoy all your favorite shows and movies." In September, Ketchikan Public Utilities in Alaska shut down its cable TV system serving 1,200 subscribers because of subscriber attrition and rising costs. Cable TV first came to Ketchikan in 1953.