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I would like to know the mobile carrier market share in Alaska and the mobile plans breakdown customers are enrolled in
Hello, and thanks for asking for the mobile carrier market share in Alaska and a breakdown of the plans customers are enrolled in.
The short answer is that, after searching through corporate websites, industry reports, regulatory filings, and various media sites, the information is not publicly available because companies and industry reported do not focus on Alaska as the Alaskan market share in the mobile carrier market is only 0.2% of the overall US market. However, I was able to find the most popular mobile carriers in Alaska and some information about their mobile plans. Below you will find a deep dive of my research and methodology.
APPROACH
The approach followed was to search through corporate websites, industry reports, government reports/databases, regulatory filings, trusted media sites, as well as user forums and review sites to find the information required. Even though some information is available about GCI Wireless and their market in Alaska, little else was available about other carriers. I then compared the mobile plans of the three major competitors in Alaska, GCI Wireless, Verizon, and At&T to determine how popular mobile plans that include SMS's are. The three most valuable sources in this regard were the Alaska Cellular Carrier Report, the US Wireless Carrier Market Share and the article "Verizon Wireless Arrive in Alaska."
MOBILE CARRIERS IN ALASKA
GCI Wireless is probably the mobile carrier with the largest market share, providing coverage in the largest number of Alaska communities. AT&T also serves many areas of the state with their own network, while Verizon Wireless has entered the state in 2014 with a new 4G LTE network that depends on some roaming partners for greater coverage around the state.
1. GCI Wireless: GCI is the mobile carrier that provides access to the largest number of Alaska communities, especially after their acquisition of the Alaska Communications cellular network. GCI plans include Statewide, National, Unlimited and Lifeline services and offer data at discounted rates.
2. AT&T: AT&T is the second biggest mobile carrier in the US, and is generally considered to be the second largest in Alaska as well. By taking over other providers in Alaska, such as MTA, they have improved their service in some areas in Alaska. Their mobile plans give customers a better value when bringing their own wireless device and they have no-contract pricing options.
3. Verizon Wireless: As the biggest mobile carrier in the US, Verizon entered the Alaskan market in 2014 with much fanfare. They have the largest wireless network, geographically, in the US and are dominant in rural America.
Other mobile carriers in Alaska are:
4. Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative: ASTAC provides GSM service across the northern tip of Alaska. Plans are available with unlimited use based on local, statewide and national coverage.
5. Bristol Bay Cellular: They only cover the upper Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Plans offer unlimited minutes but only offers local coverage.
6. Copper Valley wireless: Copper Valley Wireless offer local coverage in Valdez, Alaska, eastward and northward with statewide and mainland US roaming.
7. Cordova Wireless: As part of the Cordova Telephone Cooperative, Cordova provides services along the coast of Alaska, south of Valdez.
8. MTA Wireless: MTA Wireless is part of the Matanuska Telephone Association in Alaska and is based just north of Anchorage. They are in the process of migrating their customers to Verizon and are not taking on any new customers.
9. OTZ Cellular: Based in northwest Alaska, OTZ Cellular is the cellular division of the OTZ Telephone Cooperative in Kotzebue.
10. TelAlaska Cellular: TelAlaska is spread widely across the state from Nome, Fort Yukon and Seward, to the Aleutian Islands and serves several small Alaska communities with wireless and other communications products.
MARKET SHARE
Sprint and T-Mobile have no networks of their own in Alaska and the three biggest players by far in the market are GCI, AT&T, and Verizon.
1. GCI: After the take-over of Alaska Communications, GCI increased their subscriber base to 260 000 in 2014, comprising about one-third of the Alaskan mobile carrier market. Based on their results for 2015 and 2016, this has not changed significantly as their financial performance has remained very stable.
2. AT&T: AT&T is viewed as the mobile carrier with the second biggest market share in Alaska, but no exact figures of their subscriber base or market share in Alaska are available.
3. Verizon: Being the biggest mobile carrier in the US, Verizon is also one of the big three players, but having only entered the market in 2014, one can assume they are still behind GCI and AT&T. No exact figures of their subscriber base or market share in Alaska are available.
MOBILE PLANS
Even though a breakdown of mobile plans used in Alaska is not available, some information was found that can assist you to determine the viability of a SMS campaign in Alaska.
In 2017, GCI reported that their mobile plan that attracts the most attention in the market is their "Better than Unlimited" wireless plan. This plan is part of their "Unlimited" plan range, and all of these plans offer unlimited SMS's. Similarly, all of Verizon's plans offer unlimited text and calling. AT&T's plans are too varied to compare and no data is available on which of these plans are available in Alaska.
CONCLUSION
Even though we were unable to find the exact market share data you require, the three biggest players in the Alaskan market are GCI, AT&T, and Verizon. GCI has about one-third of the Alaskan mobile carrier market with AT&T and Verizon following closely.
The majority of mobile plans on offer do include free texts, at least the most popular plans from GCI and all of Verizon's plans does.
Thanks for using Wonder! I hope we can assist you again in the future.