Alaska Communications introduces ACS SmartHome, delivering advanced Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and intuitive home network management for Alaskan households.
Alaska Communications has unveiled ACS SmartHome, a comprehensive new solution designed to transform how Alaskans manage and experience their home networks. Powered by Calix SmartHome™ technology and built on next-generation Wi-Fi 7 infrastructure, ACS SmartHome represents a major leap forward in residential connectivity across the state. With this launch, Alaska Communications becomes the first provider in Alaska to deploy Wi-Fi 7 equipment, positioning itself at the forefront of next-generation broadband innovation.
Bringing Wi-Fi 7 to Alaska
As digital demands accelerate, households are connecting more devices than ever before—from smartphones and laptops to smart TVs, gaming consoles, security cameras, voice assistants, and connected appliances. The shift toward remote work, distance learning, streaming entertainment, telehealth, and smart home automation has placed unprecedented pressure on home networks.
Recognizing this evolution, Alaska Communications is introducing Wi-Fi 7 capability powered by the Calix GigaSpire Wi-Fi 7 systems. These advanced devices deliver exceptional whole-home coverage, faster speeds, lower latency, and greater reliability than previous generations of Wi-Fi technology.
Wi-Fi 7 represents a significant technological upgrade over Wi-Fi 6 and 6E. It offers multi-gigabit speeds, improved spectrum efficiency, and enhanced performance in high-density environments. For customers, this translates to smoother 4K and 8K streaming, seamless video conferencing, ultra-responsive online gaming, and faster file transfers—even when multiple users are active on the network simultaneously.
By becoming Alaska’s first Wi-Fi 7 equipment provider, Alaska Communications is ensuring that its customers are equipped for the future. Whether supporting growing families, remote professionals, or tech-savvy households filled with smart devices, ACS SmartHome is designed to meet both today’s needs and tomorrow’s demands.
A Smarter, Simpler Connected Home Experience
At the heart of ACS SmartHome is an intuitive mobile app that gives customers complete control over their home network experience. Rather than relying on complex router settings or technical troubleshooting, users can now manage everything from a simple, user-friendly interface.
The ACS SmartHome app empowers customers to:
- Monitor network performance in real time
- Run bandwidth and speed tests to confirm multi-gigabit performance
- View all connected devices
- Pause or schedule internet access for specific users
- Update Wi-Fi passwords
- Set up and manage guest networks
- Receive alerts about potential security threats
This centralized control eliminates the guesswork from home network management. Whether parents want to manage screen time for their children, homeowners want to check which devices are online, or remote workers need to ensure stable connectivity before a critical meeting, ACS SmartHome makes it easy.
Cindy Christopher, Senior Director at Alaska Communications, emphasized the company’s leadership in advancing connectivity statewide. She noted that the launch brings faster speeds, smoother performance, and a network ready to support customers’ expanding digital lifestyles. By combining performance management and cybersecurity protection within a single platform, ACS SmartHome unifies essential home network tools in one convenient place.
Enterprise-Level Security for Residential Homes
Security remains one of the biggest concerns for connected households. As more devices connect to home networks, the risk of cyber threats increases. From phishing attacks to malware and unauthorized device access, vulnerabilities can expose personal data and disrupt service.
ACS SmartHome addresses these concerns with built-in security features powered by ProtectIQ®. ProtectIQ provides continuous monitoring and advanced threat detection at the network level. Rather than requiring individual antivirus installations on each device, the protection operates across the entire home network.
With ProtectIQ, customers benefit from:
- Automatic blocking of suspicious activity
- Protection against viruses and malware
- Prevention of intrusions and unauthorized device access
- Real-time alerts about potential threats
This proactive approach ensures that the home network remains secure without requiring technical expertise from the user. Families can browse, stream, game, and work with greater peace of mind, knowing their connection is continuously safeguarded.
Designed for Whole-Home Performance
Alaskan homes vary widely in size and layout, from urban residences to remote properties. Wi-Fi dead zones and inconsistent signals can be a common challenge—especially in larger or multi-level homes.
The Calix GigaSpire Wi-Fi 7 systems used in ACS SmartHome are engineered to deliver consistent whole-home coverage. By optimizing signal strength and intelligently managing bandwidth across devices, the system minimizes buffering, lag, and connection drops.
Wi-Fi 7’s advanced features allow multiple devices to transmit data simultaneously with reduced interference. This is particularly valuable in modern households where streaming, gaming, video conferencing, and smart home automation often occur at the same time.
Customers can also run bandwidth tests directly through the ACS SmartHome app to verify that their network is delivering the speeds they expect. This transparency enhances trust and ensures users can quickly identify and resolve performance issues.
Supporting Alaska’s Digital Future
As an affiliate of ATN International, Alaska Communications plays a vital role in delivering mission-critical and life-critical communications infrastructure throughout the state. The company operates a robust statewide fiber network and a highly diverse undersea fiber optic system that connects Alaska to the contiguous United States.
By integrating Wi-Fi 7 technology into its residential offerings, Alaska Communications extends the strength of its fiber backbone directly into customers’ homes. This end-to-end performance—from fiber network to in-home Wi-Fi—ensures reliability even in Alaska’s challenging geographic and environmental conditions.
The launch of ACS SmartHome also aligns with broader efforts to bridge digital gaps across rural and remote communities. High-performance home connectivity supports education, healthcare access, remote employment, small business growth, and community development.
Partnership with Calix: Enabling Next-Generation Experiences
The collaboration with Calix highlights a shared commitment to innovation and customer-centric broadband experiences. Alan DiCicco, Vice President of Solution and Product Marketing at Calix, expressed pride in partnering with Alaska Communications to deliver residential experiences that build long-term customer loyalty.
Through the Calix One platform, ACS SmartHome combines connectivity, security, and user-friendly management tools into a unified ecosystem. This integration enhances service personalization, strengthens customer engagement, and ensures continuous feature updates as technology evolves.
By leveraging Calix’s advanced software and hardware capabilities, Alaska Communications can rapidly deploy enhancements and maintain its leadership in the Alaskan broadband market.
Included at No Extra Cost
In an era where premium connectivity features often come with additional fees, ACS SmartHome stands out by being included at no extra cost with qualifying internet plans. This decision reflects Alaska Communications’ commitment to delivering value while maintaining competitive offerings.
Customers shopping for home internet plans can access Wi-Fi 7 technology, network security, and smart home management tools without hidden equipment upgrades or subscription add-ons. The result is a streamlined and cost-effective path to next-generation connectivity.
Future-Ready Infrastructure
Technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Emerging applications such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), immersive gaming, smart energy management, and advanced telehealth solutions demand increasingly robust connectivity.
Wi-Fi 7 is designed to accommodate these high-bandwidth, low-latency applications. By deploying Wi-Fi 7 today, Alaska Communications ensures that customers are prepared for tomorrow’s innovations.
Moreover, the ability to manage and monitor network performance through ACS SmartHome positions households to adapt quickly as new devices and services are introduced.
Elevating the Standard of Home Connectivity
The launch of ACS SmartHome marks a significant milestone not only for Alaska Communications but also for the broader Alaskan broadband landscape. By combining Wi-Fi 7 performance, enterprise-grade security, and user-friendly management tools, the company is redefining what customers can expect from their home internet experience.
From streaming high-definition content and supporting remote work to protecting against cyber threats and managing family screen time, ACS SmartHome delivers a comprehensive solution tailored to modern digital lifestyles.
As connectivity becomes increasingly central to everyday life, Alaska Communications’ investment in next-generation technology underscores its commitment to innovation, reliability, and customer empowerment.
With ACS SmartHome, Alaskans are not simply receiving faster internet—they are gaining a smarter, safer, and more seamless connected home experience built for the future.
