About MTA

MTA is Your Local Technology Leader and Internet Provider

MTA is a member-owned telecommunications cooperative, headquartered in Palmer, Alaska. Since 1953, we’ve been focused on one thing — keeping our communities connected.

We provide internet, voice, transport, and technology services to homes, businesses, and organizations across the Mat-Su Valley and beyond. As a cooperative, our customers are also our owners, and our work is built around supporting the communities we serve, not shareholders.

An Alaska-Built Network with Local Expertise

MTA is built and operated by Alaskans. Our teams live and work in the same communities we serve, from Eagle River and Chugiak to Palmer, Wasilla, Talkeetna, Healy, and beyond.
When service is interrupted, it’s our crews responding. The people maintaining the network are the same people who depend on it every day.

We employ over 400 Alaskans across engineering, construction, and support roles. Our teams build and maintain infrastructure in conditions that are unique to this state, including sub-zero temperatures, permafrost, and remote terrain with limited access.

This is not a network adapted to Alaska. It is a network built specifically for Alaska.

We also invest directly back into our communities through the MTA Foundation, supporting local programs and educational opportunities across the state.

Network Reliability and Security

Keeping Alaska connected and protected requires a multi-layered approach to infrastructure and data protection.

MTA built AlCan ONE, the first and only all-terrestrial fiber network connecting Alaska to the Lower 48. This route provides geographic diversity and reduces reliance on subsea cables, helping maintain service when other paths are disrupted.

Our network is designed with cybersecurity and data protection in mind. Beyond keeping services online, MTA's infrastructure helps protect the information that moves across it, supporting secure connectivity for homes, businesses, schools, healthcare providers, and public organizations throughout Alaska.

For organizations with heightened security requirements, MTA supports infrastructure aligned with industry and regulatory frameworks including:

• HIPAA
• CIPA
• PCI
• CJIS

Combined with the geographic diversity provided by AlCan ONE, this approach helps reduce risk, improve resiliency, and support the secure delivery of the digital services Alaskans rely on every day.

Security extends beyond the network itself. MTA provides tools and resources that help customers protect their devices, data, and online activity, including MTA Shield and community education initiatives focused on cybersecurity awareness, online safety, and digital wellness.

Through local workshops, educational events, and online resources, we help Alaskans stay informed about evolving cyber threats and make safer choices in an increasingly connected world.

In the Field

Field operations follow a Safety First approach. Technicians assess each site, maintain communication protocols, and follow established procedures when working in remote homes and occupied cabins across the service area.

Together, terrestrial redundancy, secure network design, and disciplined field practices support reliable connectivity across Alaska.

Closing Alaska's Digital Divide

In Alaska, connectivity is shaped by distance, terrain, and cost. Expanding access means building infrastructure where the conditions are more difficult and the return is not immediate.

MTA continues to invest in broadband access across the Mat-Su and surrounding communities, with a focus on long-term fiber deployment that supports both daily life and critical services.

Our investment supports:

• Students who rely on consistent access for learning
• Patients connecting to care through telehealth
• Businesses operating across large geographic areas
• And so much more

MTA also works with local schools and public organizations across the region, including the Mat-Su Borough School District, to support reliable access where it is needed most.

Alongside network expansion, we provide education and resources to help customers and community members improve performance, understand their technology, and stay safe online. Additional guidance is available through our Tech Tips and Blog.

Exceptional Engineering

MTA builds and maintains fiber and copper infrastructure designed for Alaska’s interior, using terrestrial construction and splicing techniques suited for permafrost, distance, and extreme weather.

Our engineers manage high-capacity transport networks supporting industries like mining, healthcare, finance, and emergency services, including circuits operating at 100 Gbps and beyond.

Behind every mile of infrastructure is a practical goal: helping Alaskans stay connected. Whether it's a student attending class online, a family connecting with loved ones, a remote employee working from home, or a business serving customers across long distances, MTA's network is designed to support the way people live and work in Alaska.

Building for Alaska means understanding the realities of Alaska. Our teams design and maintain networks that account for challenging terrain, extreme seasons, and communities separated by significant distances, helping deliver reliable connectivity where it matters most.

Our teams maintain industry certifications, including MEF, BICSI, etc., supporting consistent standards in network design, deployment, and operation.

Member-Owned and Invested in Alaska

MTA was founded in 1953 as a member-owned cooperative, and that structure continues to guide how we operate today. Decisions are made locally, with a focus on long-term service, infrastructure, and reliability across the communities we serve.

Instead of answering to outside shareholders, we invest back into Alaska, supporting the networks, systems, and services that keep our region connected.

Governance is provided by a locally elected Board of Directors made up of members from the communities we serve. Because MTA is a cooperative, our board is elected by local member-owners, ensuring that decisions about investment, infrastructure, and service priorities remain rooted in Alaska's needs and long-term interests.

This local governance model helps keep decision-making accountable to the people who rely on the network every day, with a focus on strengthening communities, supporting economic growth, and investing in Alaska's future.

Meet the MTA Board of Directors!

MTA Foundation

To demonstrate its ongoing commitment to the community, the MTA Foundation awards a range of scholarships to support students through an education honing their technological, business, and entrepreneurial skills through our annual scholarship program.