Why is GCI internet slow?

Most slow GCI connections come down to one of nine causes, and you can rule out most of them in ten minutes. Start with a wired speed test, then work down the list.

Step 1: run a proper speed test

A speed test on your phone across the house tells you about your WiFi, not your GCI line. To test the line itself, GCI recommends:

1. Plug a computer into the GCI modem with a Cat 6 (or better) Ethernet cable, using the fastest port.
2. Close other apps and pause downloads and streaming on other devices.
3. Run GCI's own speed test at gci.com/speedtest, or use the speed test in the AK-Fi app, which measures at the AK-Fi equipment rather than your device.
4. Test a few times, including outside the evening rush.

Then compare the result with what GCI says is typical for your plan. These are from GCI's Broadband Facts labels and are measured in peak hours (5–11 p.m.):

If the wired result is close to typical, GCI is delivering what you pay for and the slowdown is in your home network (causes 4–7). If it's far below, look at causes 1–3 and 8–9.

9 reasons GCI is slow, and what to do

1. You've used your monthly data

This is the most common cause on GCI and the one people miss. On Fast, Faster and Fastest, once you've used 100% of the data included in your plan, you can keep using the internet at a reduced speed or buy an additional usage bucket. Fast includes 250 GB, which a household streaming in 4K can use in a couple of weeks.

• Check: your usage in the GCI app or your account.
• Fix: buy a bucket ($10 per 10 GB on Fast, 40 GB on Faster, 75 GB on Fastest), move to a bigger plan, or bundle a mobile line with GCI+, which unlocks unlimited data on Faster, Fastest and red. More in data caps explained.

2. Peak hours

GCI's own typical speeds are measured from 5 to 11 p.m. on weekdays because that's when the network is busiest. Some evening slowdown is normal on cable. Repeated results far below the typical figures in the table above are not, and are worth reporting.

3. An outage or a subsea fiber break

Much of Alaska's internet traffic travels over subsea fiber. When a cable breaks, GCI reroutes traffic over satellite and microwave links, and speeds drop until it's repaired. Recent examples: a break near Unalaska in December 2025 (repaired in January 2026), a Juneau outage after a break in March 2025, and repeated breaks on the Quintillion cable that serves Nome, Kotzebue and the North Slope, which GCI and other providers use. Repairs in sea ice can wait for summer.

• Check: GCI's outage updates, its social accounts and local news.
• Fix: there isn't one on your side. GCI has applied service credits automatically after major outages. If you work from home, a backup connection such as Starlink or a phone hotspot is the safety net.

4. WiFi, not the line

If wired tests are fine but devices are slow, the problem is WiFi: distance from the router, walls and floors, interference, or too many devices on one band. GCI includes AK-Fi Home (Plume) WiFi with free extenders; make sure they're placed halfway between the gateway and the slow rooms, not at the far end. See how to set up mesh WiFi.

5. Old devices or routers

An older laptop, phone or streaming stick may not support the WiFi standards needed for your plan's speed. On the 1 Gig and 2.5 Gig plans, most devices can't reach full speed over WiFi at all. See what router speed your plan needs.

6. Too much happening at once

Game downloads, cloud backups and several 4K streams can saturate a 250 Mbps plan, and they also burn through the 250 GB allowance. Pause big downloads and check which device is busiest in the AK-Fi app.

7. Uploads are the bottleneck

If video calls freeze or uploads crawl while downloads look fine, it's upload speed. GCI is cable, and uploads are low: about 10 Mbps on Fast, 20 on Faster, 40 on Fastest and 75 on red Unlimited. Moving up a plan helps. Where Alaska Communications fiber reaches (parts of Anchorage, Soldotna and Fairbanks), its 500 Mbps and faster plans upload as fast as they download.

8. Modem, cables or equipment

Restart the GCI modem and AK-Fi equipment (unplug for 30 seconds). Check that the coax cable is screwed in tightly and undamaged, and that you're not using an old Ethernet cable rated below Cat 5e. If you've had the same equipment for years, ask GCI whether it should be replaced.

9. You're on a rural plan

Outside GCI's cable and Fiber+ markets, many villages are served over satellite and microwave links with much lower speeds and small data allowances. If that's your situation, compare Starlink, which works anywhere with a clear view of the sky.

When to call GCI

Call (800) 800-4800 if wired tests are consistently well below the typical speed for your plan, especially outside peak hours, or if the connection drops repeatedly. Have your wired speed test results, the times you tested and your plan name ready. Ask whether there's a known issue in your area and whether your equipment should be replaced.

If GCI still isn't fast enough

Your other options depend on your address. Alaska Communications fiber has no data caps and symmetrical uploads where it reaches. AT&T Internet Air is $55/mo with unlimited data where AT&T 5G is strong. Starlink covers rural Alaska. Compare all three in GCI vs. AT&T vs. Alaska Communications, or read our full GCI review.

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