Pacific Island Nations Study Whidbey Island's Undersea Internet Plan
Delegates from ten countries visited Freeland to examine how a local provider connects remote communities via fiber-optic cables.
By Thiago Kovalenko ·
Ten representatives from across the Pacific visited the Freeland offices of Whidbey Telecom on Oct. 9 to study how the company connects island communities using undersea fiber-optic cables. The group included professionals from Australia, Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, the Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu. Their trip was the final stop in a program designed to exchange technical ideas between international leaders and American institutions.
The visit was organized by the World Affairs Council of Seattle under the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. The specific theme of the exchange, titled “Advancing Digital Connectivity Infrastructure: Undersea Cables,” focused on the logistical challenges of building communication networks that span water gaps. Participants spent the afternoon discussing the difficulties of maintaining reliable internet access in geographically isolated areas.
Wayne Jeffers, director of technology and strategic initiatives at Whidbey Telecom, told the group about the company’s existing infrastructure and upcoming plans. He noted that the discussion covered the ownership and operation of undersea cables. The delegates asked detailed questions about the technical and financial aspects of the work.
A major part of the conversation centered on the Middle Mile Project. This initiative is supported by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and aims to expand fiber-optic service to Whidbey Island, the San Juan Islands and Point Roberts. The project includes new land-based lines and approximately 53 miles of planned undersea infrastructure. It specifically targets the gaps between Whidbey Island, Decatur Island and Point Roberts.
The delegates identified a common problem: geography makes building and maintaining infrastructure more complicated in island settings. Camille Adkins-Rieck, director of global leadership exchange at the World Affairs Council of Seattle, said the visitors appreciated the reception at Whidbey Telecom. She reported that the group described the company as the most thoughtful organization they had met during the entire exchange.
Adkins-Rieck attributed the strong impression partly to shared experiences of living in island communities. She noted that the visitors felt Whidbey employees understood the specific geographic difficulties they face in their own regions. The delegates cited a sense of “island hospitality” that persists across the Pacific Ocean, even though the local water is colder than in their home countries.
The exchange is expected to have practical effects after the group returns to their respective nations. Adkins-Rieck said the delegates are preparing presentations for their colleagues and governments to share what they learned. They hope to use the structure of Whidbey Telecom’s network as a model for their own projects. Whidbey Telecom, founded in 1908, provides services to residents, businesses, schools, hospitals and public safety agencies in its service area.
