Elias Rojas, who is the marketing manager for MTA, as well as the director of information technology and communications on the Arctic Winter Games Host Committee, says MTA’s sponsorship fits its ongoing mission to support the community it serves. “Part of our mission is to pioneer economic development,” Rojas says. “Sponsoring both traditional and esports benefits MTA through fostering diverse community engagement.”
MTA’s support started with a process of looking at the venues where activities and events would take place. Connectivity audits and equipment evaluations determined what improvements or updates would be necessary to get the venues up to speed to meet the demands of the expected crowds—and to benefit future demands for connectivity. According to Rojas, “MTA has replaced several copper-served locations with fiber in preparation for the games; these fiber extensions will greatly increase capacity and allow for more communication options for the games and into the future.” For example, MTA added a “newer, faster, better” WiFi system at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center, which hosts the opening and closing ceremonies for the games.
Communications upgrades have also been made at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena and the Government Peak Recreation Area. Rojas explains that MTA was already planning many upgrades to telecommunications infrastructure in the Mat-Su, but the timeline moved up to accommodate the Arctic Winter Games.
He says an MTA team of approximately fifty people has been working on support for the event as things have ramped up, but an additional team of ten has been providing IT help desk support for the Arctic Winter Games since early 2022. That team will continue to provide IT help desk support throughout the event—and on their own time. “They are volunteering for the games,” Rojas says. “Most of them grew up in the Mat-Su Valley, and they want to make sure things go smoothly.”
According to Rojas, while the Arctic Winter Games are an exceptional opportunity, MTA’s involvement is an example of how the telecommunications company routinely focuses on more than just the bottom line. “MTA is different from other large telecoms,” he says. “Our members are our owners, and supporting traditional sports and esports in our service area is a way to give back to the community.”