Arkansas has been allocated $1.024 billion through the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
The Natural State was one of only 19 states to be allocated more than $1 billion, ranking ninth in the country, per capita.
The BEAD program will fund broadband infrastructure grants to internet service providers (ISPs) to build and upgrade high-speed internet to unconnected and under-connected homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions. Unlike prior grant programs, the BEAD program will award grants for the entire state.
*Revised as of November 15, 2024.
Revised DRAFT Census Block Group (CBG) Reference Prices Are Now Available!
Please note the following:
These are DRAFT reference prices, subject to change and NTIA approval. Prices will be finalized prior to the opening of Tranche-1.
Files available for download below include DRAFT listings of CBG reference prices; unserved, underserved, and served broadband serviceable locations (BSLs); and, eligible community anchor institutions (CAIs).
The DRAFT listing of served BSLs is inclusive of funded BSLs subject to an enforceable commitment.
The DRAFT reference prices are based off of NTIA’s CostQuest data, and the minimum CBG reference price is $50,000.
Files are available for download below.
Revised DRAFT CBG Reference Price Resources
*Revised as of November 15, 2024.
DRAFT CBG Reference Prices
DRAFT Listing of Unserved BSLs
DRAFT Listing of Underserved BSLs
DRAFT Listing of Eligible CAIs
DRAFT Listing of Served BSLs (File 1)
DRAFT Listing of Served BSLs (File 2)
Arkansas State Broadband Office Resources
Initial Proposal Volume 2
Arkansas’ BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 2 has been approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Please see below for the approved document, which is the official document of record.
See below for additional information:
ISP Pre-Registration
ISP pre-registration is underway. It is highly advised that pre-registration be completed prior to the start of Tranche-1 bidding. Pre-registration will take place within the Arkansas Broadband Grantor Portal. Potential ISP applicants will not gain access to the BEAD application portal until pre-registration is complete.
If you have any questions or issues with pre-registration, please email [email protected].
As of November 15, 2024:
The following ISPs have officially pre-registered for Arkansas’ BEAD Program:
Aristotle Unified Communications
Arkansas Rural Internet Services
Arkansas Telephone Company
Ashley-Chicot Electric Cooperative
AT&T
Brightspeed
C&L Broadband Connect, LLC
CableSouth Media 3 (DBA: Swyft Connect)
CG Computer Works LLC
Clay County Connect
Cleveland County Telephone Company
Comcast Cable Communications
Connect2First Internet
Cox Communications
Decatur Telephone Company
E. Ritter Communications
Enlightened by Woodruff
IBT Group USA
Lyte Fiber
MCEC Fiber
NATCO
Oklahoma Western
Ozarks Go
Petit Jean Fiber
Phoenix Long Distance
Premier Holdings
Resound Networks
South Central Connect
Southwest Arkansas Telecommunications and Technology, Inc. (DBA: Four States Fiber)
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation
SWATCO
Texhoma Fiber LLC
Wave Rural Connect
WEHCO Video
Windstream
Additionally, four ISPs are under review by the State Broadband Director, and six ISPs remain in the pre-registration process.
See below for additional information:
Technical Assistance
The Arkansas State Broadband Office is conducting BEAD Technical Assistance (TA) sessions twice a week during the month of September. If you are an ISP and have not received an invitation to these sessions, please email us at [email protected]. The resources linked below include the Applicant Primer, PowerPoint slides for each TA session, and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that is updated on a weekly basis.
Please note, TA Session #5 was a demonstration of the application portal, and TA Session #9 served as a review of the FAQ documents to date. As such, there are no PowerPoint presentations for these sessions.
See below for additional information:
Application Resources
Resources that can assist an ISP with their BEAD application will be located here.
See below for additional information:
Programmatic Resources (+ Supplemental Guidance)
Programmatic resources for Arkansas’ BEAD program will be listed below.
See below for additional information:
NTIA Resources
Foundational Resources
NTIA has provided several foundational resources for the BEAD program.
See below for additional information:
Build America Buy America (BABA)
The U.S. Department of Commerce is publishing and maintaining a list of manufacturers where an officer of the company has certified that certain company equipment meets the domestic manufacturing requirements listed in the BABA waiver for the BEAD Program and can be considered compliant with the Buy America preference.
See below for additional information:
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Compliance
NEPA compliance will be a requirement of the BEAD Program.
See below for additional information:
Cybersecurity & SCRM
There are certain cybersecurity and supply chain risk management requirements in the BEAD program.
See below for additional information: