November Newsletter

November 26, 2025

A Message from the State Broadband Director

Dear Arkansas Broadband Stakeholder,

As we gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving week, I want to express my gratitude for your continued partnership and support. Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected Arkansas – one project, one community, and one milestone at a time. This season offers a timely moment to reflect on our shared progress, including a major achievement from last week: Arkansas became one of the first 15 states in the nation to have its BEAD Final Proposal approved by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). This approval positions us to begin construction in the first half of 2026.

In this month’s newsletter, you’ll find updates that showcase both innovation and stewardship – from the release of Arkansas’ updated state broadband map, providing a clearer and more transparent view of service availability across the state, to the launch of the Grow with Google training initiative expanding digital skills opportunities. You’ll also read about a proud first in our state’s history: one of the nation’s earliest partnerships between an electric cooperative and a telecommunications company to deliver internet service. Each of these stories reflects our continued commitment to access, affordability, and digital opportunity for every Arkansan.

Naturally connected,

Glen E. Howie, Jr.
Arkansas State Broadband Director

A Major Milestone: Arkansas’ BEAD Plan Earns NTIA Approval
Arkansas reached a major milestone last week with the approval of the state’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program Final Proposal by the NTIA. With this approval, Arkansas remains among the earliest states in the country to move into the next phase of the BEAD program. Backed by $1.024 billion in federal funding, the Arkansas State Broadband Office (ARConnect) will support broadband deployment to more than 79,000 homes and businesses – bringing the state one step closer to putting shovels in the ground for the nearly 200,000 Arkansans who remain without broadband access.

National leaders underscored the importance of Arkansas’ role in the first wave of Final Proposal approvals, highlighting the impact of “Benefit of the Bargain” reforms and the billions in taxpayer savings across the country. In total, NTIA approved 18 Final Proposals last week, including Arkansas’, with combined savings estimated at approximately $6 billion. With Arkansas’ BEAD budget now moving to review by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and subsequent appropriation approval by the Arkansas General Assembly, ARConnect anticipates construction beginning in the second quarter of 2026 – putting Arkansas firmly on track to eliminate the digital divide by 2030.

📰 Read the state press release here.

Arkansas Unveils Updated State Broadband Map

The Arkansas State Broadband Office (ARConnect) has released an updated state broadband map offering an even more precise view of service availability down to the address level. This interactive tool consolidates federal data, provider submissions, and verified state information to present a single, transparent view of current and planned broadband coverage, including preliminary results from the Arkansas BEAD Program.

Stakeholders can now enter their address and explore detailed service data, speed tiers, and provider information across all 75 counties – including the 79,000 homes and businesses included in BEAD. In the updated map, gray dots indicate broadband service available, green dots indicate grant-funded locations, and purple dots indicate BEAD-funded locations.

🗺️ Checkout the updated map here.


Grow with Google Initiative Launches in Arkansas

Arkansas is the newest state in the nation to bring Grow with Google training directly to its residents. Through a new collaboration between the State of Arkansas and Google, Arkansans can now access free, on-demand training in fields such as AI, cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing, e-commerce, and IT support that introduces practical tools to help small businesses, students, and jobseekers stay competitive in an ever-evolving economy.

This program reflects our state’s forward-looking approach to broadband and digital opportunity – ensuring not just access to internet infrastructure, but access to the skills that make that connectivity meaningful.

💡 You can learn more and apply for free training here.

Did You Know?

In 2016, Arkansas became one of the first states in the nation to be home to a partnership between an electric cooperative and a local telephone company to deliver internet service. This pioneering collaboration between Ouachita Electric Cooperative (OECC) and South Arkansas Telephone Company (SATCO) proved that innovative public-private partnerships can succeed where traditional models fall short.

Today, that same cooperative spirit continues to define Arkansas’ broadband landscape. Electric co-ops, telcos, and traditional providers of all sizes have joined forces to extend high-speed connectivity throughout our state, with more than 420,000 homes and businesses in Arkansas receiving grant funding since 2020.

🤝 You can read more about the partnership here.

Stay Connected

Stay connected with the latest updates on all things broadband in Arkansas! You can sign up here for updates, or connect with us through any of our social media channels linked below. You can also contact us directly via email at [email protected] or call the Arkansas Broadband Hotline at (501) 683-6000.

News & Updates