Hazen to receive $1.9 million grant for fixed wireless system

The Arkansas Department of Commerce awarded the city of Hazen $1,900,000 from its Arkansas Rural Connect (ARC) broadband grant program. The city will work in partnership with Aristotle Unified Communications and the project will deploy fixed wireless to homes in Hazen.

The department received $19.3 million in CARES Act funds for ARC grants after an approval from the CARES Act Steering Committee and the Arkansas legislature. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was approved by Congress earlier this year to provide aid to individuals, businesses and state and local governments in response to the pandemic.

“The ARC program ensures rural Arkansas communities receive broadband connectivity,” said Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a statement. “With the additional CARES Act funds that the legislature made available this week, we will continue to expand the broadband footprint in the state and connect more Arkansans.”

Grant recipients must expend the COVID-19 federal funds by Dec. 30 of this year. Additionally, $4.7 million is available in state funds for projects that would extend beyond Dec. 30. The goal of the program is to provide high-speed broadband to rural communities.