Feds approve Arkansas broadband proposal

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved the state of Arkansas’ final proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, state officials said Tuesday (Nov. 25).

As part of the BEAD program, Arkansas has been allocated $1.024 billion in funding to deliver broadband access to more than 79,000 homes and businesses across the state. The Arkansas State Broadband Office (ARConnect) is responsible for administering the BEAD program and funding process at the state level.

“Thanks to Arkansas’ low cost of living and fast-growing economy, more and more people are choosing to call the Natural State home, and they deserve access to the faster and more reliable connections that broadband offers,” said Gov. Sarah Sanders. “Thanks to Secretary Lutnick, NTIA Administrator Roth, and the team at the Department of Commerce, we will be able to expand broadband access to tens of thousands of homes and businesses, building momentum that will drive Arkansas’ growth for years to come.”

Funding for BEAD comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a law signed in 2021 that established a $42.45 billion federal grant program to expand high-speed internet access across the United States. None of Arkansas’ Congressional delegation voted for the package.

In the proposal approved by the feds, the Arkansas State Broadband Office received 730 applications by 33 internet service providers (ISPs), and 23 providers selected for preliminary awards.

Once implemented, the program will provide Arkansans with a range of technologies: 76% of locations will be connected with fiber, 16% with low-Earth-orbit satellite service, 7% with licensed fixed wireless, and 1% with hybrid technologies.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will now review Arkansas’ BEAD program budget.

Pending NIST review and subsequent appropriation approval by the Arkansas General Assembly, ARConnect anticipates construction on these projects to begin during the second quarter of 2026.

“Arkansas is proud to continue serving as one of the states leading this program nationally and be in the first wave of approvals for provisional grant selections,” said State Broadband Director Glen Howie. “This approval gets us one step closer to putting shovels in the ground to connect Arkansans who remain unconnected.”

In total, NTIA approved 18 states’ final proposals this week, including the proposal from Arkansas. Other states and territories that were approved include Louisiana, Wyoming, Iowa, American Samoa, Georgia, Delaware, Guam, Maine, New Hampshire, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Connecticut, South Carolina, North Dakota, Hawaii, Montana, Rhode Island, and Virginia.