More Arkansans have high-speed Internet access

More than two-thirds of Arkansans have access to high-speed Internet, a jump from less than 50% four years ago.

A new statewide survey of Arkansans released by Connect Arkansas showed that 24% have subscribed to high-speed Internet in the last year and 92% feel that the Internet is a valuable source for information and education.

Other survey findings include:
• 68% have high-speed Internet access at home or work, up from 42% in 2007
• 56% view high-speed internet as a luxury in relation to other utilities
• 55% who are not current subscribers to high-speed internet say they don’t need it
• 30% use their cell phones or other mobile devices to access the Internet
• For 14% of Arkansans, a mobile device is their only means of Internet access.

“Truly remarkable advancements in the value of the Internet for education, opportunity for success and life-changing capabilities are becoming available on a daily basis,” Connect Arkansas President C. Sam Walls said. “Especially for our children, for the first time in human history, they have the world at their fingertips.”

Connect Arkansas was founded in 2007 to foster broadband education, use and access throughout the state. The group says it plans to use its findings to build an awareness campaign aimed at educating Arkansans on the value high-speed Internet has to improve their work opportunities and personal lives.

“This study shows that Arkansas has made significant progress since 2007 in high-speed internet adoption,” Walls said. “In order to maintain this growth, however, Arkansans must embrace the idea that high-speed Internet is a necessity to compete in the 21st Century economy.”

Arkansas received $7.79 million in late 2010 to improve broadband connectivity and use in the state, adding to the more than $104 million in broadband expansion funding announced for the state since October 2009.

Of the $7.79 million, $3.7 million was to help Connect Arkansas expand broadband use in the state through education.

Also, it was announced Aug. 18 that UAMS would receive a $102 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the medical-related broadband expansion. The money will be used to provide substantial broadband upgrades, broadband equipment and connectivity fiber for 474 community anchor institutions, including colleges and universities, public libraries, and health care facilities.