The State of Arkansas announced it is nearing universal high-speed internet coverage with the release of its final proposal under the $1 billion BEAD Program, the state’s largest public broadband investment to date.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders hailed the plan as a game-changer, saying it will expand educational, business, and healthcare opportunities across the state.
The Arkansas State Broadband Office selected 23 internet providers from 730 proposals to connect over 79,000 homes and businesses. Final coverage will combine fiber (76 percent), satellite (16 percent), wireless (7 percent), and hybrid tech (1 percent), with an average cost of just $3,891 per location—one of the lowest in the nation…