By the Arkansas Black Vitality StaffLITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Feb. 20, 2026 – The Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC) today approved the initial tranche of Arkansas’s more than $1.2 billion in federal funds from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program awards, allocating $126.1 million to expand high-speed broadband access in most rural areas of the state.This first round of awards will support projects reaching over 51,000 homes and businesses across Arkansas. The approved projects involve 15 different Internet Service Providers (ISPs), including 13 fiber-optic providers, 2 satellite providers, and 1 fixed wireless operator.
The powerful bicameral ALC, authorized to make legislative decisions between regular sessions of the Arkansas General Assembly, approved the appropriations for the state’s BEAD awards by voice vote at the State Capitol.
“This first round of grant awards represents more than $287 million in total broadband investment, including over $160 million in private match,” said Glen Howie, director of the Arkansas State Broadband Office, also known as AR Connect…