The Arkansas State Broadband Office – ARConnect – continues to leverage American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to drive affordable fiber access into underserved parts of the Natural State.

Three funding rounds are winding their way to completion, as fiber connectivity is being made available to rural markets for the first time, with a heavy reliance on local cooperatives.

ARConnect officials say they’ve now awarded more than $534 million in grants that will expand access to 130,000 locations in total, with most of the projects completed by 2030. Including matching funds, $1 billion is expected to be invested in total, bringing notable improvements to an estimated 875,000 Arkansas residents.

The Arkansas ARC Grant Program began in February 2021, using federal Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Program funding propped up by ARPA, which both Republican Arkansas state senators voted against.

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As of last December, state officials have committed all but $4,832 of its $1.57 billion in ARPA funds to active projects in the state.

ARC Round 1 doled out $118 million in grants to 76 projects, expanding access to approximately 55,700 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

ARC Round 2 awarded $274.4 million in grants to 87 different projects, impacting approximately 54,000 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

The Arkansas State Broadband Office – ARConnect – continues to leverage American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to drive affordable fiber access into underserved parts of the Natural State.

Three funding rounds are winding their way to completion, as fiber connectivity is being made available to rural markets for the first time, with a heavy reliance on local cooperatives.

ARConnect officials say they’ve now awarded more than $534 million in grants that will expand access to 130,000 locations in total, with most of the projects completed by 2030. Including matching funds, $1 billion is expected to be invested in total, bringing notable improvements to an estimated 875,000 Arkansas residents.

The Arkansas ARC Grant Program began in February 2021, using federal Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Program funding propped up by ARPA, which both Republican Arkansas state senators voted against.

Image

As of last December, state officials have committed all but $4,832 of its $1.57 billion in ARPA funds to active projects in the state.

ARC Round 1 doled out $118 million in grants to 76 projects, expanding access to approximately 55,700 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

ARC Round 2 awarded $274.4 million in grants to 87 different projects, impacting approximately 54,000 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

The Arkansas State Broadband Office – ARConnect – continues to leverage American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to drive affordable fiber access into underserved parts of the Natural State.

Three funding rounds are winding their way to completion, as fiber connectivity is being made available to rural markets for the first time, with a heavy reliance on local cooperatives.

ARConnect officials say they’ve now awarded more than $534 million in grants that will expand access to 130,000 locations in total, with most of the projects completed by 2030. Including matching funds, $1 billion is expected to be invested in total, bringing notable improvements to an estimated 875,000 Arkansas residents.

The Arkansas ARC Grant Program began in February 2021, using federal Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Program funding propped up by ARPA, which both Republican Arkansas state senators voted against.

Image

As of last December, state officials have committed all but $4,832 of its $1.57 billion in ARPA funds to active projects in the state.

ARC Round 1 doled out $118 million in grants to 76 projects, expanding access to approximately 55,700 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

ARC Round 2 awarded $274.4 million in grants to 87 different projects, impacting approximately 54,000 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

The Arkansas State Broadband Office – ARConnect – continues to leverage American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to drive affordable fiber access into underserved parts of the Natural State.

Three funding rounds are winding their way to completion, as fiber connectivity is being made available to rural markets for the first time, with a heavy reliance on local cooperatives.

ARConnect officials say they’ve now awarded more than $534 million in grants that will expand access to 130,000 locations in total, with most of the projects completed by 2030. Including matching funds, $1 billion is expected to be invested in total, bringing notable improvements to an estimated 875,000 Arkansas residents.

The Arkansas ARC Grant Program began in February 2021, using federal Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Program funding propped up by ARPA, which both Republican Arkansas state senators voted against.

Image

As of last December, state officials have committed all but $4,832 of its $1.57 billion in ARPA funds to active projects in the state.

ARC Round 1 doled out $118 million in grants to 76 projects, expanding access to approximately 55,700 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

ARC Round 2 awarded $274.4 million in grants to 87 different projects, impacting approximately 54,000 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

The Arkansas State Broadband Office – ARConnect – continues to leverage American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to drive affordable fiber access into underserved parts of the Natural State.

Three funding rounds are winding their way to completion, as fiber connectivity is being made available to rural markets for the first time, with a heavy reliance on local cooperatives.

ARConnect officials say they’ve now awarded more than $534 million in grants that will expand access to 130,000 locations in total, with most of the projects completed by 2030. Including matching funds, $1 billion is expected to be invested in total, bringing notable improvements to an estimated 875,000 Arkansas residents.

The Arkansas ARC Grant Program began in February 2021, using federal Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Program funding propped up by ARPA, which both Republican Arkansas state senators voted against.

Image

As of last December, state officials have committed all but $4,832 of its $1.57 billion in ARPA funds to active projects in the state.

ARC Round 1 doled out $118 million in grants to 76 projects, expanding access to approximately 55,700 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

ARC Round 2 awarded $274.4 million in grants to 87 different projects, impacting approximately 54,000 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

The Arkansas State Broadband Office – ARConnect – continues to leverage American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to drive affordable fiber access into underserved parts of the Natural State.

Three funding rounds are winding their way to completion, as fiber connectivity is being made available to rural markets for the first time, with a heavy reliance on local cooperatives.

ARConnect officials say they’ve now awarded more than $534 million in grants that will expand access to 130,000 locations in total, with most of the projects completed by 2030. Including matching funds, $1 billion is expected to be invested in total, bringing notable improvements to an estimated 875,000 Arkansas residents.

The Arkansas ARC Grant Program began in February 2021, using federal Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Program funding propped up by ARPA, which both Republican Arkansas state senators voted against.

Image

As of last December, state officials have committed all but $4,832 of its $1.57 billion in ARPA funds to active projects in the state.

ARC Round 1 doled out $118 million in grants to 76 projects, expanding access to approximately 55,700 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

ARC Round 2 awarded $274.4 million in grants to 87 different projects, impacting approximately 54,000 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

The Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) in Birchwood Tennessee says it’s leveraging American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to expand affordable fiber access into long underserved parts of The Volunteer State.

Roughly 10 percent of residents in the unincorporated areas of Hamilton County, Tennessee lack access to broadband. A problem that’s probably worse given the notorious unreliability of FCC broadband mapping data. Tennessee is currently ranked 24th in the nation in terms of broadband availability, affordability, and speed.

Enter VEC, which has begun construction on a new fiber expansion plan that will bring affordable fiber access to nearly 300 homes in Birchwood thanks to a $615,617 ARPA grant.

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“Whether it’s educational, or if it’s business, even this community center that we’re in today, if you’re going to have opportunities for the youth, you have to connect to the internet,” VEC CEO Dion Cooper tells local CBS affiliate WDEF 12.

VEC’s fiber expansion will extend fiber-optic lines along Birchwood Pike from Highway 60 to David Hill Road, later expanding westward toward the Tennessee River and eastward along Grasshopper Road to Pierce Road. In addition to the fiber expansion, Hamilton County recently secured a state grant to develop a modern computer lab at the Birchwood Community Center.

The Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) in Birchwood Tennessee says it’s leveraging American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to expand affordable fiber access into long underserved parts of The Volunteer State.

Roughly 10 percent of residents in the unincorporated areas of Hamilton County, Tennessee lack access to broadband. A problem that’s probably worse given the notorious unreliability of FCC broadband mapping data. Tennessee is currently ranked 24th in the nation in terms of broadband availability, affordability, and speed.

Enter VEC, which has begun construction on a new fiber expansion plan that will bring affordable fiber access to nearly 300 homes in Birchwood thanks to a $615,617 ARPA grant.

Image

“Whether it’s educational, or if it’s business, even this community center that we’re in today, if you’re going to have opportunities for the youth, you have to connect to the internet,” VEC CEO Dion Cooper tells local CBS affiliate WDEF 12.

VEC’s fiber expansion will extend fiber-optic lines along Birchwood Pike from Highway 60 to David Hill Road, later expanding westward toward the Tennessee River and eastward along Grasshopper Road to Pierce Road. In addition to the fiber expansion, Hamilton County recently secured a state grant to develop a modern computer lab at the Birchwood Community Center.

The Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) in Birchwood Tennessee says it’s leveraging American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to expand affordable fiber access into long underserved parts of The Volunteer State.

Roughly 10 percent of residents in the unincorporated areas of Hamilton County, Tennessee lack access to broadband. A problem that’s probably worse given the notorious unreliability of FCC broadband mapping data. Tennessee is currently ranked 24th in the nation in terms of broadband availability, affordability, and speed.

Enter VEC, which has begun construction on a new fiber expansion plan that will bring affordable fiber access to nearly 300 homes in Birchwood thanks to a $615,617 ARPA grant.

Image

“Whether it’s educational, or if it’s business, even this community center that we’re in today, if you’re going to have opportunities for the youth, you have to connect to the internet,” VEC CEO Dion Cooper tells local CBS affiliate WDEF 12.

VEC’s fiber expansion will extend fiber-optic lines along Birchwood Pike from Highway 60 to David Hill Road, later expanding westward toward the Tennessee River and eastward along Grasshopper Road to Pierce Road. In addition to the fiber expansion, Hamilton County recently secured a state grant to develop a modern computer lab at the Birchwood Community Center.

The Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) in Birchwood Tennessee says it’s leveraging American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to expand affordable fiber access into long underserved parts of The Volunteer State.

Roughly 10 percent of residents in the unincorporated areas of Hamilton County, Tennessee lack access to broadband. A problem that’s probably worse given the notorious unreliability of FCC broadband mapping data. Tennessee is currently ranked 24th in the nation in terms of broadband availability, affordability, and speed.

Enter VEC, which has begun construction on a new fiber expansion plan that will bring affordable fiber access to nearly 300 homes in Birchwood thanks to a $615,617 ARPA grant.

Image

“Whether it’s educational, or if it’s business, even this community center that we’re in today, if you’re going to have opportunities for the youth, you have to connect to the internet,” VEC CEO Dion Cooper tells local CBS affiliate WDEF 12.

VEC’s fiber expansion will extend fiber-optic lines along Birchwood Pike from Highway 60 to David Hill Road, later expanding westward toward the Tennessee River and eastward along Grasshopper Road to Pierce Road. In addition to the fiber expansion, Hamilton County recently secured a state grant to develop a modern computer lab at the Birchwood Community Center.