LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The lack of broadband access impacts millions of Americans every day, especially here in Arkansas.
"We think there are still about 160,000 homes and businesses across Arkansas to this day, that still lack internet service completely," said Glen Howie, State broadband director.
However, with a new infrastructure bill that was introduced by President Joe Biden, Arkansas is set to receive a little over $1 billion to hopefully solve this problem once and for all.
"There is no single greater instrument to economic security and personal freedom than a high-speed internet," Howie explained.
In the past, Arkansas has ranked fairly low when it comes to broadband access, and Howie explained how they hope a new plan can give them better insight into the extent of the problem.
"The state broadband office released a brand new and improved state broadband map. Prior versions of the map were sort of detailed by region or area. This new and improved version of our state broadband map is actually detailed at the location level, so every home, every business, every community anchor institution, like a school, a fire station hospital, is actually more on our map and beyond that," he described.
Howie also explained that starting next week, internet service providers, nonprofit organizations, and units of local government, will be able to log into the challenge portal that we have and start to begin to challenge locations across the state.
Another addition this time around is that for the first time in the state's history, Arkansans will be able to look at the map and self-determine if it's accurate or not based on what they are experiencing near their home.
"For instance, if the map says that they have great internet service, but they have no service at all, they need to challenge that and let us know that there's a problem," Howie added.
He said all crucial points of ensuring everyone across the state— no matter where they are, can get online.
"This impacts everything that we do, from economic development, workforce development, quality of life and we hope to be a leading state in this process," Howie said.
To look for more information regarding internet access, please click here.