Arkansas releases state broadband map pinpointing location of high-speed internet providers

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTAL/KMSS) – Arkansas state officials released a new map Wednesday showing where broadband is available across the state as part of an effort to make it more broadly available, including in rural areas.

The Arkansas State Broadband Map will allow Arkansans to pinpoint broadband providers in the state and will assist state agencies in developing broadband policy, Governor Asa Hutchinson said today in announcing the release of the map.

“This project puts Arkansas on the cutting edge of broadband mapping nationally,” Governor Hutchinson said. “Broadband delivery is a top priority, and long before the pandemic, I asked state agencies to accelerate the closing of the digital divide between our cities and less-populated rural communities. Our diligence and proactive efforts put us in a position to utilize the federal funds we have received during the pandemic to enhance our broadband system. Our map identifies broadband sources by structure, a level of detail that allows users to find exactly where broadband is available.”

The project is a partnership between the State Broadband Office through the Arkansas Department of Commerce and the Department of Education. The map will supplement the FCC’s broadband map and will provide a more thorough overview of broadband distribution in Arkansas.

Governor Hutchinson utilized money from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund to partner with CostQuest Associates, a national consulting firm, to perform the detailed analysis.

The map allows a user to supply an address in order to find nearby coverage. The map will show the number of providers in the area, the broadband companies that are providing service, and the speeds at which service is available.

To see map: https://arkansas.vetro.io