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Over 100,000 homes and businesses across Arkansas now have access to Brightspeed’s fiber network, the company has announced.
Edited by Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
Brightspeed says its fiber network build in Arkansas has reached the halfway mark, with company crews reporting that 50 percent of the planned deployment is complete. According to the company, nearly 101,000 homes and businesses in the state now have access to Brightspeed’s fiber internet, and the full deployment is expected to reach more than 202,000 locations statewide.
Brightspeed listed 22 Arkansas communities where its fiber rollout is finished and service is available, including Jacksonville, Russellville, Pocahontas, and Paris. The company also said construction and outreach teams are actively working across dozens of other towns, from Cabot and Centerton to Stuttgart and Waldron, where representatives are going door to door to explain availability, plans and sign-up customers.
State broadband officials welcomed the milestone.
“Bringing fiber connectivity to these communities is a major step forward for our residents and businesses,” Arkansas State Broadband Director Glen Howie said in the company announcement, arguing that higher‑speed internet supports education, healthcare, and economic opportunity for both urban and rural residents.
An emphasis outreach
Brightspeed said its Arkansas expansion is partly financed by federal and state grant programs. The company named nearly $26.3 million in federal BEAD funding to add roughly 13,799 locations and said it also received more than $470,000 in ARPA grants to reach another 528 locations, funds the company says leverage its private investment in the state buildout.
“Reaching the halfway point in Arkansas is an important milestone, but making sure people understand how to take advantage of fiber service is just as critical,” said Tshacha Romeo, Brightspeed’s director of sales channel, who highlighted the role of door‑to‑door teams in helping residents and businesses sign up as the network expands.
Some AI tools assisted in the crafting of this report.
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