The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Arkansas' Initial Proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration's "Internet for All" initiative.

This approval enables Arkansas to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program—a major step towards closing the digital divide and meeting the President's goal of connecting everyone in America with affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service.

The BEAD program is a $42.45 billion federal grant program authorized by the Biden-Harris Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Arkansas was allocated over $1 billion to deploy or upgrade Internet networks to ensure that everyone has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet service.

Read the full press release here.

NTIA