Internet

Several internet providers are continuing or launching affordable internet projects to help with digital equity, including Cox Communications which serves many cities and communities in west and northwest Arkansas.

On today's show, we look into some new data about teen moms in Arkansas. Also, a local relief fund is designed to help with the immediate needs of people affected by last week’s tornadoes in Benton County, while other funds take longer to get processed. Plus, trying to ease the pain of the loss of federal help to pay for internet bills for low-income households.

In this edition of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, Roby Brock speaks with Ritter Communications CEO Heath Simpson about the company's investments in rural connectivity, and host Paul Gatling discusses headlines from across the region.

First, an effort to bring Arkansas up to speed with broadband access is underway. The Arkansas State Broadband Office is directing a statewide $840,000-study to examine the state's digital needs. Mayors of four towns in Carroll County have formed the Carroll County Broadband Committee to further show the need for broadband assistance in their areas.

On Ozarks at Large's daily news recap, Northwest Arkansas poultry companies and the state of Oklahoma are granted a 90-day extension to reach an agreement on a remediation plan for the Illinois River Watershed. Also, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders requests to secure a major disaster declaration after winter storm earlier this year. Plus, the Cherokee Nation and AT&T will celebrate a new cell tower tomorrow. The tower will provide service to 1,000 people in Delaware County in Oklahoma.

The Arkansas Department of Commerce is awarding a $1.9 million grant to the city of Ozark in partnership with Pinnacle Telecom to deploy fiber to homes.…

The Arkansas Department of Commerce is accepting applications for the Arkansas Rural Connect broadband grant program. The goal of the program is to…

Fort Smith Public Schools has installed new "Park and Learn" signs at its school campuses to indicate the best locations for students to access WiFi at…

School buildings are closed for the academic year, but classes are continuing online. To give students in rural parts of the region access to internet,…

Arkansas is home to a dedicated computer network designed to foster collaboration among education and research interests within and outside of the state.…