Brightspeed reports a halfway mark in its Arkansas fiber build, with about 50% of the planned deployment completed and roughly 101,000 locations now able to access Brightspeed’s fiber internet. The company says the full rollout is expected to reach more than 202,000 locations statewide.
The company has finished service in 22 Arkansas communities, including Jacksonville, Russellville, Pocahontas and Paris, and crews are actively expanding to dozens of other towns such as Cabot, Centerton, Stuttgart and Waldron. In many of these places, door-to-door outreach is underway to explain availability, pricing and signup options.
State broadband officials welcomed the milestone. Arkansas State Broadband Director Glen Howie said the expansion marks a major step forward for residents and businesses, noting that higher-speed internet can support education, healthcare and economic opportunity across urban and rural areas.
Brightspeed’s Arkansas expansion is partly financed by federal BEAD funds and state ARPA grants. The company cited about $26.3 million in BEAD funding to add roughly 13,799 locations and more than $470,000 in ARPA grants to reach another 528 locations, funds the company says augment its private investment in the rollout.
On the outreach front, Brightspeed’s director of sales channel, Tshacha Romeo, stressed that door-to-door education and signup assistance are critical as the network grows.
