FAQ
Connect Arkansas FAQ
Q: What is Connect Arkansas?
A: Connect Arkansas is a community-based, economic development initiative that is working to promote and foster the development of broadband education and access throughout Arkansas. On March 28, 2007, Governor Beebe signed the Connect Arkansas Broadband Act into law to facilitate the creation of a competitive broadband infrastructure that will improve personal lives, and also the economic capabilities and prospects of all Arkansans.
Connect Arkansas's core mission is to help drive Arkansans to utilize the internet thus increasing the demand. On a state level, the Governor and Legislature are developing an understanding on what internet infrastructure investment may be necessary. As a result, the Arkansas Broadband Council was created, as an independent entity, to make recommendations on this subject. They also have the Cyber Infrastructure Taskforce that is exploring the public broadband needs within the academic communities.
Q: What is broadband and why is it getting so much attention?
A: Broadband, or high-speed internet, is internet that can be accessed at a certain speed. In Arkansas, this speed is 768 kbps. In other words, regardless of the technology you are using (i.e. cable, DSL, fixed wireless, mobile wireless, etc.), if you can access your information at a minimum speed of 768 kbps, then you have broadband.
| Broadband vs. Dial-Up | Dial-Up | Broadband |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Comparison | Internet(Not High-Speed) | High-Speed Internet |
| Speed | 56kbps | 768kbps |
| Dial-Up Required? | Yes(Ties up Phone Line) | No(Continous Connection) |
Having access to a robust broadband infrastructure and, just as importantly, using it are key strategic components in the areas of agriculture, business/industry development, community & economic development, education, government, healthcare, libraries, and even tourism. In addition, by having internet access, citizens will be able to choose where they want to live, while businesses will also have access to new opportunity.
Q: Is broadband really an issue for Arkansas?
A: Yes. By working with providers to develop this map, you can now see coverage areas in Arkansas and also what speeds are available. This will be important as communities start looking at what functions they would like to use the internet for. There is also a “speed-test” on the home page of our website where users can test their speeds. This information is being tracked to continually refine the map. We are actively trying to get people throughout Arkansas to take the speed test to assist in the mapping process.
Q: Who are the biggest providers of broadband?
A: When looking at broadband, there are many types of technologies that exist including cable, DSL, fixed wireless, mobile wireless, and satellite. As for who is the biggest “geographically” satellite probably could make the case that they are, however for various reasons they are probably the least used. If you are thinking about the “number of subscribers,” we are not collecting that data at this time. What we do believe is that each technology has advantages and disadvantages and in the best case scenario, users would have the ability to choose which delivery technology best suits their needs from multiple providers.
Q. What are some of the obstacles to improving Arkansas' broadband infrastructure?
A: Arkansas is facing the same obstacles that other states are facing. A major issue to overcome is the significant percentage of our state that is rural and therefore more difficult and expensive to get service to.
The most difficult obstacle to overcome however is changing the way people in Arkansas look at the internet and educating our population and our leadership that it is a necessary component of our lives. Again, with increased demand comes increased investment by service providers.