UAMS Receives $1 Million FCC Grant to Enroll Arkansans in Affordable Connectivity Program for Broadband Internet

By Benjamin Waldrum

LITTLE ROCK — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) awarded the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) $1 million to fund outreach for the commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program, which helps ensure that households across America have access to broadband internet.

The FCC created the Affordable Connectivity Program to help households struggling to pay for internet service. The benefit provides up to $30 per month for internet service and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer or tablet purchased through participating providers.

“The UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation is committed to seeing affordable, easily accessible broadband in homes throughout Arkansas, and this funding will allow us to collaborate with other leaders statewide to do just that,” said Roy Kitchen, executive director for UAMS e-Link and the principal investigator on the grant.

https://news.uams.edu/2023/07/11/uams-receives-1-million-fcc-grant-to-enroll-arkansans-in-affordable-connectivity-program-for-broadband-internet/

Rep. French Hill tackles broadband vote, COVID relief fraud, party politics

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, shared his views on a variety of subjects ranging from his vote on infrastructure and broadband funding to COVID relief fraud to Russia and party politics.

Appearing on this week’s edition of Capitol View, Hill said he does not regret voting against President Joe Biden’s infrastructure package, even though it recently brought more than $1 billion to Arkansas for broadband investment.

“The bipartisan infrastructure bill that President Biden worked on with 11 Senators and Nancy Pelosi in the House contained a lot of good ideas, but it’s money that we thought was, I thought personally was too much for too many projects around the country. Only about 10% of it even went to roads and bridges and core infrastructure. So I voted against it, and I think it’s a contributor to the 40-year high inflation,” Hill said.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/07/rep-french-hill-tackles-broadband-vote-covid-relief-fraud-party-politics/

Arkansas to receive $1 billion from Biden administration for high-speed internet

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The U.S. Department of Commerce released details Monday (June 26) of a $42.45 billion high-speed internet grant program and Arkansas will receive more than $1 billion as a result.

The “Internet for All” initiative is a component of Biden’s “Investing in America” infrastructure agenda.

Arkansas will receive $1,024,303,993.86 through the program. The state must submit a proposal describing how it will run its grant program within 180 days from June 30, 2023.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/06/arkansas-to-receive-1-billion-from-biden-administration-for-high-speed-internet/

Broadband in Arkansas Survey

The State Broadband Office needs your help getting as many people in Arkansas as possible to check the FCC’s new broadband map and challenge any inaccuracies.  They are only accepting these challenges through Friday (1/13).

https://broadband.arkansas.gov/verify/