AT&T (NYSE:T) has expanded its Internet footprint in rural Arkansas. As part of the company's FCC Connect America Fund (CAF) commitment, AT&T has deployed Internet service to unserved and underserved locations in parts of 40 counties serving more than 26,000 locations.
For much of the deployment, AT&T is using its Fixed Wireless Internet service. Launched in Arkansas in September, the service is designed to provide at least 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream.
"Access to broadband service is key for today's digital economy," said Senator Jonathan Dismang, Pro-Tempore of the Arkansas Senate. "New technologies such as these will assist in closing the access gap that is present in certain areas of rural Arkansas. I'm excited to see AT&T investing in this way."
"It's nice to finally have a fast, dependable connection, even though we live in a rural area," said Judy McCool, Hot Spring County resident. "It's especially great for our triplet granddaughters who live with us. Each has a laptop to complete school work and EAST Initiative projects at home. Before the new AT&T technology was installed, we had to go to the county library seven miles away to connect to the Internet."
As a part of its CAF commitment, AT&T began offering Internet to more than 440,000 locations across 18 states last year, and plans to expand that offer to more than 1.1 million locations nationwide by the end of 2020.
In addition to Arkansas, AT&T has launched the service in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.
AT&T says it invested more than $550 million in its wireless and wireline networks in Arkansas between 2014 and 2016. The company plans to extend Internet service to more than 50,000 locations across the state over the next several years.