Expansion of High-Speed Internet in Southwest Arkansas

Southwest Arkansas should see an expansion of high-speed internet to our area. This in part by the initiative of Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative. Dion Cooper, president and CEO of Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative spoke in an interview Monday giving details on the provider’s recent expansion into the broadband internet sector. The electric coop launched a project earlier this year here in Howard County beginning with the implementation of a smart electric grid. This project is a five-year, $150 million project to provide high-speed internet to its customers throughout our area. With the demand for expanded high-speed internet access the Arkansas’ rural electric cooperatives have sought federal funding to expand into the internet sector. 

A part of this initiative is not only providing internet but providing it at a rate which is affordable to everyone and doing so not at the expense of the users experience. Here’s Cooper on pricing for both residential and business services.

Cooper said more information will come available and that customers of SWREA can sign up on the web page to express their interest in becoming a future patron of the cooperative’s internet service. While signing up is not a commitment it does help gauge interest among potential future customers. Cooper also encourages everyone in our listening area to perform and submit an internet speed test at their home and submit it to federal officials to help demonstrate the need for such service in our area. So far Howard County is set to receive more than $6.8m through the Rural Digital Opportunity program to help with projects planned by the Rural Electric Cooperative.