Polk County Broadband Initiative

Submitted by Polk County 

Judge Brandon Ellison

As all of you are aware, Polk County has a need for better internet connections with broader coverage throughout the county. Although my office has been working on this problem for a few years, we haven’t been able to get much traction coaxing new and willing internet service providers (ISP’s) to build a service area here. 

By the end of the year or early in 2024, I expect to have an opportunity to incentivize the right ISP or ISP’s to compete for our service area. The Arkansas Broadband Office will open a grant window later in the year to accept applications from a partnership of the county and an ISP. There can be multiple applications from the county with other ISP’S. The goal of the Polk County Broadband Initiative is to achieve complete coverage of the county with quality and affordable internet. 

In order to be prepared for this opportunity, it will be wise to accomplish some tasks to make our application(s) more attractive. We will begin by forming a County Broadband Committee. The committee will consist of community leaders, elected officials, representatives from business, agriculture, education, tourism, communication professionals, and interested citizens. 

The committee will identify potential resources such as possible matching funds for infrastructure, digital skills training classes, and affordability outreach programs.

Another project for the committee will be to identify willing internet service providers and then evaluate them for potential partnership with the county. We must also develop a list of broadband priorities from infrastructure to skills training. The grantor will want to know that we have a plan to train the unskilled how to operate on the internet safely.

A high percentage of the proposed plan to distribute the internet will likely be carried on a fiber cable, however, fixed wireless systems using high elevations, towers and other structures will be considered for more remote locations or even densely populated areas. So, the committee should identify high vertical assets that might be available.

Right of ways for installations will also be sought out. The committee should ask for any policy changes or waivers from the local governing bodies that will help accomplish or save expense for internet construction. 

If you have special expertise or you are just really passionate about this initiative, contact the County Judge’s Office for consideration for membership on this committee. Call 479-394-8133.

The current standard for internet speed that is eligible for grant funding is 100 megabits download x 20 megabits upload (100×20). The price per month will need to be $60 or less. According to the Polk County internet audit, 98% of our citizens are either unserved or under-served by that measure. 

There is some progress developing in our mission to get connected that I want to tell you about. Currently construction is underway by Four States Fiber from just south of Cove to the Sevier County line to supply a fiber internet connection to EVERY structure that has an electric meter. 

This was made possible by the participation and cooperation of Southwest Arkansas Electrical Cooperative by using their poles and right of ways exclusively inside their territory. Polk County residents that receive electricity from Southwest, will have access to quality and affordable fiber connections for around $60 per month. 

In another development last week, Hilliary Communications, headquartered in Lawton, Oklahoma, contacted me requesting a support letter for an Oklahoma grant. This is for a project that comes across the Arkansas line and captures an area on Highway 8W to Rocky. This is a proposed project and I will not know the results for some time.

I am committed to do whatever is reasonable to get Polk County complete coverage of quality and affordable internet. Please stay tuned for periodic updates on the broadband initiative.

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Ethan Nahté

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