The city of Augusta, Arkansas has chosen Ritter Communications to deploy a gigabit broadband project funded, in part, through the CARES Act.
The city is receiving a $2.3 million Arkansas Rural Connect (ARC) Broadband Grant to deploy FTTH infrastructure and bring broadband to the city. The FTTH network will provide Ritter’s RightFiber gigabit residential service.
Some of the grant money came from the state and some came through the CARES Act. Projects must be completed by Sept. 30, 2021.
CARES Act Arkansas Broadband Funding
Ritter is no stranger to Augusta. In January, it completed a $450,000 project that provides a 100% fiber-delivered suite of services including voice, cloud, networking and television services to businesses.
“At Ritter Communications, we believe all Arkansans should have access to high-speed broadband internet services. We look forward to partnering with the city of Augusta to bring reliable access to high-quality internet connectivity to their residents,” Ritter Communications CEO Alan Morse said in a press release. “Governor Hutchinson’s efforts to advance the ARC Broadband Grant program takes Arkansas a step further in bridging the digital divide in our state. We commend his administration on this project.”
Ritter Communications serves 94 communities and more than 45,000 subscribers in Arkansas, Texas, Missouri and Tennessee.
The CARES Act was signed into law by then President Trump almost exactly a year ago. It included $100 million for the USDA ReConnect program and $200 million for a one-time telehealth program to be administered by the FCC. In addition, it included funding for every state, which states were allowed to use for a variety of initiatives.
Arkansas was one of several states that dedicated some of that funding to broadband.
