Every Arkansas Public School to Have High-Speed Internet This Fall
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – A project to implement high-speed internet at every Arkansas school is expected to be complete in time for the new school year.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2t9laBq) reports that Arkansas will be one of a handful of states that guarantees high-speed internet at every school. The state is running fiber-optic cables from the Ozarks to the Delta to serve all of its nearly 477,300 students.
The accomplishment is the result of an Arkansas Department of Information Systems project involving more than 20 telecommunications companies. The Federal Communications Commission largely funds the project through the federal E-Rate program.
The program was revamped in 2014 when the FCC increased its budget by $1.5 billion to $3.9 billion yearly.
According to a 2016 report, just five states boasted 100 percent connectivity under the 100 kbps per student federal standard. Those states are Hawaii, Kentucky, North Dakota, South Carolina and Wyoming.
Of those, only Hawaii and Kentucky are using all fiber-optic cables, which can handle much faster speeds than antiquated copper wiring can.
This year, Arkansas will also boast 200 kbps per student connections — double the national standard — on all fiber-optic connections. The fiber-optic lines and network equipment purchased by the state can handle 1,000 kbps per student without replacement.
California-based EducationSuperHighway founder Evan Marwell says the move led to increased participation nationwide, but that Arkansas began earlier and improved more than most.
Related News
From Archive
- OSHA issues 16 citations following fatal sewer confined space incident
- 27 pipeline safety violations tied to deadly Pa. chocolate factory explosion
- Contractor gas line strike triggers home explosion in Missouri
- LA recovery reports call for $650 million power line burial, major utility upgrades in Pacific Palisades
- Comprehensive microtrenching FAQ: Key insights on the Vermeer MTR516 microtrencher
- T-Mobile to expand fiber broadband infrastructure footprint with $4.9 billion Metronet acquisition
- First tunnel boring machines complete testing for Hudson Tunnel Project
- NWPX grows water infrastructure portfolio with Colorado precast facility
- Cityside launches $100 million fiber build in Corona, Calif.
- FiberLight to build 1,400-mile West Texas dark fiber network in $350 million expansion
Comments