December 2024

On November 18, 2024, Louisiana’s Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity (also known as ConnectLA) posted its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Final Proposal for public comment, which was an historic achievement. Not only did Louisiana finish months ahead of other states, but it appears to have achieved the BEAD program’s objective of getting on a track for universal broadband coverage—and overwhelmingly by means of projects that will use best-in-class, end-to-end f

The urgency of bridging the digital divide has never been clearer. With millions of Americans in unserved and underserved areas still waiting for reliable internet access, the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program offers an unprecedented opportunity to achieve universal connectivity. Yet, the scale of the challenge demands that state broadband offices move with both speed and precision.

Arkansas distribution cooperatives are celebrating building future-proof fiber optic broadband access to more than 1 million rural residents within seven years. “No longer does a person have to live in a metropolitan area to have access to lightning-fast internet service,” said Vernon “Buddy” Hasten, president/CEO of Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp.