Sparklight receives $1.4M grant to extend broadband in rural Arkansas

April 13, 2021
Sparklight to deliver high-speed internet service to the rural Arkansas communities of Ogden and Wilton through a $1.4 million grant awarded under the Arkansas Rural Connect (ARC) program.

Sparklight on April 8 announced it has been selected to deliver high-speed internet service to the rural Arkansas communities of Ogden and Wilton through a $1.4 million grant awarded under the Arkansas Rural Connect (ARC) program.

The company was chosen by city officials to construct a state-of -the-art fiber-optic network throughout the two communities, providing symmetrical speeds up to 1 Gig for residential customers and up to 5 Gigs for business customers.

“Access to fast and reliable high-speed internet is critical - especially in unprecedented times like these when our customers are staying connected to loved ones, work, school, and entertainment from home,” said Julie Laulis, president and CEO of Sparklight. “We are thrilled to partner with the towns of Ogden and Wilton to bring the latest technology and fastest speeds to residents and businesses in these communities.”

Construction on the all-fiber network is scheduled to begin in June and will ultimately connect more than 330 residential and business customers by mid-September.

“The Ogden community looks forward to working with Sparklight,” said Ogden Mayor Sandra Furlow. “Reliable internet is a much-needed service in our community.”

Arkansas Rural Connect (ARC) is a grant program designed to expand the broadband footprint in rural Arkansas communities.

Sparklight is a leading U.S. broadband communications provider and part of the Cable One family of brands, which serves more than 950,000 residential and business customers in 21 states. The company provides consumers with a wide array of connectivity and entertainment services, including high-speed internet and advanced Wi-Fi solutions, cable television and phone service.

Sparklight Business provides scalable and cost-effective products for businesses ranging in size from small to mid-market, in addition to enterprise, wholesale and carrier customers. Learn more at https://www.sparklight.com/.