Public Policy
We are a state at a crossroad. The end of World War II saw the rise of an industrial development age in Arkansas that was designed to move the economy of the state away from its agricultural roots and more toward a manufacturing base, and it paid off. For two decades, the per capita income in Arkansas rose from 60 percent of the national average in 1955 to 78 percent in 1978. Manufacturing employment in Arkansas as a percent of total employment increased from 27 percent to 33 percent.
Then, somewhere between the mid-1970s and today, Arkansas came to an economic crossroads. Manufacturing slumped. Worse, the per capita income in Arkansas plateaued at 78 percent. A study released in 2005 showed that Arkansas ranked 47th in total personal income per capita in the United States. Census Bureau information from 2007 ranks Arkansas 48th overall. Something has to change. In order to be economically competitive, we must change. Part of that change involves moving again - this time away from the manufacturing base to a knowledge-based Arkansas economy that is built on innovation and entrepreneurship. An economy that is not required to recruit from outside the state to build business; instead, it would look within the state's own boundary lines and draw from a talent pool that has produced some of today's leading businessmen.
Connect Arkansas is helping lead this change in thought process through working together with community leaders, technology vendors and public policy makers like yourself to begin a conversation that leads to Arkansans embracing high-speed Internet service in rural areas and communities, a technology that has been repeated called “the most transformational technology since electricity.” According to the 2010 State New Economy Index, which ranks states based on their ability to compete in the new economy, Arkansas ranks 48th in the nation, which is a one spot drop from where Arkansas ranked in 2008. Arkansas now ranks 46th in deployment of broadband telecommunications which is a jump from 2008 (49th). A statewide survey of 604 registered Arkansas voters, released in March 2011, discovered that use of Internet in daily life is fairly widespread–68 percent of Arkansas have high speed Internet access in their home or workplace, and that 92 percent feel that the Internet is a valuable tool for finding resources and information. However, 56 percent of those consider high speed broadband to be a luxury item in relation to other utilities such as electricity. Further, 58 percent said they would not subscribe to high speed Internet if an affordable option were available in their community.
Connect Arkansas believes that in order to address this issue, we must show Arkansans how the use of Internet in daily life is beneficial - a safe, quick way to pay bills; an easy alternative for making vacation reservations; a fast way to renew your car's registration tags. The organization currently focuses its operations in three major areas: mapping of broadband infrastructure, community strategic planning to drive adoption and use of Internet in daily life, and development of public access points to promote Internet use. One of the unique components of this organization is the community-by-community approach used to build and aggregate demand for broadband and the close collaboration with industry to advance the supply of high-speed Internet service in rural areas and communities. Our Focus: To facilitate statewide broadband access, Connect Arkansas, a "delivery platform neutral" entity focuses on three major components: An important step in facilitating access is to create an understanding of local needs. By mapping the state's existing broadband infrastructure, Connect Arkansas provides a level of detail that was currently not available in Arkansas. These maps show available broadband access, and more importantly, where access is not available. With this information, broadband providers can strategically optimize their network deployment plans and communities can further their Information Technology (IT) planning initiatives. Connect Arkansas will work with community leaders to develop a strategic plan for IT deployment, while working with local communities to provide public Internet access and computer training. The work of Connect Arkansas helps to build stronger communities. Through the creation of a competitive, local telecommunications infrastructure, communities will be able to sustain high-value jobs and provide a greater quality of life.
For specific information about Internet service in rural areas and the work Connect is doing in your county, find your county in the table below and click the link:
