Augusta Receives $2.3 Million Arkansas Rural Connect Broadband Grant
JONESBORO, Ark. – (March 10, 2021) – The City of Augusta was recently awarded a $2.3 million Arkansas Rural Connect (ARC) Broadband Grant to improve the city’s broadband internet access. Ritter Communications, a leading regional broadband provider headquartered in Jonesboro, was chosen by Augusta city officials as a partner in completing the Fiber-to-the-Home infrastructure and broadband internet project.
“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,” said Ritter Communications CEO Alan Morse. “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.”
The $2.3 million Arkansas Rural Connect Broadband Grant brings Ritter Communications back to Augusta, after the company completed a $450,000 project in January to provide a full suite of telecom services including 100 percent fiber internet, voice, cloud solutions, networking and television services to Augusta businesses. The ARC Broadband Grant will fund the installation of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) infrastructure and expand access to the full suite of services to Augusta residents. The residential internet service is the latest broadband solution offered by Ritter Communications, RightFiber™, which features gigabit internet speeds.
“The City of Augusta is grateful for the $2.3 million ARC Broadband Grant which will allow increased broadband speeds to be expanded throughout the city. High-speed internet access is essential to the health, education, economic growth and well-being of our community,” said Augusta Mayor Jeff Collins. “Ritter Communications worked earlier this year to provide telecommunications services for our businesses, so we are thrilled to partner with them again. We are confident that Ritter Communications will bring Augusta residents services that will vastly improve the internet connectivity of our entire community.”
The Arkansas Rural Connect Broadband Grants, funded by the CARES Act and state funds, are awarded to rural Arkansas communities, making broadband internet connections accessible to more Arkansans.
# # #
About Ritter Communications: Ritter Communications is the largest privately held telecommunications service provider in the Mid-South, offering world-class broadband fiber, telecom, video, cloud and data center services. The company has grown rapidly over the years, investing millions recently in technology infrastructure and is now serving 94 communities and more than 45,000 customers in Arkansas, Texas, Missouri and Tennessee. Headquartered in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Ritter Communications invests heavily in the communities it serves by deploying proven, best-in-class infrastructure and technology, while coupling it with a world-class
customer-focused experience. For more information visit RitterCommunications.com.
