Status of Broadband Internet in Nevada County
Like most every other county in the nation, Nevada County has locations currently "served" by broadband and others that are either "underserved" or "unserved". This web page attempts to help residents understand their current situation. For those without broadband, there IS a grant in process to get broadband to your location and you can learn about that grant.
The Map That Shows Information for All Locations
Arkansas Broadband Office Map
- In the upper right, search for your location and click it to zoom in (or navigate to and zoom in on your location).
- Once zoomed in, click the dot representing your location.
- Gray dots are currently served. The list shows current "Providers".
- Green dots were funded prior to BEAD. The "Funding Program" is shown and there is a list of current "Providers" of any kind of internet service.
- Purple dots will be funded by BEAD. The "Funding Program" shows the BEAD "selectee" ISP (Brightspeed for fiber; Space Exploration or Amazon for satellite). There is a list of any current "Providers" of any kind of internet service.
Current Nevada County Broadband Service
Many locations in Nevada County are "served" with solid broadband internet service:
- Prescott city limits (South Central Connect, Cablelynx, Brightspeed)
- Emmet city limits (Cablelynx)
- Bluff City and some of surrounding area (South Central Connect)
- Bodcaw, Falcon, and southwestern portion of Nevada County (Walnut Hill Communications, South Central Connect)
Some Locations Already Have Grants Awarded
Over the last two decades, several grants have helped Internet Service Providers (ISPs) build infrastructure to provide broadband service.
- Some of the most successful grants prior to 2024 were from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Those awards went to South Central Connect, Centurytel (now Brightspeed), Walnut Hill Comminications, and Cablelynx (WEHCO).
- Some of those locations have been built and are now "served" with broadband.
- Other locations are still pre-construction with a completion deadline at the end of 2028, even though ISPs indicate they'll have service going before then.
There's a New Round of Grants for All Other Locations
- The Infrastructure Act of 2021 established Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grants. It's over a billion dollars in Arkansas.
- Every remaining "underserved" and "unserved" location that has not already received a construction grant is to have a grant awarded to an ISP to construct service to that location.
- There are 701 locations in Nevada County that will receive this funding. The "selectees" were named on August 29, 2025.
- Fiber optic based delivery: The "selectee" ISP is Brightspeed.
635 locations include the rural around around the city of Prescott, a few locations east of U.S. 371 between Prescott and Rosston, the city of Rosston and areas south and east of Rosston. The award is for $2,227,831.10, an average of about $3,508 per location. Brightspeed, along with other fiber service providers, currently advertise base monthly prices around $40-$60. - Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite based delivery: The "selectee" ISPs are Space Exploration Technolgies and Amazon Kuiper Commercial Services LLC.
- Space Exploration Technologies Corp (Space-X's Starlink service) is selected for 65 locations in Nevada County with an award of $47,485.61, an average of about $730 per location. Most of the locations are within a few miles of Terre Rouge Creek on Highway 24 east of Prescott, some areas south of Bluff City, a few locations east of Rosston and what appears to be the Texas Eastern Transmission facility off County 112 northwest of Bodcaw. Starlink currently advertises their service for $80-$120/month depending on data consumed.
- Amazon Kuiper Commercial Services LLC is selected for one location in Nevada County, which appears to be the Laneburg Volunteer Fire Department Station 1 building at speed of 1000/1000 (required for Community Anchor Instutions or CAIs), with an award of $600.00. Monthly pricing cannot be found since the service is not set for operation until late 2025.
- ISPs who receive BEAD funding are required to have a "low-cost" plan, but prices are not specified.
- In all the plans before June 6, 2025, there was a preference for awards to go to ISPs that would construct fiber optic access. That changed with President Trump's executive order, which allowed low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite providers to be included in the awards.
- Here is the list of addresses designed for Starlink and Amazon instead of fiber.
The above maps were obtained by using another map at the Broadband Office:
- Visit the Preliminary Results Dashboard".
If the link does not work, go to https://broadband.arkansas.gov/bead, then scroll down to "ARConnect Resources", then expand the first group "Draft Final Proposal, Exhibits, & Public Comment". - Next to "Select a County", scroll down to then click "Nevada".
- Select a sub-project ID: The three LEO awards in Nevada County are 238, 254 and 256.
Current News
BEAD ISP Provisional Selectee Informational Meetings
Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 9:00am
Columbia County Library, 2057 N Jackson, Magnolia Arkansas
Covering Ouachita, Columbia, and Nevada Counties
(Other dates in other cities for other counties)
Replacing the Arkansas Broadband "Roadshows" of the previous years, the office walks through the BEAD process, but mainly allows provisional selectees (ISPs) the opportunity to discuss their initial project plans and facilitate Q&A with officials responsible for assisting with accelerating projects (permitting, locates, etc.).
Previous News
BEAD Grant Awards
August 29, 2025
While most locations in Nevada County are already "served" with high-speed broadband access or already have previous grants assigned to build broadband access, 701 locations are considered "underserved" (have internet service, but less than 100/20 speed) or "unserved" (no service at all). Three internet service providers (ISPs) are to receive grant awards under President Biden's bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 to build internet access to these locations. The NTIA must approve the awards with December 2025 the target date. Contracting and awards will follow, likely in 2026. It may be 2030 before broadband from these grants is working in homes.
The BEAD Planning Map for Arkansas:
The map from a few months ago that shows all locations in Arkansas, along with their current provider, current grantee or an indication of BEAD-grant funding is here. Zoom in to your location.
Creating a BEAD subgrantee program that fuels competition among internet service providers is the name of the game to increase connectivity for our residents, make prices more affordable, and empower Arkansans with the digital skills necessary to thrive in the 21st century digital economy.
Content on this web site is coordinated by Co-Chairpersons:
Mary Godwin, Director, Nevada County Economic Development Office, MGodwin@PNPartnership.org
Danny Stewart, DStewart@DannyAStewart.com