Petit Jean Fiber business timeline

2017 – 2019

• Petit Jean Electric members urged the Board of Directors (BOD) and management to bring fiber internet, citing successful deployments by other Arkansas cooperatives (e.g., NEXT, Ozarks Go, Empower, Wave).
• In response, Petit Jean conducted two comprehensive Marketing and Financial Feasibility Studies with:

• Conexon (ultimately selected for experience and cost)
• National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NRTC)

• Conexon helped secure:

• $29 million in RDOF (FCC grants)
• $6 million from the Arkansas State Broadband Office (ASBO)

2020

• COVID-19 pandemic underscores the urgent need for high-speed internet.

• Students couldn’t graduate in person.
• Remote work and telehealth were largely inaccessible.
• Families couldn’t visit loved ones in nursing homes.

• The BOD conducted a member survey, showing overwhelming support for a fiber project.
• Town Hall meetings in Marshall and Clinton confirmed public enthusiasm.

2020 – 2021

• Petit Jean secured financing from:

• Rural Utilities Services (RUS)
• National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation(CFC)

May 2021

• Construction officially begins.

October 2021

• The first Petit Jean member is connected to Petit Jean Fiber service.

2024

• Petit Jean Fiber reaches $9.33 million in revenue — a strong return on investment and system resiliency.
• Infrastructure impact:

• 7,000+ poles replaced
• 3,000 miles of right-of-way cleared