New Mexico receives US$675 million for broadband expansion
NEW MEXICO – The New Mexico government announced final federal approval to apply for $675 million in federal grants to expand broadband access.
“The Biden-Harris administration’s $675 million investment in New Mexico will help transform our digital infrastructure,” said Gov. Michelle Luján Grisham.
According to Luján, the funding empowers New Mexico to bridge the digital divide and create equal opportunity across the state, especially for rural and tribal communities.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has given the green light to Volume 2 of New Mexico’s initial proposal under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
NTIA’s approval allows the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) to begin the grant application process, inviting local governments, tribal communities, non-profit organizations, Internet service providers and electric cooperatives to join forces in this transformative effort. These grants will advance infrastructure projects that promise to deliver high-speed Internet to tens of thousands of New Mexico homes that today lack effective Internet service.
Drew Lovelace, Acting Director of the OBAE, explained that today, having high-speed Internet is not a luxury, but a necessity.
“Ensuring broadband access in rural and hard-to-reach areas means New Mexicans will have access to essential services such as telehealth and distance learning, and communities will enjoy greater economic opportunities,” Lovelace said.
The approval requires the state to submit a final proposal within one year, detailing the chosen subgrantees and funding strategies for bringing broadband to unserved and underserved localities, defined as those lacking broadband speeds of at least 100 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream. Once NTIA approves the final proposal in 2025, the actual build-out of broadband infrastructure can begin.
Federal and state data reveal that 16% of New Mexico’s 873,797 serviceable locations are unserved or underserved, with 70,609 (8%) completely unserved and another 72,384 (8%) underserved. Through initiatives such as the Connect NM Pilot Program, OBAE is already moving forward, working to bring high-speed Internet to more than 45,000 locations across the state.
