New federal funding is about to beef up internet accessibility in New Mexico.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, through its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (or BEAD) Program, will invest $675 million to help New Mexico expand broadband access to its communities most in need.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s infrastructure advisor, Rebecca Roose, on Friday, explained the impact of the federal boost.
“Here in New Mexico we have approximately 140,000, or 16%, of locations across the state that are either unserved or underserved,” said Rebecca Roose infrastructure advisor to governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. “And BEAD funding represents a huge infusion of federal dollars to fund the critical projects that are going to bridge the digital divide in our underserved and unserved communities that are mostly rural and tribal communities in our state.”
Roose said that a state-funded program, Connect New Mexico, will chip in an additional $70 million in new funding to stack on top of federal resources. She says the state programs will help provide more than 45,000 locations across the state with broadband.
Federal and state officials said in a meeting with media on Friday that the benefits of more connectivity is that residents in hard-to-reach areas will gain access to telehealth services, distance learning, and a range of new economic opportunities.
The approval of the federal grant for New Mexico requires that the state submit a final proposal within one year. The state will have to provide details on chosen grant recipients and strategies for installing broadband in underserved areas. There are currently more than 70,000 New Mexicans living in regions where they have no broadband access at all.
