New Mexico

New Mexico Broadband Summit

The Internet for All: New Mexico Broadband Summit occurred on May 24, 2023, in Santa Fe. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion, Connect New Mexico Council, New Mexico Association of Counties, and New Mexico League of Municipalities co-hosted this collective endeavor. NTIA Assistant Secretary Alan Davidson attended and held a private Tribal roundtable after the event, during which Tribes voiced their concerns. Over 260 in-person attendees and 112 virtual attendees attended this local coordination event.

Stakeholders included state and local government leaders, Tribal government representatives, and community and industry members, all of whom were dedicated to advancing the state's broadband connectivity efforts. The event emphasized the necessity for comprehensive coordination at all levels to ensure the successful roll-out of the broadband initiative across the state. Sessions ranged from high-level strategy discussions to technical updates on the progress made in the connectivity and mapping efforts. The event spotlighted the importance of collective action in addressing digital equity challenges and fostering state-wide broadband development.

Public Engagement

The Office of Broadband Access and Expansion completed over 130 virtual or in-person events. These events included listening sessions, webinars, local engagements, and information sharing sessions. Topics included addressing broadband connectivity and digital equity via the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, workforce development, mapping, and more. NTIA supported these events, which were led by the efforts of New Mexico’s Federal Program Officers FPOs, who attended and answered stakeholder questions about the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth’s (OICG) grant programs and processes.

NTIA worked closely with the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion to complete their Tribal consultations, which are required under BEAD. New Mexico has 23 federally recognized Tribes. The New Mexico FPOs attended all Tribal consultations.

Connecting Minority Communities in New Mexico

The Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program awarded four grants totaling $8.1 million to New Mexico colleges and universities. These grants target upgrades to infrastructure, as well as improved connectivity and network resiliency for students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community.

Amplifying Investments

In June 2023, NTIA announced the funding of one middle mile network in New Mexico via the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure (Middle Mile) Program. ENMR Telephone Cooperative received $49.8 million to expand broadband connectivity along a 150-mile corridor in rural central New Mexico. This corridor will cover State Highway 14 and State Highway 33, also known as Old Route 66. The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion, along with U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, held a joint press conference on July 7, 2023, in Tijeras. Also in attendance was Senior Advisor to the President and Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu and NTIA FPOs.