New Mexico awards $300,000 in broadband planning grants

Three rural and Tribal New Mexico communities are one step closer to high-speed internet access after the state awarded $300,000 in broadband planning grants to Jemez Springs, Doña Ana County, and Santo Domingo Pueblo. The grants were awarded through the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion’s Grant Writing, Engineering, and Planning Program. The grants are specifically used for broadband deployment planning.

• Jemez Springs will use its grant to:
  • Study the feasibility of extending middle-mile fiber infrastructure along the southern 10-mile Highway 4 corridor.
  • Initiate the engineering assessment and planning for Fiber-to-the-Premises infrastructure serving unserved and underserved residents, businesses, and municipal facilities.
• Doña Ana County will use its grant to:
  • Produce shovel-ready engineering and planning deliverables for public Wi-Fi deployment at county-owned facilities.
  • Assess connectivity options and create a plan to deploy public Wi-Fi to parks and recreational fields.
• Santo Domingo Pueblo will use its grant to:
  • Accurately document existing fiber-optic lines and infrastructure to identify gaps in connectivity.
  • Support the engineering and technical planning required to scale the Pueblo’s current Fiber-to-the-Home project, ensuring a seamless transition from current operations to an expanded footprint.