New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion

Thirty-three New Mexico schools and districts will use $385,785 in state grants to buy lockable phone pouches, device lockers and network controls designed to support safe and focused connectivity during the school day. The funding comes from the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion’s (OBAE) Wireless Communication Device Policy Implementation Grant (WCDPIG) program, a joint effort with the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED), to curb screen time during instructional hours and support educational use of technology.

Nearly 91% of New Mexico now has access to high-speed internet, and more than 120,000 more homes and business have been connected since 2022, according to the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion’s (OBAE) annual Data Collection Report to the Legislature, showcasing dramatic achievements based on updated mapping data. The comprehensive report, released October 1, reveals that by the end of 2026, 94% of New Mexico will have broadband access. The data-driven report details OBAE’s investments and results since 2022.

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 (OBAE) Grant Writing, Engineering, and Planning Program (GWEP).

Jemez Springs will use its grant to:

More than 170 rural students in the Española Public Schools now have access to high-speed internet following the completion of a state-funded broadband project in Rio Arriba County (NM).

New Mexico is deploying a corps of trained digital navigators to help thousands of residents in rural, low-income and older communities build the internet skills needed to access jobs, healthcare and education online. The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) is providing $300,000 to the Department of Workforce Solutions (DWS) to develop and launch the New MexiCorps Digital Navigator program.

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) announced six grants to implement or expand public Wi-Fi service across New Mexico. Two cities, two counties, a university, and an internet service provider received awards through OBAE’s Community Connect Grant Program, designed to expand free Wi-Fi in public places, such as plazas, parks, and municipal buildings.  The six awardees receiving a total of $6.72 million in Community Connect grants include:

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) launched a statewide workforce program that will offer internationally recognized certifications to prepare New Mexicans for high-paying jobs in the growing broadband industry. The classes and workshops will begin this February and will be free to participants, paid for by the U.S. Congress and administered by OBAE. OBAE has contracted with Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI), which will provide lab equipment, workbooks, tools and all teaching equipment.

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) announced legislation to authorize $10 million in broadband funding to help low-income families afford broadband service. State Senate Bill 152 was introduced by Sen Majority Whip Michael Padilla (D-NM) and prepared by OBAE in consultation with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC).

New Mexico state leaders gathered in Los Lunas (NM) to celebrate six broadband projects that will connect more than 4,000 homes, businesses, and other locations in Valencia and Socorro counties. The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE), Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, Resound Networks, and state and local officials marked the milestone at Valencia High School after OBAE awarded Resound Networks $12.8 million through six state grants. Those broadband projects will connect 4,093 homes, businesses, farms, and community anchor institutions.

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) announced that a landmark broadband infrastructure project in a remote subdivision in Chaves County (NM) is complete, providing high-speed internet to 52 rural homes in the Cherry Decker subdivision near the community of Hagerman. With the project completed, these residents can now sign up for high-speed internet service.