Broadband Access

This week the U.S. Agriculture secretary visited New Mexico to announce $40 million in grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand broadband in the state. A portion of that will help Native American communities, especially schools.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited New Mexico on Monday, where he announced that the department will be investing $40 million to provide high-speed internet access in rural areas of New Mexico. This has the potential to connect many communities for the first time.

The White House and U.S. Treasury have announced yet another round of funding to expand internet access in New Mexico and Colorado’s tribal and rural communities.

Five tribal organizations in New Mexico will share over $146 million from the federal infrastructure act to improve broadband infrastructure. The largest award is going to the Santa Fe Indian School, which plans to use its $57 million to bridge the gap of internet access across several tribal communities around the state. KUNM talks with Kimball Sekaquaptewa, chief technology director, for the school about how helping a network of communities serves its mission to provide education to Native children.

Earlier this month, KUNM’s Jeanette DeDios reported on the lack of broadband access to tribal communities. Now Diné College is among four other minority driven colleges receiving millions in federal grants to expand their internet-service programs.

Rural tribal areas like the Navajo Nation are finding it challenging with the lack of broadband access in their communities. Those most affected are the children, who find it difficult to find hotspots, often having to drive miles to reach one. Lawmakers hope to change this by providing internet access to the region.

The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority says it's in the final phases of unveiling high-speed broadband and wireless services for the majority of the Navajo…