Broadband Access

The state of New Mexico announced Friday that the federal government has greenlit its plan for how to spend $675 million in federal funds to expand high-speed internet across the state. The approval means the state can now launch a local grant program.

Many New Mexicans have relied on a federal program for affordable internet access for the past few years. That money is likely about to dry up.

A national non-profit organization is launching a program that would provide free broadband internet to apartment buildings both on the national and state level.

Santo Domingo Pueblo created their own broadband tower during the pandemic with the aim of bringing internet to over 700 homes in the pueblo.

President Joe Biden and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a new round of funding Monday to support rural high-speed internet.

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.