The Office of Broadband Access and Expansion announced Thursday that it awarded more than $40 million in state grants to Internet service providers, telephone cooperatives, pueblos and a tribal company to expand broadband access in the state.
There are seven entities that were awarded funds.
The money is part of the state's Connect New Mexico Fund, which is a $70 million state-led program to increase Internet access in the state. Throughout New Mexico, many rural areas, in particular, lack high-speed Internet access and are considered underserved, which means the only available broadband connection is less than 100 download/20 Mbps.
"These state grants signify tremendous progress towards building reliable broadband infrastructure that helps connect communities in rural parts of New Mexico," Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement. "New Mexicans can rest assured that my administration will remain aggressive about delivering scalable and sustainable high-speed Internet to broadband-dry areas of the state."
The projects funded with the grant money are in 16 counties throughout New Mexico. Some of the seven entities that received money will lead multiple broadband projects.
Nearly 400 miles of fiber will be built to complete the projects, which will begin after permitting, right of way access, labor contracts and supply purchases are complete.
Here's a full list of the awards:
Comcast Corporation:
$12.5 million for four projects
Resound Networks:
$8.1 million for three projects
Valley Telephone Cooperative:
$5.7 million
Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative:
$4. 9 million for two projects
Picuris Pueblo:
$4 million
San Ildefonso Services:
$3.5 million
Isleta Pueblo:
$1. 6 million
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