All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are currently working on digital equity plans. As they release draft plans seeking public feedback, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is sharing summaries focused on how states define their digital divides and their vision for reaching digital equity.

The State of New Mexico recognizes the transformative power of technology in fostering an inclusive and prosperous society for all of New Mexico’s diverse and unique communities and across New Mexico’s rich tapestry of cultures and languages as well as its diverse geographies. With this in mind, the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) released its draft State Digital Equity Plan for public comment in late 2023. The plan is open for viewing and feedback until January 21, 2024.

New Mexico's Vision for Digital Equity

The State of New Mexico envisions a future in which all residents, families, and communities have equal access to and meaningful use of digital tools, technologies, and information, regardless of their background, income, location, or abilities. This vision aims to bridge the digital divide, ensure inclusive participation in the digital age, and promote social and economic well-being for all residents.

In this vision, every household and community across New Mexico has access to affordable, high-speed broadband internet. This includes urban, rural, and underserved areas, as well as the sovereign territories of the Nations, Tribes, and Pueblos, ensuring that no one is left behind due to geographical location.

In this vision, all New Mexicans have the necessary digital skills to confidently navigate the digital landscape, access online resources, and engage in digital interactions. Digital skills education is integrated into schools, libraries, community centers, and lifelong learning programs.

In this vision, digital technologies and online platforms are designed with inclusivity and accessibility in mind, accommodating individuals with disabilities and catering to diverse linguistic and cultural needs. In this vision, New Mexico’s unique cultural heritage is respected and reflected in all elements of the digital experience.

In this vision, every student, household, and community have access to devices such as computers, tablets, and smartphones. Programs are in place to provide devices to families in need, ensuring that no one is disadvantaged due to lack of hardware.

In this vision, government services, health care, education, job opportunities, and social support systems are accessible online, ensuring that residents can conveniently access essential resources and services.

In this vision, New Mexicans have confidence in the privacy and security of their digital interactions.

In this vision, there is support for populations that face barriers to digital equity, including low-income families, aging individuals, and individuals who are English language learners or who have low literacy levels.

In this vision, a digitally skilled workforce is cultivated through education and training programs that prepare individuals for technology-driven job opportunities.

In this vision, government, private sector, nonprofits, and educational institutions collaborate to develop innovative solutions and policies that ensure digital equity. Partnerships are formed to address challenges collectively and drive sustainable change.

All work on OBAE's plan will be informed by four framework principles for New Mexico’s digital equity efforts:

1. Respect, celebrate, and incorporate New Mexico’s unique cultural heritage and many diverse communities. Respecting and incorporating the cultural and linguistic diversity of residents is essential for creating inclusive and effective programs that serve the needs of all members of the community. To achieve this, OBAE will ensure that outreach, materials, and data are provided in multiple languages commonly spoken in New Mexico; collaborate with community organizations and engage with communities that reflect New Mexico’s unique cultural heritage; use multiple channels for ongoing dialogue, feedback, and collaboration; develop programming initiatives that reflect the cultural preferences, values, and traditions of all of New Mexico’s many communities; and collect data that accurately represent the cultural and linguistic diversity of New Mexico’s population to inform policy-making.
2. Prioritize data and rigorous information gathering. As it has done in awarding broadband infrastructure grants, OBAE will adopt a data-driven approach to grantmaking in the digital equity area, making awards based on data regarding both the need for the work and the capacity of the grantee that seeks to do the work. OBAE will use data as the basis for measuring needs and achievements over time and it will continue to lead in data collection through the New Mexico Broadband Map, which it will update at least annually, and digital equity surveys, which it will undertake periodically. This will enable progress toward digital equity to be measured on an ongoing basis using data on access, usage, skills, and outcomes. Regular evaluations will ensure that programs are effective, adaptable, and responsive to evolving needs.
3. Engage and collaborate. Digital equity work will require collaboration and partnerships. As it has done in consulting with Tribal authorities and local stakeholders, OBAE will continue to engage with its local government, internet service provider (ISP), and community anchor institution (CAI) stakeholders to solicit ideas, insights, priorities, and lessons learned. OBAE will similarly continue its efforts to collaborate with Tribal Nations, Tribal colleges and universities, and Minority-Serving Institutions.
4. Build on existing achievements and collaborations. The State of New Mexico will coordinate with other entities that have spent years developing expertise and capabilities in digital equity to leverage their efforts. Rather than attempt to replicate or recreate those capabilities, OBAE will provide data, support, and resources to entities that already have developed—and proven the efficacy and efficiency of—existing programs to address digital equity. In this way, the State of New Mexico will respect local and community experience and know-how, working to support its local government and nonprofit stakeholders that have proven capabilities in digital equity.

To achieve this vision for digital equity and informed by these principles, OBAE will work with its local, Tribal, nonprofit, and institutional partners toward key goals:

1. Bridging the digital divide for all, including support for populations that face barriers to digital connectivity
2. Universal access to affordable, high-speed internet
3. Universal access to digital skills to confidently navigate the digital landscape, with digital skills education integrating to learning programs at every stage of life
4. Access to digital technologies and online platforms designed with accessibility and inclusivity in mind, with respect for New Mexico’s unique cultural heritage; and access to health, government, employment, and social support services
5. Every student, household, and community has access to internet-enabled devices
6. New Mexicans have confidence in the privacy and security of their digital interactions
7. A digitally skilled workforce combined with partnerships among government, private sector, nonprofits, and educational institutions to spur job opportunities, address challenges collectively, and drive sustainable change

Covered Populations and Barriers to Digital Equity

A total of 91.4 percent of residents in New Mexico belong to a covered population, representing a relatively large portion of the State’s population as a whole: New Mexico ranks as the sixth most covered state (by percentage of state population in a covered population). Within New Mexico, most individuals belonging to covered populations live in rural areas, are racial or ethnic minorities, have a relatively low income, are older than 60 years old, and/or have low levels of literacy. Incarcerated individuals, English language learners, and veterans represent a much smaller portion of the State’s population as a whole. Perhaps most notable is the size of New Mexico’s racial or ethnic minority population: An estimated 63.2 percent of the State is either a racial or ethnic minority (as opposed to only 40.6 percent nationally).

The percentages of each covered population out of New Mexico's total population are as follows:

• Individuals who live in low-income households: 28.6 percent
• Aging individuals: 24.7 percent
• Incarcerated individuals: 0.7 percent
• Veterans: 6.4 percent
• Individuals with disabilities: 16.3 percent
• Individuals with a language barrier: 26.5 percent
• Individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group: 63.2 percent
• Individuals who primarily reside in a rural area: 38.4 percent

Broadband Adoption

Of all New Mexico households that do not use internet at home an estimated 10 percent claim that a main reason for their lack of internet use at home is an inability to afford service. According to the American Community Survey, 90.0 percent of New Mexico residents have a home internet subscription of any kind. This is similar to the national rate of 90.3 percent. However, New Mexico residents do not have a similar adoption of reliable broadband when compared to the nation. Only 68.7 percent of New Mexico residents have a wireline home internet subscription. This is 6.8 percentage points less than the national rate of 75.5 percent. Wireline internet subscriptions tend to be more reliable than other forms of internet subscription and, as such, typically serve as a more substantial measure of useful internet adoption.

Additionally, 15.3 percent of New Mexico residents rely on a cellular data plan alone for the home internet service, which is considered to be insufficient to realize the many benefits of broadband. Mobile-only individuals typically cite affordability, their smartphone being good enough, and/or having access to broadband somewhere else as the reasons for not having home internet connectivity.

Within New Mexico, individuals belonging to covered populations fare substantially worse than others in home internet adoption. According to the American Community Survey, 88.2 percent of individuals belonging to a covered population report having a home internet subscription as opposed to 97.8 percent of those outside of covered populations. The gap widens for wireline internet connections, for which 65.4 percent of individuals belonging to covered populations claim adoption compared to 17.7 percent of non-covered populations.

Individuals living in low-income households constitute the covered population with the largest adoption gaps. Low-income individuals are 14.5 percentage points less likely than higher-income individuals to have a home internet subscription, and they are 20.6 percentage points less likely to have a wireline internet subscription. Low-income individuals are also the covered population most likely to be mobile-only users, with a rate of 18.1 percent.

Though low-income individuals constitute the covered population with the largest adoption gaps, racial or ethnic minorities, aging individuals, individuals with disabilities, and English language learners also all represent populations with substantial adoption gaps. Each of these populations trailed their non-covered counterparts for an internet subscription of any kind by at least five percentage points.

Digital Literacy

In New Mexico, 66 percent of residents without home internet use cite a lack of need or interest in the internet as a reason why they do not use internet in the home, according to 2021 Census data. These findings suggest that the need for digital skills and literacy training may be the single largest barrier to increasing meaningful internet use in the State.

Utilizing data from the Current Population Survey and the NTIA Internet Use Survey, the State of New Mexico evaluated the extent to which various covered populations engage in key online activities. These key findings are as follows:

1. New Mexico performs similarly to the nation in frequency of online digital skill use, but within the State, members of covered populations consistently underperform compared to non-covered populations.
2. Individuals living in low-income households, at or above 60 years of age, living with disabilities, or living in rural areas express the most urgent need for digital skills programming.
3. New Mexico underperforms compared to the nation across all measured telemedicine-related online activities. Similarly, members of covered populations tend to underperform compared to non-covered populations.
4. Individuals living in low-income households, racial or ethnic minorities, and individuals living in rural areas express the most urgent need for digital skills related to telemedicine.

Individuals belonging to covered populations uniformly practice digital skills at a lower rate than those that do not belong to covered populations. Here, the largest gaps can be found in requesting services provided by other people via the internet (26.6 percentage point gap), streaming or downloading music, radio, podcasts, etc. (21.9 percentage point gap), telecommuting using the internet (21.5 percentage point gap), and watching videos online (16.7 percentage point gap).

The digital skills discrepancies are greatest for individuals in low-income homes, who are at or above 60 years of age, living with disabilities, and those living in rural areas. For these covered populations, either only one or not a single online activity is more frequently practiced by the covered populations compared to the non-covered populations. This suggests that digital skills training is a key need for all four populations.

Telemedicine

Among New Mexicans belonging to covered populations in general, telemedicine is less frequently practiced compared to non-covered populations. These gaps are most prevalent in communicating with a health professional over the internet (6.3 percentage point gap) and accessing health or insurance records online (6.6 percentage point gap). Individuals in covered populations do outpace non-covered populations in the rate of use of electronic health monitoring services—but this outcome may be skewed by a higher rate of medical needs among covered populations rather than a higher degree of digital literacy.

Among the covered populations, individuals living in low-income households, racial or ethnic minorities, and individuals living in rural areas exhibit the most urgent needs for increased telemedicine skills—based on both their reported frequency of participation in telemedicine (which is notably low) and given the difficulties in traveling long distances and at inconvenient times for rural and lower-income individuals.

Individuals living with disabilities substantially underperform in two of the four measured online telemedicine activities: researching health information online (7.4 percentage point gap) and accessing health or insurance records online (12.1 percentage point gap). These gaps could be indicative of a failure by telemedicine platforms to accommodate the accessibility needs of people with disabilities in the State. Regardless, this population might also greatly benefit from telemedicine training geared towards these specific activities.

One covered population, adults at or above 60 years of age, outperformed its non-covered counterpart in all telemedicine activities. However, this population may also benefit from specific telemedicine education given their increased risk for medical needs. Veterans also performed relatively well by this metric, perhaps suggesting the efficacy of New Mexico’s Veteran’s Affairs healthcare facilities.

Online Security and Privacy

Theft, fraud, phishing, and misinformation are all commonplace on the internet, and fully realizing digital equity in New Mexico requires users to be safe from such online risks. In New Mexico, while relatively few survey respondents reported online security and privacy concerns as a primary barrier to home internet use,17.8 percent of individuals in covered populations reported having been the victim of an online security or privacy breach. Therefore, the State of New Mexico has used data from the Current Population Survey and the NTIA Internet Use Survey to evaluate the extents to which various covered populations perceive and feel confident in their ability to disarm online security and privacy threats. The key findings are as follows:

1. New Mexico residents are similarly concerned by online security and privacy concerns when compared against the nation.
2. Identity theft and credit card fraud are the two online security breaches that are concerning to most New Mexico residents.
3. There are reasons to believe that members of covered populations are less aware of online security and privacy concerns when compared against non-covered populations, with this gap largest for low-income or rural households.
4. Members of covered populations appear somewhat less dissuaded than non-covered populations to undertake various online activities because of security or privacy concerns.

Generally, individuals belonging to covered populations are less concerned about online security or privacy risks than those not in a covered population, although there is little deviation between the two groups. Greater concern over security and privacy among non-covered populations could be caused by increased awareness of risks, which might suggest that covered populations could benefit from additional educational programming. This seems particularly likely given that there is little evidence to suggest that covered populations are better equipped to protect themselves from these risks.

Among covered populations, veterans and aging individuals tend to be the most concerned about these risks. While lower-income and rural individuals express the least concern over these issues, individuals with disabilities and racial or ethnic minorities also do not report significant concern over online security and privacy. Nevertheless, while it is not inherently beneficial to increase concern around privacy and security, education may increase awareness of these concerns in a positive way, especially for lower-income households and individuals living in rural areas.

Device Adoption

Device ownership is reportedly highly stratified by membership in covered populations. For example, 99.5 percent of individuals not belonging to a covered population have access to a computer at home, while only 92.6 percent of individuals belonging to covered populations report the same access. This device gap grows significantly when limiting the inquiry to desktop or laptop devices, to which members of covered populations are reportedly 17.5 percentage points less likely to have access at home.

Additionally, 11.3 percent of members of covered populations (compared to 3.4 percent of non-covered populations) report only having access to a smartphone at home. While this is technically counted as a computer device of any kind, a smartphone alone is insufficient for a myriad of key online activities. These data suggest that device ownership is still a meaningful barrier to connectivity for members of covered populations in New Mexico.

In New Mexico, every covered population—except for veterans—demonstrates a need for better access to adequate computer devices, according to the American Community Survey. However, individuals living in low-income households report particularly low rates of device ownership and, as such, present the most urgent need adequate computer devices.

Racial and ethnic minorities report owning a device of any kind at marginally lower rates than white individuals, but lag behind white individuals by 11.6 percentage points in desktop or laptop ownership. Similarly, aging individuals lag behind younger individuals by 7.6 percentage points in desktop or laptop ownership.

People with disabilities also demonstrate an especially urgent need for adequate computer devices—with a gap between people with disabilities and people without disabilities of 17.0 percentage points for laptop or desktop device ownership. These data might be explained by accessibility concerns regarding various devices. As such, accessibility concerns regarding devices themselves serve to reemphasize the need for adequate devices for individuals with disabilities.

English language learners uniquely appear to only have access to a smartphone in the home (22.0 percent), which is insufficient for fully realizing the benefits of internet use. Only 56.8 percent own a desktop or laptop.

Broadband Affordability

Given the reported frequency of inability (and unwillingness) to pay for home internet use, it can be concluded that the state has substantial need for interventions to bring down the cost of home internet subscriptions and use. Perhaps the most widely known and used intervention to lower the cost of internet access is the Federal Communications Commission's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP subsidizes up to $30 per month (or $75 for Tribal applicants) for broadband for qualifying households and may include a one-time subsidy toward buying a laptop or tablet. However, despite the benefit of the subsidy, the ACP is known to be chronically undersubscribed. In New Mexico, an estimated 38.2 percent of eligible households have enrolled, a rate higher than the estimated national level of 36 percent, but still leaving significant opportunity for growth.

Households can be determined to be eligible through many criteria, including if they earn up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level or participate in one of many federal or State support programs (e.g., National School Lunch Program). As a result, eligibility for the program is highly aligned with members of covered populations. An estimated 58 percent of individuals belonging to covered populations are eligible for the ACP.

Implementation Strategy and Objectives

The following strategies, activities and timelines describe opportunities to address the digital equity barriers described in OBAE's plan.

Barrier: Lack of broadband availability

Strategy 1: Increase access to residential broadband infrastructure

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Execute the Capital Projects Fund Program to extend last-mile broadband infrastructure throughout New Mexico during 2023 to 2026 (consistent with ARPA requirements).
• Execute Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program to extend last-mile broadband infrastructure throughout New Mexico during 2023 to 2030.

Strategy 2: Enable gigabit services at community anchor institutions that provide internet access to covered populations

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Support and further develop the New Mexico Statewide Education Network (SEN) to support extension of high-speed connectivity to schools throughout New Mexico while enabling greater middle-mile capabilities through new fiber optic infrastructure and strategically located interconnection points; this activity is currently underway and ongoing.
• Award points for connecting CAIs in the broadband infrastructure grant process to support extension of symmetrical gigabit capabilities to community anchor institutions that provide internet access to covered populations by including points for such commitments in BEAD Program scoring in 2023 through 2026 (consistent with ARPA requirements).
• Collect, share, and map service subscriptions and cost for CAIs serving covered populations, which is currently underway and will be ongoing as OBAE develops online broadband data mapping and data hub resources.
• Collaborate with other agencies to ensure ongoing support for gigabit service with initiatives to educate and engage agencies that are already underway and will build over the next five years.

Barrier: Low-income households struggle to afford broadband services, devices, and technical support

Strategy 1: Increase enrollment among eligible households in affordable connectivity and low-cost service offerings such as Affordable Connectivity Program and ISP low-cost programs

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Develop educational materials to support outreach, information sharing, and collaborative campaigns to promote broadband relevance and enrollment in affordable connectivity and low-cost program offerings, starting in 2023 and ongoing.
• Work with agencies and partners to develop, support, and promote increased enrollment in affordable connectivity and low-cost options, starting in 2023 and ongoing.

Strategy 2: Increase affordable connectivity and low-cost service offerings.

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Require grantees to provide affordable connectivity or low-cost offerings to ensure requirements and enhanced scoring for affordable service offerings are built into the BEAD grant program from 2023 to 2025, with monitoring and enforcement thereafter
• Encourage providers to develop affordable connectivity and low-cost offerings to improve adoption and expansion of affordable connectivity and low-cost offerings for lower-income households, starting in 2023 and ongoing.
• Work with agencies and organizations to support, promote, and track integrated broadband affordability support options with their constituents, starting in 2024 and ongoing.

Strategy 3: Expand access to computing devices and tech support.

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Develop ecosystem to build relationships and strengthen programs for devices and tech support.
• Provide resources and guidance on best practices, expertise, and partnership opportunities to support access to devices and technical support, which will start in 2024 and be ongoing.
• Work with agencies and organizations to track and expand device and tech support opportunities, particularly for covered populations, which will start in 2024 and be ongoing.
• Support access to functional devices, particularly for low-income households and other covered populations, a process that is currently in progress and will persist.

Barrier: Individuals who are members of covered populations require support to develop digital literacy skills

Strategy 1: Expand access to digital skills training through a range of community learning options.

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Share information, local successes, and best practices in digital skills learning. This activity is already underway through the Digital Equity Working Group and will continue.
• Promote and support local digital skills learning opportunities and pilot programs. This activity will start in 2024 and continue.
• Support access to digital skills learning opportunities, especially for low-income and other covered populations. This activity will gain steam in 2024 and continue.
• Work with agencies and organizations to track, expand, promote, and integrate digital skills learning opportunities, especially for covered populations. OBAE is already exploring partnership opportunities, which will grow in 2024 and continue.

Strategy 2: Expand access to information and opportunities to learn online safety and privacy practices.

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Share information, local successes, and best practices in online safety and privacy. Initial online safety and privacy efforts will start in 2024 and proceed.
• Support access to practices and tools that support online safety and privacy, especially for low-income households and other covered populations. Initial online safety and privacy efforts will start in 2024 and proceed.
• Work with agencies and organizations serving covered populations to track, expand, promote, and improve online safety and privacy. Initial online safety and privacy efforts will start in 2024 and proceed.

Strategy 3: Improve accessibility of information online.

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Develop and distribute accessibility guidance to State, Tribal, and local agencies and organizations regarding best practices for website design and maintenance that align with accessibility standards and that enable cost-effective use of critical support tools. Initial accessibility research and recommendations will start in 2024 and proceed thereafter.
• Work with agencies and organizations serving covered populations to integrate, expand, track, promote, and improve accessibility of information. Collaborations with agencies and organizations will grow in 2024 in order to begin the initial phase of gathering and sharing online accessibility information in 2024 and will continue.

Strategy 4: Improve access to government and essential services online, especially for covered populations.

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Share information, local successes, and best practices to improve access to government and essential services online for covered populations. These activities will begin in 2024 and continue.
• Support and promote practices and tools that improve access to government and essential services online, especially for covered populations. These activities will begin in 2024 and continue.
• Work with agencies and organizations serving covered populations to track, expand, promote, integrate, and improve access to government and essential services online. Collaborations with agencies and organizations will grow in 2024 in order to begin the initial planning and implementation phase of improving access to government and essential services online and will continue.

Barrier: Tribal and local communities and organizations require resources and expertise for digital equity efforts

Strategy 1: Strengthen collaboration among State, Tribal, local, and nonprofit entities

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Convene, connect, and empower Tribes and digital equity stakeholders in New Mexico.
• Include agencies and organizations that serve covered populations and impact areas, and include nonprofit and philanthropy partners. This activity has already begun and will expand in 2024 and beyond.
• Support local initiatives and community-driven solutions, and plan for long-term sustainability. This activity will gain momentum in 2024 and continue as efforts expand.
• Share, promote, and expand best practices, and showcase community success stories. This activity is already underway and will continue in 2024 and beyond.

Strategy 2: Support and develop local capacity

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Develop, support, and train a local cohort of digital equity grant writers. This activity will launch in 2024 and 2025 and continue.
• Develop, support, and train a local cohort of digital equity leaders and facilitators. This activity is already underway and will gain momentum in 2024.
• Educate Tribes and local communities and organizations on digital equity issues. This activity is already underway but will grow in 2024 and beyond.
• Build local capacity and expertise to coordinate digital inclusion activities. Some Tribes, local communities, and organizations are already mobilizing, but this activity will expand in 2024 and beyond.
• Develop education and informational resources. OBAE and the Digital Equity Working Group have already facilitated outreach and education on digital equity and inclusion, but this will grow in 2024 and beyond.
• Provide access to funding resources and grant writing support. This activity is underway for the BEAD program and will expand to address broadband adoption and use efforts in 2024-2025 and beyond.
• Support Tribes and local organizations and communities in applying for and managing grants. These activities will launch in 2024 and continue.
• Support Tribal and local organizations and communities to expand digital equity efforts and digital inclusion initiatives. Support and promote digital equity information and programs that are community developed, culturally relevant, and/or available in local languages. This activity will continue in 2024 and beyond.

Strategy 3: Strengthen the State’s capacity to support local digital equity efforts and initiatives.

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Foster legislative, business, and philanthropic support. New Mexico is already working to build long-term relationships and support but will grow efforts in 2024 through 2028.
• Sustain the support team which includes an OBAE Digital Equity Coordinator and an OBAE Tribal Coordinator. OBAE developed a BEAD and Digital Equity support team and is currently in the process of hiring staff including a Digital Equity Coordinator and a Tribal Coordinator in 2024.
• Maintain centralized repository of resources including OBAE data and mapping hub. OBAE launched a website and data portal which is already providing a centralized place for resources and data but will be further developed in 2024 through 2028.

Strategy 4: Develop data and informational resources to support digital equity efforts and initiatives.

Activities to support this strategy and overcome this barrier include:

• Collect and share information on digital equity programs, assets, and resources. OBAE has already started this activity and will expand efforts starting in 2024 and beyond.
• Support development of community-driven, locally led, and culturally respectful program, evaluation, and data collection methods and tools. Initial activities will begin in 2024 and continue.
• Support Tribes in establishing policies to guide their own data-collection and evaluation processes while also protecting online privacy, safety, and data sovereignty. The Tribal Working Group has raised some of these issues in meetings in 2023 and will continue to provide support in 2024 and beyond.
• Include data sourced through State, Tribal, and local resources collected in collaboration with partner agencies, associations, organizations, and communities. This activity is already in motion and will be developed further in 2024 and beyond.
• Collect, analyze, and publish relevant national, State, and local data to demonstrate changes in digital equity metrics and outcomes. These activities are already underway and will be further developed in 2024 and published as required to meet progress reporting for both the State and federal governments beginning in 2024 and beyond.

New Mexico Wants to Hear From You

The deadline for public comments on the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion's draft State Digital Equity Plan is January 21, 2024. Comments can be submitted via OBAE's comment form. More information can be found on the OBAE website.

More in this series:

• Everyone Connected: Connecticut's Digital Equity Plan
• Coloradans at the Heart of State's Digital Access Plan
• Connected and Empowered: A Digital Equity Plan for Pennsylvania
• Guiding Texas' Digital Opportunity Investments
• Florida's Roadmap for Closing the Digital Divide
• Creating Digital Opportunities in Nebraska
• Developing Digital Equity Solutions in Vermont
• Working Towards Digital Equity in DC
• Oregon's Plan for Meaningful Broadband Access
• Massachusetts' Unified Vision of Digital Equity
• Alaska's Plan to Address Broadband Adversity
• Georgia's Plan for Digital Connectivity
• In a New York State of Digital Equity
• A Plan for Digital Equity in Delaware
• Equity for the Digital Age: Maryland's Plan
• North Dakota's Collective Approach to Digital Equity
• A Plan for Connecting New Jersey
• Achieving a Digitally Inclusive Ohio
• A Digital Access Plan for All Idahoans
• Envisioning a Connected, Interconnected Alabama
• Missouri Pursues Sustainable Digital Opportunity Initiatives
• A Digital Equity Plan to Connect All Kansans
• South Dakota's Plan to Leverage Digital Equity to Reach Economic Goals
• Aloha Spirit Inspires Hawai'i Digital Equity Plan
• The Plan for Closing Nevada’s Digital Divide
• Wisconsin's Digital Equity Values
• ¡Su opinión cuenta! Puerto Rico Releases Initial Draft of Digital Equity Plan | ¡Su Opinión Cuenta! Puerto Rico Pública el Borrador Inicial del Plan de Equidad Digital
• Kentucky Pursues Full and Equitable Digital Access for All
• Tennessee Drafts a Digital Opportunity Plan
• Washington State Sets Digital Equity Goals
• West Virginia's Plan to Conquer the Digital Divide
• Wyoming Seeks Feedback on Digital Access Plan
• Communities Know Communities Best: Michigan's Digital Equity Plan
• Montana's Digital Opportunity Plan
• Achieving Digital Independence in Utah
• Maine's Vision of Digital Equity
• A Look at Louisiana's Draft Digital Equity Plan

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.

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