Affordable Broadband for Every Household in New Mexico

In July 2024, the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) released its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program Initial Proposal Volume II. This plan—in tandem with Volume I and OBAE's Digital Equity Plan—maps the state's progress in working towards sustainable broadband infrastructure and digital inclusion in New Mexico. Here we look at how New Mexico's plans to make broadband affordable for all in the state. The State of New Mexico is committed to providing residents with the opportunity to receive low-cost broadband service, while simultaneously recognizing that internet service providers (ISPs) have a variety of different plans and may be unable to alter their pricing structure on a large scale. OBAE believes ISPs are highly unlikely to implement different pricing structures for BEAD-funded areas only, while maintaining other pricing in areas that are not BEAD-funded. That said, a proposed $50 monthly service offering aligns with many current ISP low-cost offerings (in the state of New Mexico and nationwide) and represents a sensible benchmark price for a low-cost service option to be offered by subgrantees.