USDA Invests $23 Million in High-Speed Broadband in Rural New Mexico

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $23 million for three recipients in New Mexico to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas. These investments are part of USDA’s round one investments made through the ReConnect Pilot Program. 

• Pueblo of Acoma will invest a $942,955 grant to help provide fixed wireless broadband. Currently, the area completely lacks sufficient access to broadband service. Providing broadband will fuel long-term economic development and job opportunities in the service area, which includes 771 households spread over 22 square miles in Cibola County.
• Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative Inc. will use a $3.1 million grant to deploy a fiber broadband network. The service area includes 659 households spread over 363 square miles in Lincoln, Otero, Chaves, and Eddy counties.
• ENMR Telephone Cooperative will use a $19.2 million grant to help build a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network serving farms, businesses and critical community facilities in rural areas in New Mexico. The service area includes 789 households and three critical community facilities spread over 13 counties and 4,292 square miles.