New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion

The New Mexico state Senate passed SB 401, the Broadband for Education bill, by a vote of 23 to 6. The Broadband for Education bill would transfer the Statewide Education Network (SEN) from the Public School Facilities Authority to the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion. The legislation would move all SEN staff, funds, projects and operations to the state’s broadband office.

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) announced it has awarded more than $15 million in grants to entities through the state’s Connect New Mexico Fund to go toward deploying broadband infrastructure. The eight grants were awarded to Resound Networks, an internet service provider based in Pampa, Texas, and the Pueblos of Tesuque and Laguna. The newly awarded grants total $15,440,719. The awards will lead to broadband infrastructure that will connect more than 4,600 homes, businesses, farms and other locations in unserved and underserved areas.