Connect New Mexico pilot completes Chaves County broadband project

The Office of Broadband Access and Expansion announced completion of a Connect New Mexico pilot that delivers high-speed internet to 52 homes in the Cherry Decker subdivision near Hagerman. The project is OBAE's first grant to reach 100 percent completion and the first Connect New Mexico pilot funded through the ARPA Capital Projects Fund to reach the final stage.

State officials announced that a Connect New Mexico pilot project in Chaves County is complete and now provides high-speed internet to 52 homes in the Cherry Decker subdivision near Hagerman. The Office of Broadband Access and Expansion said residents can now sign up for service. This project is OBAE's first grant to reach 100 percent completion and the first Connect New Mexico pilot funded through the ARPA Capital Projects Fund to reach the final stage. The grant awarded to Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative was made in 2023 and the build included nearly 11 miles of pole-attached aerial fiber. Key facts: - The OBAE announced the project is complete and service is available to 52 rural homes in the Cherry Decker subdivision near Hagerman. - Residents in the subdivision can now sign up for high-speed internet service. - In 2023, OBAE awarded Artesia-based Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative an ARPA grant of $487,000; with matching PVT funds the project budget was $649,000. - Construction included nearly 11 miles of pole-attached aerial fiber to reach the rural residences. - The Chaves County project is OBAE's first grant project to reach 100 percent completion and the first Connect New Mexico pilot funded through the ARPA Capital Projects Fund to reach the final stage. - The U.S. Treasury awarded New Mexico $117 million in ARPA grants for broadband expansion and OBAE has awarded 21 grants to providers, cooperatives, and Tribal communities. Summary: This completion brings new connectivity to a remote community and represents a milestone for the state's Connect New Mexico pilot program. Residents can now sign up for service. Undetermined at this time.