County awarded over $500K for broadband

Doña Ana County has been awarded over half a million dollars by the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access & Expansion to launch the Community Connectivity Expansion Program.

This state funding arrives at a pivotal moment, coinciding with the recent voter approval of the 2025 General Obligation Bond, creating a unique opportunity to modernize both the physical and digital infrastructure of the county’s rural community centers.

The grant award will fund high-speed internet upgrades at 14 county facilities, ensuring download speeds of at least 100 Mbps for residents in underserved communities like Chaparral, Vado and Radium Springs.

This award is particularly timely following the overwhelming support for the county’s bond measures in the recent election. Voters approved Question No. 1, authorizing up to $105 million specifically for the acquisition, construction and upgrading of recreational and community centers.

While the GO Bond funds will renovate the physical buildings and expand recreational spaces, the new state broadband grant ensures these improved facilities will have the 'digital plumbing' necessary to serve modern needs.

"This award will help these community centers become hubs that overcome the digital divide," District 5 commissioner and chair of the board, Manuel Sanchez said.

The connectivity project targets areas identified as having high 'digital distress.' It will install enterprise-grade Wi-Fi capable of supporting hundreds of concurrent users, covering both indoor community rooms and adjacent outdoor athletic fields.