New Mexico authorizes $10M in broadband funding, has BEAD proposal approved

"Now, the biggest single barrier is affordability. This money would be used to provide broadband discounts to thousands of low-income families. Connecting New Mexicans is our main mission, but too many New Mexicans cannot afford high-speed internet, and we want to change that. Broadband is an essential utility and income should not be a factor when it comes to who is able to receive it."

"The press release says that the goal is to create a New Mexican version of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which ended in June 2024. At that point, more than 180,000 families in the state were supported."

New Mexico's Office of Broadband Access and Expansion authorized legislation to create the Low-Income Telecommunications Assistance Program (LITAP) with an initial $10 million to support broadband affordability for low-income families. The legislation was developed with the Public Regulation Commission and introduced as Senate Bill 152 by Senate Majority Whip Michael Padilla. The measure would dedicate funds to affordability in the first year and allow up to $45 million in subsequent years. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration approved New Mexico's Final BEAD Proposal; the state was originally allocated $675 million with provisional awards of nearly $433 million. The goal is to recreate an in-state version of the Affordable Connectivity Program, which ended in June 2024 after supporting more than 180,000 families.

Read at Telecompetitor