LOS LUNAS, N.M. – Over 4,000 new high-speed internet connections are now live in rural New Mexico, a development poised to reshape opportunities for students and residents alike. The expansion, celebrated at Valencia High School, aims to bridge the digital divide that has long disadvantaged communities outside of urban centers.
Closing the Connectivity Gap in the Land of Enchantment
The initiative brings crucial access to education, healthcare, and emergency services to underserved areas.
Lt. Gov. Howie Morales underscored the significance of the project, stating it provides equal opportunities for students throughout New Mexico, mirroring those available in larger cities. “It means opportunity,” Morales said. “It means accessibility for students all across the state of New Mexico to have an equal opportunity that is offered to people that come from bigger cities.”
State and school leaders, alongside broadband providers, announced the initiative to address persistent connectivity issues. These issues became particularly acute during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many families relied on limited public access points, like libraries, for remote learning.
“Being connected, it’s a lifeline for many of us,” said Sen. Angel Charley, a Democrat from Acoma. “It means receiving emergency alerts, weather updates, evacuation notices and public safety information in real time. It also means getting to participate in discourse, TikTok, Instagram, in real time. Let’s be real. But it also means healthcare access.”
Funding and Implementation
The expansion is fueled by six state grants totaling nearly $13 million. A key component is the Student Connect Program, which is bringing broadband access to approximately 1,000 rural students in Los Lunas, Belen and Socorro.
The need for improved internet access became strikingly clear during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, officials noted. “We chose to look at our past,” Charley explained. “We chose to really analyze what wasn’t working. We listened to the families who said this doesn’t work for us. We watched our students sit in those parking lots, and we decided it wasn’t acceptable.”
Morales recalled a time when residents of Los Lunas and Belen were forced to park outside local libraries simply to enable their children to participate in remote learning. “We saw the pictures where you had grandmas and grandpas, where you had parents sitting outside of libraries just so their kids can connect to the internet to do their homework.”
- Over 4,000 new high-speed internet connections have launched in rural New Mexico.
- The initiative is funded by nearly $13 million in state grants.
- The Student Connect Program will benefit approximately 1,000 students.
- The need for improved access was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
