The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion has approved $6.7 million in grants to implement or expand public Wi-Fi service across New Mexico through its Community Connect Grant Program.
The program awarded six grants to two cities, two counties, a public university, and an internet service provider. The projects will deploy free public Wi-Fi in plazas, parks, and municipal buildings, with a focus on communities that face limited connectivity and digital inclusion challenges. Funding for the grants comes from the $70 million Connect New Mexico Fund, which the state legislature established in 2021 under the Connect New Mexico Act.
Each project must deliver minimum service speeds of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload and maintain public Wi-Fi operations for at least three years following project completion. OBAE received 29 applications totaling nearly $14 million in funding requests during the grant cycle.