[1st-mile-nm] Local N. Mexico Providers Form NM Fiber Network with Plans to Span the State

[Richard Lowenberg]

(The NM Fiber Network is an initiative of the NMECG) RL.

https://www.telecompetitor.com/local-n-mexico-providers-form-nm-fiber-network-with-plans-to-span-the-state

Local N. Mexico Providers Form NM Fiber Network with Plans to Span the 
State

https://www.nmfibernetwork.com/

Eleven New Mexico telecom and broadband providers are planning a 
statewide fiber network to be known as NM Fiber Network LLC. The network 
is a “multi-year, multi-million dollar” undertaking, NM Fiber Network 
said.

Between them, the 11 providers already have thousands of miles of fiber 
across the state. The project is expected to augment those assets by 
increasing capacity and improving reliability.

According to a press release, the genesis of the NM Fiber Network was in 
the New Mexico Broadband Initiative Consortium formed by the governor’s 
office to develop a state broadband roadmap.

The formation of NM Fiber Network “comes at a crucial time for the State 
of New Mexico as federal and state agencies are gearing up to distribute 
billions of dollars in broadband grant monies under the Broadband 
Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program established in the 
infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” the press release notes.

The goal of the BEAD program is to make high-speed broadband available 
to unserved rural areas by covering some of the deployment costs. 
Statewide fiber networks can have a big impact on the feasibility of a 
last-mile broadband project because in many cases, connectivity is 
needed not just to individual homes and businesses but also to an 
internet point of presence. Statewide fiber networks can serve as the 
middle-mile between a rural community and the internet.

According to an NM Fiber Network web page, the statewide network will 
reach internet access points in Chicago and Ashburn, Virginia. The 
network will offer Ethernet and internet connections at speeds between 
10 Mbps and 100 Gbps to providers, enterprises and anchor institutions.

Plans for the statewide network also include partnering with Indatel, a 
nationwide network connecting more than 30 statewide fiber networks and 
700 rural independent telecom providers.

The NM Exchange Carrier Group's website posted fiber map is dated from 
2009.
What's new?
http://nmecg.com/assets/files/NMECG_FIBER_RING_06-01-09-1.pdf

R.

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Richard Lowenberg, Executive Director
1st-Mile Institute     505-603-5200
Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504,
rl at 1st-mile.org     www.1st-mile.org
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