The Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) has approved nine Wi-Fi grants through its ARPA Community Wi-Fi Project, a newly launched program designed to help municipal, county and regional governments and state agencies expand Wi-Fi service.
Source: Office of Broadband Access and Expansion
ALBUQUERQUE – More than four million annual visitors, students and residents in New Mexico will soon have public Wi-Fi access at city parks, state parks, public housing, civic spaces, community centers and senior centers after the state’s broadband office awarded nearly $6 million in grants.
The Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) has approved nine Wi-Fi grants through its ARPA Community Wi-Fi Project, a newly launched program designed to help municipal, county and regional governments and state agencies expand Wi-Fi service. OBAE is partnering with the local governments to focus on public places with poor levels of connectivity and digital inclusion.
“As more people rely on broadband for work, education and everyday health monitoring, having reliable access outside the home is essential,” said OBAE Policy and Programs Bureau Chief Andrew Wilder. “These public Wi‑Fi projects will give communities the dependable connectivity they need and help close the digital divide across New Mexico.”
State and local parks are the center of many New Mexico communities. They support work, education, and health monitoring by hosting student classes, promoting healthy living, and providing a free venue for trainings and gatherings.
OBAE awarded local and state governments grants totaling $5,941,326. These funds were available from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Capital Projects Fund.
Government entities receiving public Wi-Fi grants for projects include:
NM Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department
| Bluewater Lake Bottomless Lakes Brantley Lake Caballo Lake Cerrillos Hills Cimarron Canyon City of Rocks Clayton Lake Conchas Lake Coyote Creek Eagle Nest Lake Elephant Butte El Vado Lake Fenton Lake Heron Lake Hyde Memorial Leasburg Dam | Living Desert Zoo & Gardens Manzano Mountains Mesilla Valley Morphy Lake Navajo Lake Oasis Oliver Lee Pancho Villa Pecos Canyon Percha Dam Rockhound Santa Rosa Lake Storrie Lake Sugarite Canyon Sumner Lake Ute Lake Villanueva |
TOTAL: $3,722,166
The City of Albuquerque
North Domingo Baca Park: $415,327
Mesa Verde Park: $200,737
Phil Chacon Park: $167,327
Tiguex Park: $167,327
Old Town Plaza: $151,327
TOTAL: $1,102,045
Santa Fe County
Santa Cruz Section in Santa Fe
TOTAL: $508,762
NM Dept. of Workforce Solutions
Southern NM workforce access
TOTAL: $432,558
Valencia County
Fairgrounds/Las Maravillas Park
TOTAL: $175,794
“Beyond Wi-Fi, this grant is about opportunity,” said City of Albuquerque Systems Engineer Russ Bennett. “Broadband has become essential infrastructure, and with this investment we can offer high-speed access right where people live, gather and learn. The partnership between OBAE and the City of Albuquerque shows what we can accomplish when state resources and local expertise come together around a shared goal: making Albuquerque a more connected, equitable city.”
“Having reliable Wi-Fi access will greatly enhance the visitor experience at New Mexico State Parks,” said EMNRD Acting Secretary Erin Taylor. “Visitors will be able to get up-to-date information about park amenities as well as those offered in surrounding communities. We thank the state Office of Broadband Access and Expansion for bringing this infrastructure to our parks.”
“People need reliable public Wi-Fi to look for jobs, participate in training, and understand all the resources we have to help people get to work,” said NMDWS Secretary Sarita Nair. “Expanded connectivity in southern New Mexico will help job seekers access online training, apply for employment, connect with workforce services, and build the digital skills needed in today’s economy.”
The approved projects target disproportionately unserved public locations and communities, including low-income areas, parks in high poverty neighborhoods and job-seeker hubs. The projects also zero in on providing Wi-Fi to rural and Tribal populations adjacent to state parks.
All the approved proposals must be designed to deliver broadband service with a minimum speed performance of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. All grant recipients must also have a cybersecurity risk management plan in place or one ready to be implemented upon providing the Wi-Fi service.
“The strong participation by local governments and state agencies shows the critical statewide need for more digital opportunity projects, including public Wi-Fi expansion,” said Wilder.
As required by the U.S. Treasury all the selected projects funded through ARPA must directly support work, education, health monitoring and must address issues exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
All awardees must complete the Wi-Fi projects by December 31, 2026.
If additional state or federal funding becomes available, OBAE may consider allocating the money toward additional public Wi-Fi investments.
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