State celebrates broadband projects with ribbon-cutting ceremony at VHS

TOME — Valencia High School sophomore Manuel Monsibais had a very direct message when it comes to the importance of internet access for students in rural areas during the state of New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion ribbon cutting ceremony inside VHS’ main gymnasium on Monday.

“We all know that feeling of a spinning wheel,” Monsibais began, addressing the crowd packed with dignitaries and his fellow students. “But many times, for many in our community, that lag isn’t a momentary glitch. For some of us, it is our permanent reality.

“Right now a good portion of us in our community are stuck with slow or no internet. This isn’t just an inconvenience. Rather, it’s a barrier. When you have slow speeds, often students fall behind.”

This was a recurring theme during the Connect New Mexico event on Monday at VHS, which had the atmosphere of a school pep rally, complete with the marching band and costumed mascots.

After the fanfare and cheering, OBAE Broadband Director Jeff Lopez announced that six broadband projects meant to connect more than 4,000 homes and businesses in Valencia and Socorro counties to the internet.

Lopez and Monsibais were joined onstage by Lt. Governor Howie Morales, N.M. Sen. Angel Charley (District 30), and Tyson Curtis, of Resound Networks CEO, as well as Los Lunas Schools Superintendent Susan D. Chavez, Los Lunas Board of Education President Frank Otero and Valencia High Principal Jennifer Otero.

“This celebration represents more than just new infrastructure in our community,” Charley said in her remarks, referencing her youth when AOL dial-up internet was the norm. “It represents real access, opportunity, and safety for our community. In today’s world, the internet is a civil right. It is a civil right that we should all have access to. Just like electricity, just like clean drinking water, broadband is essential for our full participation in society.”

OBAE recently awarded Resound Networks $12.8 million through six state grants for six broadband projects that will connect 4,093 homes, businesses, farms and community anchor institutions.

Three of the celebrated Resound Networks projects were the result of grants totaling more than $7.4 million through the Connect New Mexico Fund. These broadband infrastructure projects will provide high-speed internet to more than 3,100 locations using fiber and fixed wireless service.

The Connect New Mexico Fund projects include the Valencia County Borderlands fiber project, which connects 338 locations and has a price tag of $2.6 million, as well as the Valencia County fixed wireless project, which will include 2,452 locations for 2.4 million.

The other three projects are part of the Student Connect program, which specifically targets 975 rural student households and staff in the Belen Consolidated Schools, Los Lunas Schools and Socorro Public Schools districts. OBAE awarded Resound Networks more than $5 million in Student Connect grants to provide fixed wireless service to student households in these districts.

The Soccoro district will serve the most student households, 416, with a price tag of $1.7 million. $2 million will be spent to aid 243 households in the Belen district, while $1.5 million will got to help serve 316 households in the Los Lunas Schools.

Lt. Governor Morales, who grew up in rural Silver City, said he personally recognizes the challenges presented by lack of access to the internet.

“Coming from a rural community and recognizing the challenges that come in for equal access, this is a game changer,” Morales said. “You saw it today, with the energy that the students had, the excitement of the educators who see that the access is now available for all their students. I think that that’s key, regardless of income.

“It’s not only an impact when it comes to the educational standpoint, it’s also a tremendous impact for health care, the economics of it, and then the opportunities for increasing the job market. So there’s a lot of positives that come with it. It’s no longer that utilizing broadband WiFi is a luxury. It’s a necessity, and this gives the opportunity to do so,” he concluded.

OBAE Director Lopez echoed that sentiment, saying his office will be working with community partners to “get the job done.”

“For those last 90 percent of households not yet connected to the internet, we are providing that resource,” Lopez said. “We are making sure the households are connected, the small businesses are connected, the community institutions and the farms. Everything that communities need to succeed in today’s society, we stand ready to support.”