As a state with many rural residents, New Mexico wants to make sure that accurate maps direct BEAD funding to those who remain unserved or underserved with high-speed internet. National broadband mapping service, Broadband Now currently ranks New Mexico as the 39th most successful state in terms of broadband delivery.
As AOL reports, $675 million in BEAD funding has already been allotted to the state, but officials say that poor broadband mapping could cost New Mexico millions of extra dollars that it needs to digitally connect its population.
Broadband office acting director Drew Lovelace has said that it will take $2.1 billion more to bring adequate broadband to all New Mexicans. The state challenged the federal broadband maps late last year and is still awaiting an official response. Lovelace indicated that faulty mapping has been an ongoing issue and that potential corrections must be submitted by May 18. He does not know when the state will receive an answer, but said that corrections and the monies attached to them may not be released until 2025. “This is the last chance to get the maps right,” said Lovelace.
Once all changes are submitted, they will be reviewed by NTIA. The NTIA approved the submission of the challenge, but will still need to approve the final broadband maps before the funds are doled out. The FCC will have the opportunity to offer a rebuttal to the challenge during this process, notes AOL.
“We really want and encourage participation in this challenge process,” said Andrew Wilder, BEAD coordinator for the state’s broadband office. “I just want to restate: This is the last chance to get the maps right. BEAD is such a huge investment. It is going to behoove us as a state to get the maps right so we can make those dollars go as far as they can.”
Lovelace agreed accuracy is crucial for state residents, especially those who are still waiting for connectivity. He explained that the mapping process has traditionally focused on last mile connectivity and has not focused enough on needed middle mile connections.
“When you really want to get into the most rural parts of the communities in New Mexico, you just do not have the fiber built along those roadways to get out to those communities,” he said. “And so that’s really one of the biggest elements in this.”
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