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New Mexico's Broadband Chief Embraces Satellite as a Key to Statewide Connectivity

New Mexico’s newly appointed broadband director, Drew Lovelace, is making it clear: reaching every household with reliable internet won’t happen without going beyond traditional infrastructure. In his early statements, Lovelace identified satellite technology as “significant” in achieving full coverage across the state, underscoring its role in bridging the gap where fiber and cable fall short.

As rural and tribal communities across New Mexico continue to face limited broadband options, his emphasis taps into a pressing statewide challenge. Digital access now underpins everything from healthcare to education to workforce development. In remote corners where laying fiber is cost-prohibitive or logistically unfeasible, satellite broadband has entered the conversation not as a supplement — but as a solution. Will this approach be the turning point in closing New Mexico’s digital divide?

Mapping New Mexico's Broadband Terrain

The Current State of Broadband Infrastructure

New Mexico's broadband infrastructure reflects a stark urban-rural divide, with concentrated high-speed internet access in metro centers like Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Santa Fe. Rural communities—especially in northern regions and the expansive southern desert—continue to struggle with slow speeds and unreliable service. As of the latest FCC data available in 2023, over 23% of New Mexico households lack access to minimum broadband speeds (25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload), a figure significantly higher than the national average of 6.5%.

Fiber-optic networks remain limited outside of urban zones. Cable and DSL provide some coverage in mid-size communities, but deployment has stagnated due to cost barriers and geographic constraints. Tribal lands in particular face some of the state’s most severe connectivity gaps, with infrastructure that is either underdeveloped or nonexistent.

Geographical Complexity and Population Dispersion

New Mexico’s physical geography—marked by rugged mountain ranges, deep canyons, and expansive desert plateaus—complicates traditional broadband deployment. Many communities are located dozens of miles from established backhaul infrastructure, separated by difficult terrain that inflates costs. At the same time, population density averages just 17 people per square mile, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, compared to the national average of 94. This dispersion reduces the incentive for private providers to invest in new infrastructure due to lower expected returns.

Micropolitan zones like Clovis, Gallup, and Silver City serve as regional hubs but often remain only partially connected. The situation deteriorates further in places like Rio Arriba County and the Navajo Nation, where broadband accessibility rates drop well below state averages.

Statewide Connectivity Data and Mapping Tools

To assess current broadband deployment, the FCC National Broadband Map provides granular, location-specific insights into available services and technologies. Users can search by address and evaluate provider options and speed offerings in real time.

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) also maintains a comprehensive interactive map, available via the Connect New Mexico website, where citizens and planners can review coverage zones, infrastructure projects, and funding allocations across the state.

This topographical and demographic complexity demands diverse technology deployment models, creative funding applications, and long-term planning strategies tailored to regional realities.

Bridging New Mexico’s Digital Divide: A Matter of Access and Equity

Connectivity Isn’t Just Convenience—It’s a Civil Infrastructure

Gaps in internet access across New Mexico have created a layered digital divide that reinforces existing disparities in education, health outcomes, and economic mobility. High-speed connectivity directly affects who can work from home, access telehealth, complete school assignments, or participate in critical government services. For communities left offline, these opportunities remain out of reach.

Pockets of Disconnection: Where Broadband Fails to Reach

According to the Federal Communications Commission's 2023 Broadband Progress Report, approximately 22% of New Mexico households lack high-speed broadband access. The situation is more dire in tribal and rural regions. In chapters of the Navajo Nation, for example, over 60% of homes remain unserved by fixed terrestrial broadband, based on data from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

In counties such as Mora and Catron, fewer than half of households report having access to reliable internet service, according to the 2022 American Community Survey. This lack of infrastructure results in lower school test scores, limited employment options, and growing gaps in digital literacy. Students rely on printed packets or shared mobile data. Healthcare providers struggle to implement remote patient monitoring in critical care deserts.

Turning Inclusion Into Policy

Reducing these disparities requires policies that recognize digital access as a socioeconomic right—not a luxury. Holistic broadband strategies must prioritize historically underserved areas. Inclusive planning ensures tribal governments can design last-mile solutions native to their jurisdictions. Funding mechanisms must account for infrastructure costs in remote terrain, where commercial providers often underinvest due to low profit margins.

Without deliberate intervention, the digital divide will widen. With it, communities can unlock generational gains in education, health equity, and economic participation.

Expanding the Last Mile: Satellite Internet’s Role in Reaching Rural New Mexico

Broad Coverage That Ignores Terrain

Mountains, mesas, and vast desert stretches make many areas of New Mexico difficult and costly to reach with terrestrial broadband infrastructure. In regions where laying fiber or cable is economically unfeasible and logistically challenging, satellite internet steps in and delivers. By transmitting data directly from orbit, satellites bypass physical barriers and extend coverage to ranches, pueblos, villages, and reservation communities spread across rural counties like Catron, Hidalgo, and Rio Arriba.

Advantages and Trade-Offs: Reach Versus Responsiveness

Satellite networks shine by enabling connectivity in places that traditional ISPs can’t easily serve. Their footprint encompasses virtually 100% of inhabited areas, regardless of terrain or population density. This reach has a significant impact when building equitable digital inclusion across the state. However, the technology has inherent trade-offs.

Active Providers Bringing Space-Based Internet to New Mexico

Several companies are already delivering service across the state:

Filling the Gaps Where Fiber Can't Reach

Cable and fiber networks remain the gold standard for high-speed, low-latency connections, but they carry prohibitive costs in remote terrain—sometimes exceeding $30,000 per mile to build. Satellite sidesteps trenching costs entirely. For tribal nations, isolated farms, and areas where no other provider has committed to building, satellite is not a back-up plan—it is the only option currently connectable within months rather than years.

As New Mexico pushes toward statewide broadband coverage, satellite internet will not replace terrestrial infrastructure. Instead, it complements it. By addressing the "last mile" problem, satellite fills essential connectivity gaps and ensures that zero-population-density does not mean zero access.

Expanding the Last Mile: Satellite Internet’s Role in Reaching Rural New Mexico

Broad Coverage That Ignores Terrain

Mountains, mesas, and vast desert stretches make many areas of New Mexico difficult and costly to reach with terrestrial broadband infrastructure. In regions where laying fiber or cable is economically unfeasible and logistically challenging, satellite internet steps in and delivers. By transmitting data directly from orbit, satellites bypass physical barriers and extend coverage to ranches, pueblos, villages, and reservation communities spread across rural counties like Catron, Hidalgo, and Rio Arriba.

Advantages and Trade-Offs: Reach Versus Responsiveness

Satellite networks shine by enabling connectivity in places that traditional ISPs can’t easily serve. Their footprint encompasses virtually 100% of inhabited areas, regardless of terrain or population density. This reach has a significant impact when building equitable digital inclusion across the state. However, the technology has inherent trade-offs.

Active Providers Bringing Space-Based Internet to New Mexico

Several companies are already delivering service across the state:

Filling the Gaps Where Fiber Can't Reach

Cable and fiber networks remain the gold standard for high-speed, low-latency connections, but they carry prohibitive costs in remote terrain—sometimes exceeding $30,000 per mile to build. Satellite sidesteps trenching costs entirely. For tribal nations, isolated farms, and areas where no other provider has committed to building, satellite is not a back-up plan—it is the only option currently connectable within months rather than years.

As New Mexico pushes toward statewide broadband coverage, satellite internet will not replace terrestrial infrastructure. Instead, it complements it. By addressing the "last mile" problem, satellite fills essential connectivity gaps and ensures that zero-population-density does not mean zero access.

New Mexico's Broadband Boss: Vision and Strategy

Appointing a Leader for a Strategic Shift

Kelly Schlegel assumed the role of New Mexico’s Director of the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) in 2022. A veteran in telecommunications and network engineering, Schlegel served over two decades in executive roles at companies including Qwest and CenturyLink, where she oversaw large-scale infrastructure expansion projects. Her appointment signaled a sharp pivot from incremental improvements to aggressive, statewide transformation.

Backed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Schlegel's mandate centers on three pillars: accelerate infrastructure deployment, maximize federal and state funding allocations, and permanently narrow the digital divide across demographics and geographies. Her technical acumen and private-sector experience position her to translate large-scale ambition into measurable progress.

Priorities Reframed: Infrastructure, Equity, and Funding

These focus areas converge in Schlegel’s overarching strategy—achieving 100% connectivity by integrating scalable technologies and creating long-term operational models that local governments and ISPs can jointly sustain.

Satellite's Strategic Role in the Connectivity Equation

In a September 2023 roundtable with stakeholders in Santa Fe, Schlegel outlined her position on emerging satellite services like Starlink and OneWeb: “Satellite is no longer the backup plan—it’s part of the solution set. For extremely remote areas where terrain or cost makes fiber unfeasible, low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite brings us within striking distance of full state coverage.”

She underscored that the OBAE’s planning treats satellite as a viable layer in a hybrid-model approach—including fiber, fixed wireless, and cellular broadband. Satellite providers are being actively mapped into the state’s deployment model to identify regions where latency improvements and throughput now meet reliability thresholds for educational access, telehealth, and emergency services.

While fiber remains the gold standard for high-capacity zones, Schlegel’s inclusion of satellite in strategic modeling reflects not a compromise, but an expansion of possibilities. In her words: “Connectivity anywhere is now possible and commercially realistic. That changes the planning math entirely.”

Accelerating Broadband Access: State and Local Programs Driving Change

Broadband Access & Expansion: Structured, Strategic, and Locally Driven

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) leads the state's investment in digital infrastructure. Positioned under the Department of Information Technology, OBAE coordinates efforts across counties, towns, and tribal nations. The Office's mission targets statewide 100% access to reliable, high-speed broadband. By centralizing strategy and managing multimillion-dollar grant programs, OBAE integrates broadband deployment into economic development and public service delivery. For program details, visit doit.nm.gov/broadband.

Several initiatives function under the OBAE umbrella, each tuned for specific community needs. These initiatives underscore the value of tailoring connectivity efforts at hyperlocal levels.

Programs Tailored to Underserved Communities

Supporting Education and Household Connectivity

Connectivity gaps in homes affect student performance and lifelong learning. New Mexico’s broadband programs integrate with school and library systems to close these gaps.

Making Progress, One Local Project at a Time

From Silver City to Shiprock, dozens of municipalities and tribal governments have submitted project applications through OBAE’s online portal. These applications reflect targeted goals: build middle-mile fiber, extend last-mile coverage, and accelerate satellite integration where terrain complicates infrastructure buildout. Each funded project aligns to the broader vision voiced by the state’s broadband chief—complete, inclusive statewide coverage.

Strategic Partnerships Driving Connectivity Forward

Collaborating for Coverage: Government Meets Industry

New Mexico’s approach to broadband connectivity hinges on collaboration. By building public-private partnerships (PPPs), the state is harnessing the agility of private companies and the oversight of public institutions to accelerate broadband deployment across rural, tribal, and frontier regions. These alliances turn shared goals into executable projects, often with infrastructure developments that would be too costly or complex for one sector to achieve alone.

Standout initiatives have taken shape through joint efforts between New Mexico state agencies and industry leaders such as Comcast, Sacred Wind Communications, and Ubiquity. For instance, the Connect New Mexico Pilot Program incentivized ISPs to expand fiber and satellite infrastructure in underserved communities, leveraging grants in exchange for firm buildout commitments and local hiring. These investments have fast-tracked work in areas like McKinley and Rio Arriba counties—places where market incentives alone failed to bridge the connectivity gap.

Public institutions—municipalities, school districts, tribal governments—are playing an increasingly active role, too. The city of Las Cruces partnered with industry partners as part of a smart city broadband pilot, combining state funding with private sector engineering expertise to create scalable, fiber-first infrastructure suitable for both education and enterprise connectivity.

Unlocking Advantages Through Shared Strengths

Private companies bring critical assets: cutting-edge technologies, experienced construction capacity, and operational efficiency. Public entities offer regulatory support, community access, and targeted funding. Together, they eliminate redundancy and reduce both capital and operational costs. PPPs also foster innovation—when government matches public needs with private R&D capacity, new solutions emerge, particularly in deployment strategies involving wireless mesh, satellite backhaul, and open access middle-mile designs.

Moreover, these partnerships introduce accountability frameworks. Grant recipients must meet deployment timelines, technology benchmarks (for example, 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload thresholds), and geographic eligibility requirements based on FCC broadband maps and local feedback rounds. Metrics rooted in tangible community outcomes—not just miles of fiber laid—ensure that public investments serve clearly defined connectivity goals.

Looking ahead, New Mexico’s broadband leadership is signaling broader PPP expansion across tribal lands and frontier zones where terrestrial infrastructure remains limited. As the state integrates satellite into its connectivity plans, more private partners will find long-term roles in supporting statewide service continuity and network resilience.

These examples illustrate a shift from siloed action to joint execution, with clear roles, mutual benefits, and a commitment to reach every household—no matter the terrain.

Federal & State Funding: Tracking the Money Flow

Major Federal Investments Powering New Mexico’s Broadband Expansion

New Mexico’s broadband push rides on a wave of significant federal funding, with allocations sourced from key national initiatives aimed at closing the digital divide. The largest of these is the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, a $42.45 billion fund administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). As of mid-2023, New Mexico is set to receive $675 million from BEAD, earmarked for expanding high-speed internet infrastructure in underserved areas.

Additional funding sources include:

Satellite Providers: A Slice of the Pie

While fiber and cable providers continue to draw the bulk of infrastructure-focused grants due to their capacity for high throughput and longevity, satellite internet providers are not sidelined. In fact, federal allocations such as RDOF have directed millions toward companies using low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology, which faces fewer installation barriers in rugged or remote terrain.

Starlink, owned by SpaceX, secured awards to serve thousands of New Mexico households before the FCC began reassessing long-term viability metrics in 2023. Meanwhile, newer entrants and hybrid providers leveraging satellite-to-5G backhaul systems have received conditional support under BEAD’s technology-neutral approach, especially when fiber builds are cost-prohibitive or delayed by terrain access issues.

Where the Money Goes: Transparent Reporting in Action

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access & Expansion (OBAE) manages and tracks federal and state infrastructure dollars through a centralized reporting platform. Detailed project maps, grant awards, and disbursement schedules are published online via the Connect New Mexico website.

This public dashboard provides:

Grantees are required to meet performance benchmarks, submit buildout updates, and demonstrate subscriber impact metrics. Failure to perform triggers fund reallocation or clawbacks. This level of visibility ensures taxpayer dollars are used efficiently—whether for trenching new fiber lines or launching a small-cell satellite node in the high desert.

Transformative Tech: How Emerging Solutions Are Powering New Mexico’s Push to 100% Connectivity

New Mexico’s strategy for full broadband coverage doesn’t rely on a single solution. While satellite connectivity has gained public attention — especially after the State’s new broadband chief labeled it “significant” — multiple technologies are being deployed in tandem to eliminate coverage gaps across diverse terrains. Integration, rather than isolation, defines the present and future of broadband expansion in the state.

Fixed Wireless: Fast Deployment Across Wide Areas

Fixed wireless technology uses radio links between two stationary points, usually involving a base station and a rooftop antenna. This model bypasses traditional infrastructure like fiber-optic cabling, allowing for rapid installation. Providers have used this method to connect underserved regions where laying cables is cost-prohibitive. Notably, fixed wireless systems can deliver speeds exceeding 100 Mbps under optimal conditions, which meets or exceeds the FCC's broadband benchmark.

5G Towers: High-Speed Edge for Growing Towns and Tribal Lands

5G is already reshaping broadband access in semi-urban areas and is now making its mark in rural zones thanks to infrastructure innovations and newer spectral allocations like the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS). In New Mexico, tower deployment is targeting edge communities — places not quite rural, not quite urban — enabling faster speeds and lower latency over broader distances than its 4G predecessor. With edge computing riding on 5G’s backbone, localized services like telehealth, remote learning, and precision agriculture become viable options.

Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellites: Scalable, Global, and Now Local

LEO satellite constellations — such as Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon’s Project Kuiper — orbit at altitudes between 300 and 1,200 kilometers, vastly closer than traditional geostationary satellites. This proximity reduces latency from approximately 600 milliseconds to under 30 milliseconds, making video conferencing, cloud access, and online learning far more responsive. These systems are now bridging digital canyons in parts of northern New Mexico where geography has blocked every terrestrial buildout attempt.

Mesh Networks: Self-Configuring and Community-Powered

In hard-to-wire regions, nonprofits and local organizations are picking up meshed wireless networks to extend coverage from a single broadband connection point outward through interconnected nodes. Each node relays data for the network, creating a self-sustaining web of connectivity. Communities in areas like the Navajo Nation are deploying mesh to amplify connectivity from schools and health centers directly to homes, enabling a grassroots approach to broadband deployment.

Hybrid Models: Combining Strengths for Comprehensive Reach

Instead of relying solely on one broadband mode, New Mexico’s strategy emphasizes a hybrid deployment. In practice, this might mean connecting a central hub by fiber, broadcasting to local homes through fixed wireless, and reaching remote ranches via satellite. Agencies are coordinating deployments to match the best tool to each area’s challenges, combining speed, scalability, and affordability. These integrated models ensure that even the most remote sites are not just connected but connected at performance levels that support full digital participation.

Which of these technologies do you see influencing your region most? Look around — the future of broadband in New Mexico is already taking shape on towers, rooftops, and even in orbit.

Untangling the Red Tape: Broadband Oversight and Regulation in New Mexico

Federal and State Powers: Defining the Rules of the Game

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) establishes the foundational broadband regulations applied across the United States, defining service benchmarks, enforcing compliance, and managing spectrum allocation. In New Mexico, the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) tailors these overarching policies to fit the state’s terrain, demographics, and strategic goals.

For satellite deployment—a key component in the state’s plan to reach underserved areas—spectrum rights and orbital slot allocations fall under FCC jurisdiction. Interference mitigation, frequency reuse, and international coordination through the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) also factor into access timelines and deployment costs. Within state borders, right-of-way permissions, tower siting, and environmental permitting remain under New Mexico jurisdiction, often intersecting with county and tribal authority frameworks.

Permitting and Rights-of-Way: The Hidden Bottlenecks

Deploying infrastructure isn’t just about technology or funding—it’s about navigation. For traditional fiber, trenching through public or tribal lands can delay projects by months or even years. Satellite infrastructure—while faster to deploy in theory—must still comply with state land-use statutes, FAA regulations for ground station placement, and tribal consultation requirements. The New Mexico State Land Office, which manages 9 million surface acres, plays a pivotal role in issuing leases and access rights that can accelerate or stall broadband expansions.

Spectrum Policy and Its Direct Impact on Satellite Access

Spectrum scarcity remains a gating factor for satellite internet operations. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations like Starlink or OneWeb require swaths of Ka- and Ku-band frequencies. The FCC’s Spectrum Frontiers Order opened more of this spectrum for broadband use, but regulatory uncertainty lingers, especially about shared versus exclusive use models. Coordination between satellite and terrestrial operators continues to play out in ongoing rulemakings. These decisions ripple directly into the pace and feasibility of 100% connectivity in New Mexico.

Proposed Regulations Shaping the Road Ahead

The Oversight Balancing Act

Oversight entities juggle multiple priorities: protecting consumer interests, accelerating rollouts, maintaining competitive neutrality, and enforcing infrastructure standards. The Public Regulation Commission (PRC), alongside the OBAE, ensures that ISPs—satellite-based or terrestrial—comply with accountability metrics and service map accuracy updates. This ensures every dollar and every permit approved translates into real, measurable progress toward statewide coverage.

The Road Forward: Satellite’s Pivotal Role in New Mexico’s Digital Expansion

New Mexico’s broadband strategy leans heavily on integrating satellite technology—not as an afterthought, but as a core component. With thousands of square miles of rugged terrain and low-density population zones, large-scale fiber deployment alone can’t close the digital divide. Satellite internet, with its ability to beam connectivity to remote corners without requiring extensive ground infrastructure, fills a fundamental gap in the state’s path to universal access.

Rural communities, especially in northern and southwestern New Mexico, face distinctive logistical and economic barriers. These regions often lack existing broadband infrastructure and present high deployment costs that deter private investment. Here, satellite eliminates the need for expensive trenching and tower builds, enabling faster service rollouts in isolated areas. This isn't a speculative fix—it's an assertive strategy already being woven into local and state broadband plans.

The Office of Broadband Access and Expansion, under the leadership of the new broadband director, has explicitly included satellite deployments in its roadmap to 100% connectivity. What sets this approach apart is the focus on layered solutions: combining satellite for hard-to-reach areas, fixed-wireless for low-density zones, and fiber for urban hubs. Coordinated funding allocations, technology pilots, and data-driven policies are setting a measurable framework for success.

Public-private partnerships continue to amplify impact. By enrolling satellite providers alongside traditional ISPs in state initiatives, New Mexico widens its toolkit. This inclusive model ensures that no technology is sidelined and no community is left behind.

Momentum now depends on unified, grassroots participation. Local governments, tribal councils, community broadband leaders—every voice counts. Digital equity will only be achieved by sat­ur­ating efforts at every level, using every available technology, and constantly measuring real-world results.

The road ahead is long, but every mile connected brings New Mexico closer to full digital inclusion.