New Mexico Completes First ConnectNM Pilot Project

Jan. 13, 2026 – New Mexico's Office of Broadband Access and Expansion announced Friday that 52 rural homes in Chaves County will gain access to high-speed internet service.

The Chaves County project is the first to reach total completion under the Connect New Mexico Pilot Program funded by the American Rescue Plan Act's Capital Projects Fund, bringing OBAE closer to its goal of universal connectivity.

“This project’s completion delivers on the state’s promise to connect New Mexico families in the most remote areas of the state,” Andy Exell, OBAE’s ARPA program coordinator, said in a  release. “For these dozens of homeowners to finally get high-speed internet is a life changer.”