New Mexico Ready to Deploy BEAD Funds Across Technologies
‘Low-Earth orbit satellites are going to be part of the picture,’ a state official says.
WASHINGTON, August 14, 2025 – New Mexico won’t ignore satellite Internet services like Starlink in utilizing federal deployment funds.
Jeff Lopez, Director of the New MexicoBroadband Access and Expansion Office, told a legislative committee Monday that 90 percent of the state is now covered by broadband, with the remaining 10 percent expected by the end of 2026.
Satellite connections will be crucial to reaching those final areas, Lopez said, though the state’s strategy remains focused on fiber.
“We are still ‘fiber first,’” Lopez said, according to a report by Source NM. “We’re focusing on areas that are financially prudent for that fiber connectivity, but low-Earth orbit satellites are going to be part of the picture.”
Lopez, who has only been on the job for eight weeks, emphasized fiber’s long-term value, stating it is “the best connectivity that money can buy” and “future proof.” However, he acknowledged that deploying fiber is “often much more expensive than alternatives.”
In contrast, he said satellite internet offers a viable alternative for remote areas “with open skies,” though it is “not as resilient to natural disasters” and “isn’t fully fleshed out yet.”
Lopez confirmed two satellite companies have already placed bids for the federal broadband funding, though he didn’t reveal any names.
“But you might be able to guess,” he added.
New Mexico was tentatively awarded $675 million through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program, and is now in the final stages of selecting sub-grantees to do the work.
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