THOREAU, N.M. – More than 500 rural homes across Cibola and McKinley counties now have access to high-speed internet thanks to a series of broadband infrastructure projects funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), state officials announced Monday.
The newly completed projects, spearheaded by New Mexico’s Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE), include the installation of fiber and fixed wireless systems in communities like Pine Meadow Ranches near Ramah and Thoreau—locations that have long struggled with limited or nonexistent internet access.
“Rural New Mexicans need reliable internet access and we’re delivering it,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “These projects deliver real results—connecting families to telehealth, students to online learning, and businesses to new markets.”
In Cibola County, OSO Internet Solutions used a $5.8 million ARPA grant to lay nearly 50 miles of fiber cable, connecting 109 homes in the Pine Meadow Ranches subdivision. The network crosses sections of Ramah Navajo Tribal allotments and ties into Lumen Technologies’ mainline infrastructure, ensuring reliable 100/100 mbps speeds for users.
Just over the county line in Thoreau, Sacred Wind/Ethos Broadband deployed a fixed wireless system reaching 248 locations, alongside 162 more in the Western Skies subdivision in Gallup. The McKinley County project was funded with a $1 million ARPA grant.
Jeff Lopez, director of OBAE, called the completions “a defining moment” in the state’s broadband rollout: “It’s extremely satisfying to connect locations that now have access to critical online programs, services and opportunities.”
State and federal lawmakers hailed the development as transformative for families, schools, and small businesses in rural areas.
“This funding will connect New Mexicans in rural areas to careers they can build their families around,” said U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, who helped secure the funding. “It also gives the next generation the tools they need to succeed in their education and beyond.”
Sen. Ben Ray Luján, Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, and Rep. Gabe Vasquez echoed similar sentiments, calling broadband access essential for health care, work, and education—and a cornerstone of the economic vision Democrats championed in the American Rescue Plan.
The Navajo Nation Broadband Office also played a key role, working with OBAE and OSO Internet Solutions to connect more than 560 homes in the Ramah Chapter area.
“The achievement means more Navajo families now have the vital tools to access online healthcare, attend virtual classes, and stay connected with loved ones,” said Sonia Nez, department manager for the Navajo Nation Broadband Office.
Each of the completed projects meets modern broadband standards, delivering speeds of 100 megabits per second for both downloads and uploads.
For residents of Thoreau and Ramah, that means a dramatic improvement in quality of life—and a longawaited connection to the digital world.