Sacred Winds GM Named Vice-Chair of NM Fiber-Network

New Mexico's broad and expansive terrain has made getting reliable internet to NM communities challenging. This challenge has prompted the NM Legislature to pass the Broadband Access and Expansion Act (S. 93, 2021) and push Broadband Development Division (H. 10, 2021) initiatives to expand broadband access and investments to under-served areas in the State. The plan is to develop a state broadband roadmap, which the Governor’s office tasked the New Mexico Broadband Initiative Consortium to develop.

The result was 11 NM based internet providers coming together to address concerns by utilizing their existing fiber networks that already span more than 10,000 miles across New Mexico, forming NM Fiber Network, and creating the framework to enable anchor institutions, such as government agencies, educational institutions, first responders, or healthcare facilities, the ability to access nationwide networks and technology services.

The new company announced the start of a multi-year, multi-milliondollar network across New Mexico to enhance capacity, improve internet access and dependability, and prepare New Mexicans for the future. The company's formation comes at a crucial time for the State of New Mexico as Federal and State agencies are gearing up to distribute billions of dollars in broadband grant monies under The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Utilizing this partnership, a state-wide fiber network will be expedited, though not instant, and will require the coordination of several companies, people, and organizations. To that end, the NM Fiber Network has selected a leadership team to drive this project forward.

Josh Beug has been named interim CEO. Beug, an internet industry veteran, is also Tularosa Communication’s General Manager, and has over 23 years of senior management, plant, engineering, and economic development experience.

With over two decades of strategic broadband deployment and plan execution experience, Beug has played a leading role in founding NM Fiber Network, identifying the needs of rural internet companies, businesses, and residents alike. “A state-wide fiber network brings not only new business opportunity and supports local carrier providers, but also expands access to unserved and underserved communities here in New Mexico. We will strengthen our local economies, as businesses and residents will have access to a reliable network with built-in redundancy to avoid down-times and any lengthy outages,” said Beug, CEO of NM Fiber Network.

The following roles have been appointed:

• Josh Beug, Chairman and interim CEO of NM Fiber Network and General Manager of Tularosa Communications

• Nectarios “Neo” Nicolaou, Vice-Chairman of NM Fiber Network, and General Manager of Sacred Wind Communications, Inc.

• Daniel Meszler, Secretary of NM Fiber Network, and General Manager of Western New Mexico Telephone Company, Inc.

Together, they lead a group that seeks to unite NM's most experienced broadband professionals with the institutions and residents that need this broadband infrastructure development.

Nicolaou explains, “This is the first time in our state’s history that telecom carriers have joined forces to create a statewide middle-mile network by combining decades of dedication and experience serving New Mexico communities. NM Fiber Network is planning to apply for Federal and State grant funding to improve broadband availability across our state which will bring economic development by making New Mexico more attractive across industries through improved reliability. Enabling redundancy and the addition of critical middle-mile fiber routes allows stakeholders across our state to be emergency ready.”

NM Fiber Network seeks to partner with other NM institutions to build out fiber optic networks in NM that will provide cost-effective internet solutions to support healthcare, education, government, and economic development using the best technology on the market. Their partnerships give access to nationwide networks, nationwide POPs, and give New Mexico a nationwide presence - bringing better pricing, availability, affordability, and growth opportunity in New Mexico while contracting New Mexican companies.

About NM Fiber Network, LLC NM Fiber Network, LLC is owned by 11 New Mexico local exchange carriers that provide telecommunication services throughout the state of New Mexico. NM Fiber Network founding companies are Baca Valley Telephone Company, Inc., Dell Telephone Cooperative, Inc., ENMR Telephone Cooperative, La Jicarita Rural Telephone Cooperative, Leaco Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Peñasco Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Roosevelt County Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Sacred Wind Communications, Inc., Tularosa Communications, Inc., Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc., and Western New Mexico Telephone Company, Inc.

NM Fiber Network will concentrate on offering high-speed fiber-optic backbone capabilities to owners, telecommunications providers, and direct business customers such as hospitals, schools, and government agencies. Visit https://www.nmfibernetwork. com/ to discover more about NM Fiber Network.