Trump & Secretary Lutnick

The element of surprise is a hallmark of the Trump administration and they've pulled a big one when it comes to providing high speed broadband to rural residents here and nationally who are still waiting for a connection. 

The surprise could mean a major breakthrough in getting high speed internet deployed years sooner to the 140,000 "underserved locations" the Governor cited in 2024 when announcing the state's $675 million share of federal broadband funding.

The roll out of of broadband is excruciatingly slow and expensive for New Mexicans in need of service because of the difficulty in laying high speed fiber optic fiber--up until now the preferred method of delivery. 

But to the shock of the state Broadband Office and to the delight of rural residents, US Commerce Secretary Harold Lutnick has torn up the old broadband script and placed high speed satellite delivery front and center:

The Commerce Department has launched a rigorous review of the BEAD program.  The Department is ripping out the Biden Administration’s pointless requirements.  It is revamping the BEAD program to take a tech-neutral approach that is rigorously driven by outcomes, so states can provide internet access for the lowest cost. Additionally, the Department is exploring ways to cut government red tape that slows down infrastructure construction. We will work with states and territories to quickly get rid of the delays and the waste. Thereafter we will move quickly to implementation in order to get households connected. “Under the revamped BEAD program, all Americans will receive the benefit of the bargain that Congress intended.  We’re going to deliver high-speed internet access, and we will do it efficiently and effectively at the lowest cost to taxpayers.”

There is controversy over that bombshell announcement because satellite company Starlink is owned by Elon Musk and could obtain $10 to $20 billion in contracts under the new rules. 

Telecommunications companies are currently receiving the lion's share of the billions in federal broadband funding.

Satellite has been criticized for not being as fast as fiber but that does not take into account future higher speeds that are anticipated. 

Also, the current satellite speeds available are more than sufficient for the vast majority of internet-deprived New Mexicans to perform their necessary tasks and similar to what many city residents are now utilizing.

We challenge those critics to contradict those facts.

Letting political views interfere with a dramatic advancement for the state's stranded homes and businesses would only hold back educational and economic development. 

The Broadband Office here has told the legislature that relying more on satellite and other nonfiber alternatives is not realistic because changing the method of funding would require congressional approval. But that appears to not be the case as Trump and Secretary Lutnick advance the adoption of satellite (and hallelujah to that).

Amazon also has a satellite interent service and that will be another option for states in addition to Musk-owned Starlink. 

President Biden deserves credit and thanks for pushing through the massive funding to bring the nation up to speed. But this decision with such a positive impact on New Mexico might prompt even staunch Trump opponents to ask: "What's not to like?"

This is the Home of New Mexico Politics.