Artesia, NM — April 26, 2022: Eleven New Mexico telephone companies and internet providers announced today that they have joined together to form the NM Fiber Network, LLC. The new company announced the start of a multi-year, multi-million-dollar 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.
This effort was initiated by the New Mexico Broadband Initiative Consortium, which submitted a broadband roadmap to state officials in January. One outcome was the formation of a group of Rural Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) who came together to create the new fiber network. It will provide a new foundation to address the digital divide within New Mexico.
“NM Fiber Network and current owner-member fiber systems span thousands of miles across New Mexico and are well-positioned to enable the expansion and extension of New Mexico middle-mile infrastructure to reduce the cost of connecting unserved and underserved areas,” stated Josh Beug, General Manager, Tularosa Basin Telephone Cooperative.
“The state fiber broadband network is crucial to providing middle mile and broadband access to all areas of New Mexico,” according to John Badal, Spokesman for the New Mexico Broadband Initiative Consortium and CEO of Sacred Wind Communications, Inc.
The New Mexico Fiber Network will partner with INDATEL which is a NATIONWIDE NETWORK dedicated to providing best-in-class, cost effective transport connectivity via fiber-optic routes in rural and metropolitan areas. INDATEL can deliver reliable bandwidth solutions in rural and underserved markets. INDATEL has connections to over 30+ other statewide networks and 700+ rural independent telephone providers.
“We are pleased that NM Fiber Network is establishing a statewide network in New Mexico and will collaborate with us,” INDATEL Services CEO Mel Wagner Jr. said. “We are happy to work with and assist NM Fiber Network in monetizing and expanding its network. In addition, because of their state network, INDATEL is an essential partner for rural ILECs as INDATEL’s footprint extends across much of the United States.”
“By joining together, we will be able to harness our combined and complementary assets to attain statewide scale and promote broadband deployment,” said Glenn Lovelace, CEO of Peñasco Valley Telephone Cooperative and Chairman of NM Fiber Network. “We will work with the Connect NM Council, State Education Network, Tribal fiber networks, the New Mexico Exchange Carrier Group, and related departments within the state – i.e., Department of Information and Technology, State Broadband Office, and the Department of Transportation – to create an effective action plan.”

NM Fiber Network, LLC 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 and other telecommunications providers and direct business customers such as hospitals, schools, and government agencies. Visit www.nmfibernetwork.com to discover more about NM Fiber Network.