Artesia, NM – Peñasco Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (PVT) will build more than a dozen miles of fiber to 41 rural locations with a $486,000 NM Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) Connect New Mexico Pilot Program Grant. Awarded on September 7, it will be combined with a $162,000 capital contribution from PVT, bringing the total value of the project to $648,000. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury.
OBAE is using these grants to concentrate on building fiber-optic infrastructure to isolated communities in New Mexico that are still using older technology that limit access to high-speed internet services.
Eugene McCord, PVT’s VP of Sales and Marketing said, “With this grant, we can lift the limitations that come from lack of access to high-speed internet service for many in the community. In a world where the internet has become an integral part of daily life, projects like this enhance our community’s access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. This build-out falls in line with PVT’s mission of improving our communities.”
This grant is not an isolated event, as PVT has been hard at work building out to rural New Mexicans with other projects and awards. For PVT it is not just about faster internet; it is about empowering education, boosting economic development, and strengthening healthcare services for rural New Mexicans. Building out infrastructure ensures that our smaller communities are not left behind.
Headquartered in Artesia, New Mexico and founded in 1949, PVT presently owns and operates the exchanges of Cottonwood, Hondo, Hope, Lakewood, Loco Hills, and Mayhill in Chaves, Eddy, Lincoln, and Otero counties located in Southeastern New Mexico. PVT serves customers over a 4,929 square mile area.
As a cooperative, PVT’s mission is to improve the quality of life in the communities it serves. PVT will continue to research, develop, and implement broadband technology to keep communities connected.
For more information on PVT’s current construction projects that are bringing higher speeds to rural New Mexicans, visit pvt.com/fiber-construction.
More information on the OBAE Connect New Mexico Pilot Program can be found at https://connect.nm.gov/press-releases.html.
Contact info: Mitch Hibbard, VP of Community Affairs and Economic Development, 575-748-1241, communityaffairs@pvt.com