How Streamlined Permitting Can Accelerate NM Fiber Rollout

Original article can be found at Santa Fe New Mexican

SANTA FE, July 25, 2026 /santafenewmexican/--For years, the conversation around the digital divide in New Mexico has focused on the “what” and the “where” — what communities lack high-speed internet, and where do we need to lay the fiber?

But for internet service providers working on the ground, the most grueling question has always been the “how.” How do we navigate the complex labyrinth of local, state and federal permits required to actually get shovels in the ground?

Delays in permitting have long been one of the biggest bottlenecks to infrastructure deployment. That is why the recent launch of the New Mexico Permit Finder Tool by the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion is such a massive milestone.

By creating a free, interactive digital permitting map that demystifies the construction requirements across various jurisdictions, New Mexico is removing a tremendous deterrent to timely deployment. It allows providers to upload network designs and instantly see exactly what permits are required.

While the state has made great progress with this new tool, I challenge local municipalities to look at how they can speed up and streamline their approval processes. Many New Mexico municipalities still have antiquated processes and layers upon layers of committees and approvals before a fiber company can put a shovel in the ground.

When you streamline the permitting process, you accelerate the timeline for bringing next-generation fiber-optic connectivity to communities that need it most.

To understand why speed of deployment matters so much, we only have to look at the tangible, transformative impacts that fiber infrastructure is already delivering to New Mexico. Ezee Fiber recently commissioned a comprehensive “Report on Fiber,” and the findings underscore just how much is at stake when infrastructure projects are delayed by red tape.

Widespread commercial deployments have dramatically accelerated regional performance. Between 2022 and 2025, median download speeds more than doubled in Albuquerque (from 142 Mbps to over 285 Mbps) and in Santa Fe (from 100 Mbps to over 225 Mbps). This makes New Mexico much more competitive in attracting new companies to the state.

High-speed fiber isn’t just a utility; it’s a wealth-builder. Between 2020 and 2025, the presence of fiber added $51.2 million in housing value to sold single-family homes in Albuquerque, and $25.9 million in Santa Fe. Looking ahead, expanding fiber to 90% coverage by 2029 could unlock an additional $243 million and $105 million in real estate value for those cities, respectively.

Building these networks requires real local labor. Fiber infrastructure accounted for an estimated 528 jobs gained in Albuquerque and 133 jobs in Santa Fe between 2021 and 2024. If fiber is installed in 90% of New Mexico homes by 2029 — that means more than 3,500 new construction jobs in Albuquerque and more than 600 in Santa Fe.

Fiber is also actively saving lives and resources. Albuquerque is leveraging fiber to power artificial intelligence systems, smart lighting and sound detection for immediate police dispatch. Furthermore, fiber-connected thermal detection sensors along Albuquerque’s Bosque Trail successfully identified three active fires within months of deployment, providing instant alerts to first responders.

Every day a broadband project sits waiting for a permit signature is a day a homeowner misses out on equity, a small business is limited in its growth and a community is denied advanced public safety tools.

OBAE’s Permit Finder Tool is exactly the kind of forward-thinking, collaborative solution needed to bridge the digital divide efficiently. By cutting through bureaucracy, New Mexico is ensuring that nearly $900 million in broadband infrastructure funding moves from government spreadsheets into the ground as quickly as possible.

At Ezee Fiber, we commend the state for taking this bold step. We are eager to utilize this tool to accelerate our investments, clear the hurdles faster and deliver the life-changing benefits of true high-speed fiber to New Mexicans.

Carlos Rosas is senior vice president and general manager for the Southwest Region, Ezee Fiber.