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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>FYI only. Hot off the press…
Three new USDA BIP awards for New Mexico.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><img width=624 height=147 id="Picture_x0020_1"
src="cid:image001.jpg@01CB5354.7E8F2620" alt="Delegation Release Header"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, September 13, 2010<b><span
style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNoSpacing><b><u><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";
text-shadow:auto'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p align=center style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center'><b><u><span
style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>NM Delegation:
$18.65 Million Awarded Through Recovery Act for Broadband Services Across State
</span></u></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><span
style='font-size:14.0pt'>Funding Will Expand Access to 45,000 New Mexicans,
600+ Businesses<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><span
style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNoSpacing><b><span style='color:black'>WASHINGTON –</span></b><span
style='color:black'> <b>U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall and U.S.
Representatives Harry Teague and Ben Ray Luján </b>today announced that more
than $18.65 million has been awarded to three New Mexico Internet providers to
expand access to high-speed broadband services to underserved communities
across the state.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='color:black'>The awards, provided by the
Department of Agriculture through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,
will benefit approximately 45,000 people, more than 600 businesses, and 98
community institutions. The projects will also create hundreds of new jobs and
provide a foundation for economic growth and job creation for decades to come. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>“Broadband is increasingly essential for businesses,
homes and schools. This investment in rural communities throughout our
state will provide broadband access to thousands of New Mexico residents, while
bolstering businesses and expanding learning opportunities,” <b>Bingaman</b>
said. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>“By connecting our rural communities through reliable,
fast broadband service, we are laying a strong foundation for economic growth,
job creation, and improved quality of life for all New Mexicans,” <b>Udall</b>
said. “I am pleased that the Recovery Act continues to provide for important
investments in New Mexico’s future.”<br>
<br>
“As we continue to invest in New Mexico, it is critical to spur jobs and
opportunities not just in the big cities, but in rural communities too,” <b>Teague</b>
said. “Expanding broadband to rural communities brings essential services
to communities where reliable Internet access is still a luxury and creates a
platform for economic growth and future investment. This Recovery Act funding
will create jobs now – through the construction process – and well
in to the future by providing local businesses the tools and resources to
compete on larger scales and expand their operations.”<span
style='color:#333333'> </span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><br>
“From small business owners to local students, access to broadband
improves prospects for New Mexicans and means real jobs in our rural communities.
These awards will fund infrastructure that will increase the availability and
speed of broadband in rural areas. Funding will support high-tech
upgrades to New Mexico’s broadband network and improve Internet service
for our homes, businesses, and communities. I am proud to see these funds
serving New Mexicans,” <b>Luján</b> said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc>
<li class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><b>La
Jicarita Rural Telephone Cooperative NM $11,856,832. </b>This award will
allow La Jicarita Rural Telephone Cooperative to offer full fiber capabilities
to rural establishments with broadband service speeds of up to 18 Mbps.
This last-mile project, along with a middle-mile component, will allow the
company to provide affordable higher speed last-mile services to a
majority of its subscriber base that would otherwise go underserved.
Approximately 3,000 people stand to benefit, as do roughly 40 businesses
and 8 community institutions. <o:p></o:p></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><b>US
Cable of Northern New Mexico, Inc. NM $4,521,289. </b>This award, matched
by $1.9 million in private contributions, will allow US Cable of Northern
New Mexico, Inc., to implement the Española Valley Broadband Initiative
and Future Opportunities project to offer broadband service speeds
exceeding 20 Mbps. The project design includes a fiber rich two-way hybrid
fiber coaxial upgrade using DOCSIS 3.0 technology to serve customers in
Española, Dixon and Peñasco. Approximately 32,000 people stand to
benefit, as do roughly 550 businesses and 88 community institutions. The
company estimates the project will create 235 jobs. <o:p></o:p></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><b>Windstream
Corporation NM $2,273,847. </b>This award, matched by $757,950 in private
contributions, will allow Windstream to extend its broadband network to
provide service to unserved homes and businesses in the areas of Chimayo,
Dixon, Peñasco, Rio Chama, Ruidoso, South Rio Arriba, Tierra Amarilla,
Truth or Consequences and Vallecitas. The project will use industry
standard ADSL2+ (Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line) protocols that will
offer broadband service speeds of up to 12 Mbps. Approximately 10,000
people stand to benefit, as do roughly 50 businesses and 2 community
institutions. The company estimates the project will create 29 jobs.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><i><span
style='color:black'>#########</span><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class=MsoNoSpacing><b><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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