1st-Mile Institute New Mexico

1st-Mile New Mexico is an initiative to promote and help bring affordable, open fiber and wireless broadband networks to the communities and people of New Mexico.

We believe the use of broadband is essential for technological vitality in New Mexico's rural communities.

Our mission is to provide:

• Awareness about the value of broadband
• Advocacy for local economy-building through broadband
• Networked applications and tools to enable broadband access

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Broadband is commonly known as high-speed Internet access.

It is officially defined by the FCC as data transmission speeds faster than 768 kbps in at least one direction (asymmetric), either downloading or uploading.

1st-Mile New Mexico believes that true, open broadband is whatever amount of bandwidth is needed to support New Mexico's ability to compete in the global economy.

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From a purely technical perspective, high-speed data access means a more efficient — and satisfying — Internet experience:

• Fast downloads
• Quick access to information
• Greater reliability

But broadband access brings much more than the simplicity of a better Internet experience. It also improves:

• Economic Development
• Education
• Medical Care
• E-Government
• Communication

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New Mexico is one of the least well-served states in the US with respect to broadband infrastructure, access and services:

• According to a report by the Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the state ranks 36th in broadband telecommunications.
• FCC statistics indicate only 78% of New Mexicans have access to DSL service and only 77% have access to cable modem service. These percentages are well below the national averages of 82% and 96%, respectively.
• The Communications Works of America reports the quality of service of available broadband connectivity is 15% slower in New Mexico than the national average.

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1st-Mile New Mexico's goal is to ensure true, open broadband for the whole of New Mexico. Our proposed action agenda aims for that end:

• Build constituancy and political support for a statewide 1st-Mile broadband initiative.
• Develop an inclusive "Integrated Strategic Broadband Plan".
• Hold national-state-local conferences (2007/2008) to inform and enact next steps such as a series of community outreach, education and fact-finding workshops.
• Develop economic, financial and investment strategies, and supporting partnerships to help secure public-private funding.
• Conduct local-regional workshops on best practice systems, applications and content.
• Assist early-adopter, example-setting communities with open fiber or wireless deployments.
• Create a 1st-Mile Institute (think–and–do tank) to facilitate and develop sustainably integrated state (and national) networked society initiatives, policies and information dissemination.

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Want to get involved and help bring open broadband to all of New Mexico?

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