Dear Editor:
There is a bill making its way through the legislature regarding broadband. SB 155 purports to remove subsidies paid to incumbent phone companies for legacy phone landlines.
The incumbent phone companies want to keep an estimated 17 million dollars in subsidies, which is what they were paid by the PRC in 2023, even if they lose voice line subscribers, until 2026. A landline is not required for DSL internet service. This 17 million takes away from the overall 30 million dollar fund for broadband. The FCC reported in June 2017 that Incumbent phone companies served a minority of voice phone lines. In New Mexico, our legislature wants to hold on to legacy technologies by allowing incumbent phone companies to receive these subsidies until 2026, At that point, these subsidies will revert to the broadband fund.
If the legislature removes the three-year payout from the bill, the 17 million will immediately go to the Broadband fund where it is needed. Let’s urge our senators and representatives to make broadband a priority by removing the three year payout!
Albert Catanach
Santa Fe