Santa Fe presents broadband strategic plan, targets six public Wi‑Fi locations and digital equity steps

At a Quality of Life Committee meeting, Johanna Nelson, director of the Office of Economic Development, introduced the citybroadband and Wi‑Fi strategic planning work, saying the office had used American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and outside planning help to produce an implementation roadmap.

The plan the office presented groups infrastructure, affordability and adoption work into a three‑phase approach: (1) assess existing fiber and ISP service (middle mile and last mile), (2) evaluate delivery and funding options, and (3) adopt an action plan to stand up pilots and measurable programs. Tony Flores of f5 Planning and Consulting, the cityconsultant on the plan, emphasized the technical baseline: "Broadband in its truest sense is just the getting information from point a to point." He told the committee the city has substantial broadband infrastructure but that the plan identifies gaps in affordability, outreach and public Wi‑Fi accessibility.

Why it matters: Committee members and presenters framed the plan as a response to the digital divide exposed during the COVID‑19 pandemic, when lack of reliable home Internet affected education, telehealth and small business activity. Nelson and Lizzie Portillo, an…