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Resound Networks says $12 million plan will bring fiber and fixed wireless to parts of Colfax County and Raton
Summary
Resound Networks representatives updated the Colfax County Commission on a combined $12 million broadband plan that the company says will bring fiber-to-the-home in portions of Raton and fixed wireless coverage across rural parts of the county.
Resound Networks representatives told the Colfax County Commission on Feb. 23 that the company has secured funding and plans to build a mix of fiber-to-the-home and fixed wireless internet in parts of the county, including portions of the city of Raton.
Tamara Rosenberg, external affairs director for Resound Networks, introduced the company and said the presentation was meant to familiarize county leaders with the project and the company’s local contacts. "We were awarded a total, excuse me, a total of $12,000,000, to bring for both the fiber to the home and the fixed wireless," Rosenberg said.
Brian Waldriff, chief operating officer at Resound Networks, told commissioners the original proposal was for fixed wireless but evolved after the company won awards under federal and state programs. "When we started this, with Colfax County, it was a fixed wireless application," Waldriff said. "Since then...it's evolved into now. We've we've been awarded to do fiber to the home to the city of Raton." He said some parts of Raton already have fiber and the project will fill in gaps; the company also plans fixed wireless buildouts in rural areas such as around Springer and French Tract.
Waldriff and Rosenberg said the build combines federal Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) and state Connect New Mexico awards with private investment; they said roughly $8 million is grant funding and about $4 million is company funds. The presenters said engineering for fixed wireless segments was underway and expected to move into field work in February.
Commissioners asked no technical questions; one commissioner thanked the company for pursuing fiber in eastern Raton and noted the plans overlap with areas in a commissioner’s district. Rosenberg and Waldriff said they would be in touch as permitting, engineering and construction tasks advance.
The company appeared during the public-comment portion of the meeting to update the commission and said no formal approvals or easements were requested at that time.
