Contact: Isaac Padilla
Office: 505/986.4819
Mobile: 505/264.6512
Isaac.Padilla@nmlegis.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Broadband Expansion at Belen Consolidated School District
Santa Fe- Today, September 20th at 1:30 PM at Infinity High School, Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez (D-29- Bernalillo and Valencia), Senate Majority Whip Michael Padilla (D-14-Bernalillo), CEO of Plateau Telecommunications Tom Phelps, and the Executive Director of the New Mexico Exchange Carrier Group Charles Ferrell announced that broadband speed at all schools within the Belen Consolidated School District have been increased to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) via the Plateau fiber optic network.
“A quality education opens doors for children, and in today’s America, access to broadband opens those doors even wider,” said Sen. Sanchez. “We know that the digital divide impedes access to the internet for children in rural areas, and this broadband expansion will help close that divide for children attending Belen’s public schools.”
“Improving and expanding educational opportunity for all New Mexico’s students is vital for economic growth,” said Sen. Padilla. “Increased access to broadband in Belen will improve education and give the children of Belen the tools needed for the jobs of tomorrow.”
Tom Phelps currently serves as CEO of Plateau Telecommunications, Incorporated, headquartered in Clovis. Plateau Telecommunications has fiber in Belen, making it possible to provide broadband at 1 Gbps to the schools in that district. Tom Phelps stated, “Plateau Telecommunications is excited and pleased to be part of expanding educational possibilities in Belen, and we would like to thank Senator Sanchez and Senator Padilla for recognizing the importance of high speed broadband service to New Mexico.”
Charles Ferrell is the current Executive Director of the New Mexico Exchange Carrier Group (NMECG). The NMECG is an industry association that represents 13 rural New Mexico Telephone Companies. “Large communication companies often overlook rural New Mexico, and our small companies have been instrumental in delivering quality services to these areas. We are working hard to close the digital divide and are proud of our efforts in conjunction with Senator Sanchez and Senator Padilla to further this endeavor,” said Charles Ferrell.
The average broadband speed in the United States is 18.2 megabits per second (Mbps). At 20 Mbps, it takes 45 minutes to download a 2 hour HD movie. At 1 Gbps via the Plateau fiber optic network, that same movie will download in 7 seconds.
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