Veteran ISP NMSurf Challenges $29M BEAD Broadband Overbuild in Santa Fe

PR Newswire

SANTA FE, N.M., Sept. 2, 2025

Company urges NTIA and New Mexico officials to stop wasteful duplication and protect veteran-owned broadband providers.

SANTA FE, N.M., Sept. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- NMSurf, a veteran-owned internet service provider (ISP) in New Mexico, is raising concerns over nearly $29 million in BEAD broadband funds awarded to Sacred Wind Communications to overbuild service in Santa Fe County areas NMSurf already covers.

NMSurf is a veteran-owned ISP headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico. For more than 28 years, the company has delivered affordable, reliable broadband across the state, with a mission to connect rural, tribal, and underserved communities.

According to state filings, SWC received $22 million in federal funding for a project reaching 1,071 locations at about $27,000 per location. NMSurf already serves roughly 75% of these homes and businesses with fixed wireless that meets BEAD performance standards: 100 Mbps download, 20 Mbps upload, and under 100 ms latency.

"This is a textbook example of wasteful federal spending," said Albert Catanach, Founder and CEO of NMSurf. "Taxpayer dollars are duplicating service while unserved communities across New Mexico are still waiting for broadband."

NMSurf is urging the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and New Mexico's Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) to act quickly to prevent overbuilding and ensure fair treatment of veteran-owned providers. The company calls on policymakers to:

Use FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) maps to define unserved areas.
Halt overbuilding where qualifying service already exists.
Guarantee veteran-owned small providers a fair chance to compete.

"This isn't about competition — it's about fairness and responsible use of federal funds," added Catanach. "Every dollar wasted on duplication is a dollar not spent on families in truly unserved communities."

The Santa Fe case reflects a nationwide risk: BEAD funds may be misallocated to areas already served, diverting resources from the mission to close the digital divide. NMSurf urges decision-makers to prioritize unserved households and ensure every federal dollar strengthens America's broadband future.

Media Contact

Albert Catanach, NMSurf, 1 505-986-1669, ap@nmsurf.com, https://www.nmsurf.com

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SOURCE NMSurf