The planned high-speed internet service announced last year is beginning to take shape.

In July 2021, the city of Socorro announced it planned to enter a franchise agreement to bring high-speed internet to the city with internet service provider TDS. The company already provides cable service in the city and is committed to investing in infrastructure for fiber.

According to TDS Public Relations Associate Manager Cheryl McCollum, the company is involved in paperwork for contracts. TDS had already found a contractor to build the network, but that contractor was acquired by another construction company.

“Right now, we’re working on getting construction contracts signed,” McCollum said. “When that happens  – and we’re close to that – we’ll start construction. It goes through many different layers when you work on construction contracts.”

She said construction will involve both burial and aerial cables.

“Some of that is decided when we get the construction contract signed. That’s part of what we’re working on,” McCollum said. “We can’t announce yet who we’ll be working with, because we work with outside vendors to do the construction, so that’s what we need to wait for.

“But I would say that we are definitely be starting construction in 2022,” she said. “That remains the plan.”

TDS will be able to serve 4,500 residential and commercial customers “but it could be as much as 5,300, McCollum said.

When all is said and done, broadband, cable, and phone service will be available to Socorro residents. “We’ll offer TV service, and this will include internet services, TV and phone service,” she said.

At the entry-level, the broadband will be 300 Mbps symmetrical, which means that a subscriber can upload and download at 300 Mbps simultaneously. Entry-level will start at $40 per month.

McCollum said plans go up to 2 gigs upload and down­load speed, at a higher fee. The company also participates in the federal plan that offers dis­counted internet services for households that qualify at speeds of 100 Mbps.

Landline service is also part of the plan.

“People like it in case their cellphone service goes out or their batteries run down and the phone needs charging,” she said.

Polo Pineda, Socorro’s City Clerk/Chief Procurement Officer/IT Director/Grants Administrator, said TDS remains committed to the fiber expansion project.

“We are finalizing our construction contracts and hope to commence construction in 2022 as previously announced last summer,” Pinnerda sod. “We are excited and eager to bring world-class fiber technology to the city, and we look forward to collaborating with city officials as we establish ourselves as a trusted local service provider.”

The rest of the county – outside the city limits – may be in store for high-speed internet, as well.

Socorro County Manager Michael Hawkes confirmed that the search is on for the best internet service provider that can provide the coverage, but that’s only part of the procedure.

“In the city, TDS will have a concentrated service area,” Hawkes said. “That’s very different for the county. We’re the largest county in the state and the cost per mile is much higher.”

“Right now we’re waiting on the state to actually issue the entire application process.,” he said. “We’re still holding meetings, meeting the state purchasing office, and meeting with representatives of other ISPs.”

John Larson, El Defensor Chieftain