CenturyLink – which acquired Qwest Communications in April – has completed ahead of schedule a $258 million investment in broadband and network in New Mexico.

“We are proud that these particular investments are complete, were done early and that we invested an additional $3 million. As a result, our network is more reliable, we have more connected cities with greater redundancy and improved access to higher broadband speeds,” Valerie Dodd, vice president and general manager for CenturyLink in New Mexico, said in a press release.

In February 2007, Qwest pledged to invest $255 million in New Mexico in five categories, including broadband expansion.

The goal was to expand broadband to 83 percent of the residents of New Mexico, and now Qwest and CenturyLink have reached 85 percent of the residents, the companies said.

In addition, CenturyLink's broadband service reaches an average of 75 percent of customers in rural areas of the state.

There are other sectors where CenturyLink has and/or continues to expand. Central office redundancy and diversity relates to fiber routes and making a secondary backbone to increase network reliability, according to the company statement. Cable rehabilitation relates to replacing over 150 miles of cable in New Mexico. The cable is old. Network and advanced telecommunications technology relates to investments for network improvement and capacity augmentation, the company said.

CenturyLink is the third largest telecommunications company in the United States. The company provides broadband, voice and wireless services to consumers and businesses.

The company centers on providing communications to consumers and small businesses throughout the company's 37-state service area and to business, wholesale and government customers in the United States via its 190,000 route-mile fiber network, according to a recent TechZone360 report.

It also offers entertainment services through CenturyLink Prism TV and DIRECTV.

The company has also entered some international markets.

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