Network success story lifts N.M. hopes.(Business)

Byline: Sue Vorenberg svorenberg@abqtrib.com / 823-3678

Telecommunications

SANTA FE New Mexico's telecommunications network might lag behind other states, but it's not as bad as many believe.

State legislators, economic development officials, private businesses and telecom experts met Thursday to learn "The Colorado Success Story" about Colorado's telecom build-out and apply those lessons to New Mexico. What they found was that several existing efforts could, with a little work, bring New Mexico in line with its neighbors.

"I think there's remarkable similarities in the efforts of the two states," said Pat Vanderpool, economic development specialist for Sen. Pete Domenici, an Albuquerque Republican. "I think we're farther along than we thought we were."

The meeting was organized by the Tri-Area Association for Economic Development and telecom groups, including the Northern New Mexico Telecommunications Advocacy Group, Rural PayDay and Connect New Mexico.

One goal of legislators and telecommunications advocates is a state telecom network with high-speed Internet connections that can carry voice, video and data communications to both urban and rural areas. Such capacity can aid business development, allow schools to teach children …