Areas of rural north central New Mexico rely significantly on dial-up service, and much of the region lacks affordable, high-bandwidth network services for community anchor institutions and small businesses. The North Central New Mexico Economic Development District’s REDI Net project plans to deploy a middle-mile fiber optic broadband network across the counties of Rio Arriba, Los Alamos, and northern Santa Fe, and to five Native American tribal communities. The project proposes to enable distance learning and advanced technology applications at schools and community colleges, and promote energy efficiency by enabling “smart grid” applications for regional rural electric cooperatives. REDI Net plans to utilize the network to provide support for locally based businesses, especially in the technology, media, and renewable energy industries. The project also intends to offer higher levels of security and reliability for public safety and telemedicine in the region.