The $60 million Idaho Education Network became the focus of another fight Wednesday, with some local Internet service providers demanding it be put on hold because they're being excluded from the project and the state budget chief warning lawmakers against delays.

Lawmakers approved the statewide broadband network in 2008 to link public schools, universities and businesses. Qwest Communications Co. lobbied hard for the system and won a big share of building it.

Then, in December, telecommunication company Syringa Networks sued the state, saying it had been illegally excluded from the deal. Syringa, a consortium of 12 rural Idaho telephone companies, also alleges Department of Administration Director Mike Gwartney threatened to take away its other business with Idaho, if it complained.