Frontier Communications, the company that purchased Verizon’s landline service several years ago, says its service areas in Ohio - including the Lowell, Lower Salem, Watertown, Barlow and Beverly exchanges, along with the Parkersburg area in West Virginia - have been selected by the Federal Communications Commission to take part in a pilot program that seeks to encourage broadband adoption by extending Lifeline discounts to families who cannot afford high-speed Internet plus offer training to willing participants.

 

Frontier will work with Connect Ohio, the non-profit firm that’s been helping the Washington County Commissioners to establish countywide wireless broadband service via Smart Networks.

 

In the past two years Connect Ohio has trained more than 30,000 people how to access and use broadband. Frontier says it will work with Connect Ohio to provide discounted Internet service to graduates of such training programs.

 

The new effort will kick off in the first half of 2013. Frontier will publicize the program with assistance from area news media including WMOA as soon as details are finalized.