Frontier Looks to Help Take on California’s Digital Divide

Frontier Communications reported it has an aspirational goal of 200,000 new broadband adoptions among low-income households in California over the next two years. As part of that, the company says it is awarding $3 million in grants to community-based organizations that work toward closing the state’s digital divide. Frontier also is donating 50,000 laptops that’ll be distributed by those organizations to participating low-income households.

“Frontier’s public benefits contributions to California are exemplary of the way companies can help close the digital divide and provide to all residents the 21st Century civil right of high-speed Internet access,” says Sunne Wright McPeak, president and CEO of the California Emerging Technology Fund. California Public Utilities Commission Commissioner Catherine J.K. Sandoval stresses that affordable high-speed Internet is “an economic and social imperative." "I applaud the efforts by Frontier and CETF to work with local agencies to take real steps to increase access to affordable Internet service and help Californians narrow the digital divide," Sandoval adds. Frontier Affordable Broadband for qualified low-income households offers speeds up to 7 Mbps/1 Mbps for $13.99 per month. The service is available in a package with landline telephone to customers who qualify for the California LifeLine program.