COEUR d'ALENE - Frontier Communications Corp.'s top executive on Thursday met with business, government and education leaders from the Coeur d'Alene-Post Falls area, seeking to hear about goals and plans in this market and to ask how the company can help.

Chairman and CEO Maggie Wilderotter emphasized the company's drive to bring broadband Internet service to rural communities like those found in North Idaho.

"You should have the same communication capabilities as more urban areas," Wilderotter said at The Coeur d'Alene Resort.

She said Frontier plans to spend $800 million expanding broadband infrastructure throughout its markets in the next two to three years.

North Idaho College president Priscilla Bell urged Frontier on in those efforts.

Bell said enrollment has grown, but "Internet enrollment has skyrocketed."

As more people gain the needed Internet access, Internet training and education can expand, she said.

"We need some help doing that," Bell said.

Idaho state Sen. Jim Hammond told Wilderotter that broadband also is essential for students in elementary through high school.

"Hopefully some of that money you talked about spending will come this way" for schools, Hammond said.

Post Falls city administrator Eric Keck expressed concern about the "net export of talent" from the area as younger residents seek work with technology firms outside the Coeur d'Alene-Post Falls area. Keck asked for any help Frontier could provide to bring more tech companies to the area and diversify the economy here.

Coeur d'Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem also asked for help recruiting companies that could expand here or start operations here.

"I don't know of anybody who could be better eyes and ears" to help, Bloem said.

Wilderotter responded that the company is in a good position to make that effort and pledged to do so.

Wilderotter was joined Thursday by Frontier executives Denise Baumbach, president of the west region; Becky Potts, state vice president and general manager for mountain and southwest states; and Mike Towne, area general manager for Idaho and Montana.

In July, Frontier acquired Verizon Communications' local wireline operations in 14 states, including Idaho. The combined operations provide phone, high-speed Internet, wireless Internet data access, satellite video and other services to more than 4 million residential and business customers in 27 states. Its 2009 revenues were $6 billion.

The large, rural telecommunications carrier, headquartered in Stamford, Conn., has a workforce that is 100 percent U.S. based, Wilderotter said.