The efforts of Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., have secured a $6.8 million award to expand broadband Internet in Northwest Montana.

The award is from the Federal Communications Commission and is part of the Connect America Fund to promote high-speed broadband expansion in unserved areas.

Les Braswell, a spokesman for Tester, said the award will go toward more than 2,300 homes and businesses primarily in Lincoln County.

“It will mainly impact the Troy and Libby area,” he said.

Frontier Communications will receive the award over the next six years. The company touts itself as serving rural America and will use the money to increase Internet access and speed in Libby and Troy.

Tester leaned on the FCC to increase rural access to broadband Internet in eligible unserved areas.

“In the 21st century, reliable Internet access is just as important as roads and bridges to growing our economy,” Tester said. “This award will give Northwest Montana’s small business owners tools to expand their operations and ensures that folks have access to the world of information at their fingertips.”

Frontier has promised to deliver broadband speeds of 10 megabytes per second, more than double the speed the FCC previously required for its broadband rollout initiative. Frontier provides service in 28 states and is the fifth-largest provider of digital subscriber lines in the United States.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at [email protected].