Cincinnati Bell becomes utility with Cincinnati Bell Energy

Utilities offering telecom services are nothing new. But reverse that scenario and you have something unusual. Communications services provider Cincinnati Bell Inc. (NYSE:CBB) has partnered with Viridian Energy to form Cincinnati Bell Energy. The company will now offer green retail energy in southwestern Ohio alongside voice, video, and Internet services.

The company says it now offers Ohio’s first green energy option at prices lower than local utilities. Viridian generates the energy via wind power.

Cincinnati Bell Energy’s offering takes advantage of deregulation within the energy industry. The energy service will leverage the customer’s existing utility connections from local utility Duke Energy, which will continue to maintain the connection and bill the customer.

"The retail energy market is an exciting and rapidly growing space, and this convergence between telecom and energy is a dramatic first for both industries," said Ted Torbeck, president and general manager of Cincinnati Bell Communications. "This innovative partnership with Viridian Energy provides substantial value to our customers, saving them money and helping them contribute to a cleaner environment.”