The 2020 Men’s & Women’s NIAC Basketball Tournament presented by Paul Bunyan Communications is coming to Cass Lake High School and Oak Hills Christian College​ this weekend!

10 schools from Minnesota, North Dakota, and Manitoba will compete for the 2020 championship.

A tournament pass to take in all the games is only $10 or $6 for students. Single day passes are $5 or $3 for students.

For more information visit https://www.oakhills.edu/athletics/niac-tournament

The Northern Minnesota Builder’s Association will hold the 25th Annual Home & Cabin Show March 6-8 at the IRA Civic Center in Grand Rapids.

Be sure to stop by the Paul Bunyan Communications exhibit at the show to pick up a free gift while supplies last and learn more about our services including GigaZone Broadband Internet, Whole-home DVR, PBTV Everywhere, On Demand and PBTV HD.

Show Hours are:

Friday, March 6          3-7 p.m.

Saturday, March 7     10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday, March 8       Noon-4 p.m.

This event is sponsored in part by Paul Bunyan Communications and includes booths featuring a wide variety of products & services, a silent auction, and a chance to win over lots of prizes!  For more information or to register, visit www.nmbuilders.com

There was recently a winner of the Paul Bunyan Communications Hockey Hot Shots Promotion during a Bemidji State University men’s home hockey game!

Tucker Coombs of Shevlin made his shot at center ice during a period intermission at the Beavers game Saturday, February 1 against Bowling Green to win a 65” Smart HDTV.  Tucker is 12 and a 5^th grader at Bagley Elementary.

“I was excited when they called my name to play but was pretty nervous once I got out to center ice.  I decided I was going to try to take it easy and not shoot the puck too hard.  I felt pretty good once I shot the puck and it went right down the middle and in.  I couldn’t believe it!” said Coombs.

“We’ve been sponsoring the contest for a long time dating back to games at the John Glas Fieldhouse and it seems like winners come in bunches.  It’s been a while since someone won at a BSU game but there were two winners within a month back in 2015 and three in one weekend in 2011.   It is a lot of fun to see someone make that shot.  You only get one chance, you’re in front of a crowd, and you are shooting for a small opening from center ice.  It’s not easy but Tucker sure made it look that way! ”said Brian Bissonette, Paul Bunyan Communications Marketing Supervisor.

You can see video of Tucker making the shot on YouTube https://youtu.be/7mjHWwP-jSE and the view from the stands https://youtu.be/CLUdKNw2iQA

The Paul Bunyan Communications Hockey Hot Shots contest is held during an intermission at select Bemidji State University Men’s Hockey home games.  Three contestants are selected at random to participate each night. All contestants receive a coupon for a free PBTV On Demand movie rental, any contestant hitting the board receives a Paul Bunyan Communications Box of Northland Tackle, and a contestant who puts the puck in the net through the middle of the Hockey Hot Shots board wins up to a 70” Smart HDTV.

For the second time this season, there was a winner of the Paul Bunyan Communications Hockey Hot Shots Promotion during a Grand Rapids Boys Thunderhawks home hockey game!

Ben Solem made his shot at center ice at the Thunderhawks game Tuesday, January 14 against Cloquet during a period intermission.  Ben is 11, a 6^th grader at St. Joseph’s Catholic School, and a pee wee hockey player for Grand Rapids Youth Hockey.

“I’ve grown up watching the Thunderhawks and always wanted to give Hockey Hot Shots a try.  I was just excited to get chosen to shoot, to win was awesome!  I’m pumped to get my own big screen TV.” said Solem.

“We’ve been sponsoring the contest since 2012 and it is a lot of fun to see someone make that shot.  You only get one chance, you’re in front of a crowd, and you are shooting for the small opening from center ice.  It’s not easy but Ben beat the odds and gets to pick out his new Smart HDTV!  ” said Brian Bissonette, Paul Bunyan Communications Marketing Supervisor.

The Paul Bunyan Communications Hockey Hot Shots contest is held during an intermission at each Grand Rapids Boys Hockey home games.  Three contestants are selected at random to participate each night. All contestants receive a coupon for a free PBTV On Demand movie rental, any contestant hitting the board receives a Paul Bunyan Communications Box of Northland Tackle, and a contestant who puts the puck in the net through the middle of the Hockey Hot Shots board wins up to a 70” Smart HDTV.

Paul Bunyan Communications is excited to announce the winners of the 5th Annual Pick-it Bowl Challenge, a free online contest for participants to pick the winners for the 2019-20 College Bowl games for a chance to win a credit on a Paul Bunyan Communications account.

There were 425 participants this year and the top 10 finishers all won a credit on their Paul Bunyan Communications account.

Winners of the 5^th Annual Paul Bunyan Communications Pick-it Bowl Challenge:

1^st Place- $500 credit  Michael Hoffman, Bemidji

2^nd Place- $250 credit  Fred Luckeroth, Park Rapids

3^rd Place- $100 credit  Laurie Weese, Deer River

4^th Place- $50 credit    Desire McCray, Bemidji

5^th Place- $25 credit    Tie: Katie Nelson, Bemidji and Timothy Howg, Grand Rapids

7^th Place- $25 credit    Keith Bartholomaus, Laporte

8^th Place- $25 credit    Tie:  David Baughn, Bemidji and Moe Webb, Bemidji

10^th Place- $25 credit  Thomas Dent, Laporte

The next Paul Bunyan Communications Pick-It Challenge is March Mania for the College Division 1 Men’s Basketball Tournament.

The Tennis Channel been added to Paul Bunyan Television service and is now available to all PBTV main subscribers on channel 87 or PBTV HD channel 587.

Tennis Channel is the only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to both the professional sport and tennis lifestyle. Tennis Channel also has the most concentrated single-sport coverage in television, with telecast rights at the US Open, Wimbledon, Roland Garros (French Open), Australian Open, ATP World events, WTA competitions, Fed Cup, Laver Cup and the ATP Cup.

“Tennis is a sport many in our region enjoy and our cooperative has featured USTA Quickstart Tennis which introduces young people to the game as part of our annual Cooperative Celebration for over a decade.  The addition of the Tennis Channel will give our customers the opportunity to see the best players in the world in action throughout the year!” said Brian Bissonette, Paul Bunyan Communications Marketing Supervisor.

With comprehensive coverage from most of the top 100 tournaments, the top 10 men and women have been known to play over 900 times in a year on Tennis Channel for live and encore airings.  However, the legends of the sport are not just on the court, they’re also in the broadcasting booth. Tennis Channel has more Hall of Fame talent than any other single-sports network including Lindsay Davenport, Jim Courier, Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin and more.

The network’s programming is not limited to match play. Original reports, features, documentaries and online content delve into the behind-the-scenes stories that highlight the history of some of the most influential players to ever step on the court, while introducing our audience to today’s up-and-coming talents. Tennis Channel also looks beyond the professionals at the net with lifestyle, travel, instructional and news programming that is unavailable anywhere else.

The world’s most powerful Wi-Fi is now available locally from Paul Bunyan Communications announced!  GigaZone Blast Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi 6 technology is now available to all locations within the GigaZone.

GigaZone Blast Wi-Fi leverages the all-fiber optic network of the GigaZone to deliver gigabit speeds wirelessly throughout a home or business with coverage up to 3x greater than Wi-Fi 5.  The GigaZone Blast Wi-Fi 6 router also provides increased data capacity and significant improvements in latency – up to 75% lower for gaming and video streaming.  https://paulbunyan.net/gigazoneblastwi-fi/

“Our cooperative leads the way when bringing the latest in communication technology to the region and we are proud to be the first to offer Wi-Fi 6 technology to our customers.  We can all see that the number of internet connected devices in our homes is increasing and it’s important that our membership has the very best broadband experience possible.  GigaZone Blast Wi-Fi is faster, stronger, and includes more security features than ever before,” said Gary Johnson, Paul Bunyan Communications CEO/General Manager.

In addition to the increased speed, security, and coverage, GigaZone Blast Wi-Fi also provides peace of mind.  The cooperative installs and maintains the GigaZone Blast router and our local technical support team is right here to help keep it working worry free throughout the year.

As the Internet provider with the largest and fastest all-fiber optic network in the region, our cooperative is providing wired Internet service at very high speed.  That speed, however, can be dramatically impacted by a wireless router. Older routers may not be able to handle the higher speed Internet you are receiving.  GigaZone Blast Wi-Fi ensures you are getting the best possible wireless connections in your home or business.

“Wi-Fi technology has evolved rapidly and not only will Wi-Fi 6 technology provide more speed and reach farther but it also improves performance when there are multiple devices connected to the network” said Leo Anderson Jr., Paul Bunyan Communications Technology Experience Manager. “Even better for our membership, it’s low cost.  You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a router to get the best Wi-Fi available!”

GigaZone Blast Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi 6 can be added to GigaZone Internet service for only $5 per month and all new GigaZone customers can get GigaZone Blast Wi-Fi free for the first 6 months.

Paul Bunyan Communications offices will be closed Monday, January 20 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The cooperative staff will use this national holiday for meetings and training.

Emergency 24 hour repair will remain available and can be reached at 1-800-475-8309

Area High School Students age 16 or 17 are encouraged to enter the Paul Bunyan Communications Essay Contest for a chance to attend the 2020 Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. June 6-10, with all expenses paid by Paul Bunyan Communications.  Last year Eva Laturi of Bemidji was the PBC Youth Tour winner.

Students interested in attending the Youth Tour need to submit a short essay, no more than 500 words in length, on why they would like to attend the Youth Tour. Students must be 16 or 17 years of age and in high school with their parent/guardian a member of Paul Bunyan Communications Cooperative.

Entries can be dropped off at the Paul Bunyan Communications office in Bemidji or Grand Rapids, or they can mailed to:

Paul Bunyan Communications Essay Contest
1831 Anne St. NW
Bemidji, MN 56601

The deadline for entries is Friday, March 6.

The trip features a comprehensive overview of the telecommunications industry, including careers in telecom, the critical role telecommunications plays in rural America, and how legislative and regulatory decisions affect the industry.  The tour allows youth to meet with members of Congress who represent rural constituents.  They also participate in educational sessions about the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  Students visit some of the nation’s most historic sites, including Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian Museums, and a beautiful night tour of our Washington D.C.

“We hope that by providing our youth with telecommunications services comparable to those found in urban areas, as well as exposing them to cultural and educational opportunities, such as the FRS Youth Tour, our youth will remain in and become active members in their rural communities,” said Brian Bissonette, Paul Bunyan Communications Marketing Supervisor.

The Foundation for Rural Service is dedicated to informing and to improving the quality of life throughout rural America.  Each year, it organizes the Youth Tour, designed to educate rural youth about the telecommunications industry and the federal political process.  The FRS is a subsidiary of the NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association of which Paul Bunyan Communications is a member.

This is the 24^th consecutive year that Paul Bunyan Communications has participated in sending a local high school student to the Youth Tour.