Paul Bunyan Communications has completed our 2025 expansion projects across parts of Itasca and St. Louis Counties.

Itasca County:

City of Coleraine- COMPLETED.  Network is operational and services are now available.

Bearville(s) Township- COMPLETED.  Network is operational and services are now available.

City of Bovey- COMPLETED.  Network is operational and services are now available.

St. Louis County:

Sandy Pike, & Wuori Township- COMPLETED.  Network is operational and services are now available.

Alango, Angora, & Owens Township- COMPLETED.  Network is operational and services are now available.

French Township- COMPLETED.  Network is operational and services are now available.

Balkan Township- COMPLETED.  Network is operational and services are now available.

Great Scott Township & unorganized township north of Great Scott- COMPLETED.  Network is operational and services are now available.

Sign Up Now for Fiber Optic Connection
Residents and businesses in these expansion areas that have not signed up for service yet can do so at anytime.  We will come back to install the fiber optic connection up to the location when feasible and with no construction fee. Service applications can be done online, by phone, or in person at our Grand Rapids Customer Service & Technology Center.

Services Available Upon Completion

Once the new all-fiber optic network is operational, homes and businesses can get fast, dependable GigaZone™ Internet and WiFi built to keep every device connected. Voice services, including unlimited local and long-distance will also be available. Business customers will gain access to Managed IT Business Services like VOIP, Disaster Backup and Recovery, and Network Management.

As a cooperative, Paul Bunyan Communications is governed by a seven-person member-elected Board of Directors.  In 2026, there are two Board of Directors positions up for election representing Districts 3 and 8.

Article III, Section 3 of your Cooperative’s Bylaws requires any member interested in serving as a Director to submit a candidate packet to the Cooperative headquarters by the application deadline date.  This enables the Cooperative to properly verify the eligibility of all candidates to serve as a member of the Board if elected.

District 3

The current director for District 3 is Tracy Mistic-Schaar and she was the only applicant.  As a result, her uncontested director re-election to the board for District 3 will be ratified by the members at the annual meeting.

District 8; In-person Caucus

The current director for District 8 is Board Vice-President Jim Sutton and he did not apply for re-election.  Two cooperative members from District 8 applied for the position, Carrie Scott and Becky Haskell.  As a result, a District 8 in-person Caucus will be held.  All members within District 8 will be notified of the Caucus meeting by mail.

The purpose of the in-person Caucus is to select two pre-qualified candidates to seek election to be the district’s representative on the Paul Bunyan Communications Board of Directors to serve a five-year term through 2031.  The Caucus votes will be tallied and listed on the general membership ballot.

The names of two candidates are listed on the ballot to be voted on by the general membership of the Cooperative.  Votes are tallied and then announced at the Annual Meeting, scheduled for May 20, 2026.  The candidate with the greatest number of votes from the general membership is elected as the Director for District 8.

As a cooperative, Paul Bunyan Communications is governed by a seven-person member-elected Board of Directors.  In 2026, there are two Board of Director positions up for election representing Districts 8 and District 3.  To see what areas each District represents, check our Cooperative District Map here

Article III, Section 3 of your Cooperative’s Bylaws requires any member interested in serving as a Director to submit a completed candidate packet to the Cooperative headquarters at least 25 business days prior to the Caucus Election date.  This enables the Cooperative to properly verify the eligibility of all candidates to serve as a member of the Board if elected.  Members interested can find the candidate application packet and related information online at https://paulbunyan.net/cooperative/documents/

The deadline for completed Director-candidate packets to be returned to the Cooperative is 3 p.m. Tuesday, February 10.

If there are less than two pre-qualified candidates seeking election to the Board of Directors from the same district (an uncontested district election), no in-person Caucus Meeting and Caucus Election for that district will be held.

If there are two or more pre-qualified candidates seeking election from the same district, the in-person Caucus Meeting will be held and all members residing within the district will be notified by mail of the date, time, and location.  The purpose of the in-person Caucus is to select two pre-qualified candidates to seek election/re-election to be the district’s representative on the Paul Bunyan Communications Board of Directors. Directors serve a five-year term through 2031.

The current director for District 8 is Board Vice-President Jim Sutton and he will not be seeking re-election.

The current director for District 3 is Tracy Mistic-Shaar and she has expressed her intent to seek re-election.

Based on the results of any contested Caucus Election, the names of two candidates are listed on the ballot to be voted on by the general membership of the Cooperative.  Votes are tallied and announced at the Annual Meeting, scheduled for May 20, 2026.  The candidate with the greatest number of votes from the general membership is elected/re-elected as the Director for such district.

Paul Bunyan Television 24-hour Yule Log channel has returned for the holiday season and is available to all PBTV subscribers on channel 99.

“Every year we would get calls wondering where the Yule Log programming may be.  Various networks have provided it in the past and some still do but how long and when varied.  It was hard for us to provide that answer. So our staff created a Yule Log channel for our television customers to have 24/7 throughout the holiday season,” said Brian Bissonette, Paul Bunyan Communications Marketing Supervisor.

The PBTV Yule Log channel will air through at least January 3.

FOX ONE, FOX’s brand-new streaming app, is now available to PBTV Main Package subscribers at no additional cost as part of your PBTV subscription!

What is FOX ONE?

FOX ONE brings together live and on-demand content from FOX News Channel, FOX Business, Local FOX Station, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, and more—all in one easy-to-use app.

Why You’ll Love It:

• No additional cost – it’s included with your PBTV subscription
• Everything FOX in one place
• Stream live sports, news, and entertainment anytime, anywhere

How to Get Started:

• Download the FOX ONE app > click “select TV provider” > choose: Paul Bunyan Communications > enter your PBTV Everywhere username and password.
• Or, visit FOX.com > click “TV Provider” in the upper right-hand corner > select Paul Bunyan Communications > enter your PBTV Everywhere username and password.
• Dive in and enjoy everything FOX has to offer—live and on demand!

FOX ONE is only available to PBTV Main Package Subscribers.  It is not available to PBTV Economy or PBTV Lite Subscribers.

Keeping Americans Connected with Broadband Built to Last

The idea that all Americans should have reliable access to communications services at a reasonable cost has been a national objective for over a century. Today, the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) helps rural Americans connect to high-quality, affordable broadband and supports critical connections for low-income families, schools, libraries and healthcare facilities in rural communities.

Watch this video to learn about how the USF helps rural Americans get and stay connected.

Community-based providers like Paul Bunyan Communications have led the charge on the mission of universal connectivity in rural America, leveraging a mix of community commitment, private capital, long-term loans and high-cost USF support to deploy networks and deliver services in the most rural parts of the country, keeping rural Americans’ broadband rates more affordable, promoting ongoing broadband network investment, and making the business case to take on network construction loans.

Policymakers in Washington, D.C., are currently debating how to reform universal service programs going forward, so that they can continue to serve the needs of millions of Americans. It is essential that our elected officials in Washington understand the positive impacts that the critical USF programs have had and continue to have on the availability, affordability and sustainability of voice and broadband services for millions of consumers, businesses and anchor institutions in rural America.

Learn more 

Though winter might seem far off, now is the perfect time to plan ahead if you have construction projects in our service area and want to connect to our all-fiber optic network. Sign up for services now to ensure you’re on the construction list before the season ends.

Delaying may push your connection to next season. Act now to secure your spot—don’t wait!

Paul Bunyan Communications is returning over $3.6 million to its members!

Paul Bunyan Communications is a not-for-profit company that strives to provide the highest quality service at the most affordable rates.  As a cooperative, membership in Paul Bunyan Communications includes the opportunity to share in the financial success of the company. When profits are earned, they are allocated to the members based on their proportional share of the allocable revenues.  These allocations may then be returned to the individual members through capital credit retirements.

For current members with a distribution amount of $150 or less, a credit has been applied to their August bill. Checks have been mailed out for distributions of more than $150.

“Our cooperative continues to grow and thrive, now serving over 35,000 active members across over a 6,000-square-mile  service area. Through steady investment and expansion, we’ve built one of the nation’s largest rural all-fiber Gigabit networks, the GigaZone®, transforming how our members live, work, and play. It’s incredibly rewarding to see that success come full circle as we share the benefits with our members.” said Chad Bullock, Paul Bunyan Communications CEO/General Manager.

“For more than 70 years, we’ve delivered the latest technology at cost to our members. Becoming a member of Paul Bunyan Communications is simple—no fees, no annual dues. Just sign up for a local phone line or GigaZone® Broadband Internet service and you’re a member. You’ll get access to state-of-the-art technology, backed by a team of over 160 local employees who live and work right here in the communities we serve..” added Craig Boyer, Paul Bunyan Communications Chief Financial Officer.

“In a highly competitive industry filled with national providers, our cooperative stands out by putting our members and region first. We’re focused entirely on serving the communities of northern Minnesota—not customers in Sioux Falls, Fargo, or Minneapolis. We invest locally, strengthening our network, improving our services, and supporting the communities we call home” added Brian Bissonette, Paul Bunyan Communications Marketing Supervisor.

If you were a member of the cooperative in 2003 and/or 2024 and accrued more than $10 in total capital credit allocations, but do not receive the credit on your account or a check by September 1, please contact Paul Bunyan Communications at (218) 444-1234 or (218) 999-1234.

Past performance is no guarantee of future capital credit returns.  Some restrictions may apply.

The Itasca County Fair, sponsored in part by Paul Bunyan Communications is August 13-17.  Stop by our booth and check out our all-fiber optic fast Internet service powered by the GigaZone and get a free multi-prong charger while supplies last!

For more information on the Fair, visit https://www.itascacountyfair.org/

We’re Paul Bunyan Communications and we’re proud to be right here in Itasca County!

The Beltrami County Fair, sponsored in part by Paul Bunyan Communications is August 6-10.  Stop by our booth and check out our all-fiber optic fast Internet service powered by the GigaZone and get a free multi-prong charging cord while supplies last!

For more information on the Fair, visit www.beltramicountyfair.org

We’re Paul Bunyan Communications and we’re proud to be right here in Beltrami County!