***LIMITED TIME OFFER***

Sign up for paperless billing and receive a one-time $20 credit on your account!

Going paperless reduces mailing costs for the cooperative and helps save on paper use.

It’s easy to make the switch. Log in to your SmartHub account HERE, select “My Profile,” and then “Update My Paperless Settings.” Turn the toggle to “On” to enroll in paperless billing and receive a one-time $20 credit on your account. You can also call us or stop by one of our offices and we’ll be happy to help you enroll.

Offer expires October 31, 2026.  Some restrictions may apply.

⛳ We had a great time out on the course for the Grand Rapids Chamber Golf Outing & Fun Day!

It was a beautiful day to connect with others in our community, enjoy some friendly competition, and have a little fun along the way. Thanks to the Grand Rapids Chamber for another great event!

🏈 Join us at the BSU Game Day Experience!

Bring the whole family to the Decker Hall lawn at Bemidji State University for a fun-filled football pregame celebration with activities, entertainment, and plenty of Beaver pride! 🦫💚

📅 Saturday, September 26 ⏰ 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. 📍 Decker Hall Lawn

Come enjoy the fun and get ready to cheer on the Beavers! 🏈

We’re proud to support the Clubs of the North Golf Classic in Coleraine! ⛳

This fundraiser benefits the Boys & Girls Club of the Northland, helping provide local kids with meals, tutoring, mental health services, caring staff, and a safe place to learn, grow, and just be kids.

A great day on the course for an even greater cause!

Some of our Business IT crew recently had the chance to lend a hand at the Bemidji Community Table as part of our Adopt an Agency partnership through the United Way of Bemidji Area.

A big thank you to Stacy Trask, Sam Walkoff, Marcus Winters, Chris Fultz, and David Anderson for taking time to help out and give back to our community!

We are expanding our all-fiber optic network the GigaZone®, to over 2,600 more locations in areas of Aitkin, Hubbard, Itasca, and St. Louis Counties this year.

Aitkin County

This expansion is taking place across a wide area of Central Aitkin County including the cities of McGregor, Palisade, and Tamarack, along with portions of Clark, Haugen, Jevne, Libby, Logan, McGregor, Shamrock, and Workman Townships. It includes over 1,800 homes and businesses.

City of Palisade and rural areas east, south, and west of Palisade

The project is completed with services now available.

City of McGregor

Construction is done.  Fiber splicing is underway with services anticipated becoming available by the end of the year.

Current Construction

Our construction crews are working east of Sandy Lake reservoir and around the town of Tamarack. They will soon be starting work in the Round Lake/Horseshoe Lake area of Shamrock Township.

Permit Delays

Unfortunately, we have run into unusually long delays in getting the necessary permits for a few areas of this project.  This impacts around 600 locations and as a result we will have to wait until the 2027 construction season to complete those areas of the project.  These areas are highlighted in purple on our online map at https://paulbunyan.net/gigazone/availability-map/

Itasca County/St. Louis County

Over 600 locations in areas of the following townships in St Louis and Itasca County: Alango, Sturgeon, Field, Carpenter, and Unorganized Township east of Carpenter Township.  These areas are south and west of the city of Cook.

The western most part of the project is done and services are now available. This includes portions of Carpenter Township and the unorganized township east of Carpenter Township.

Construction in Sturgeon Township and the western part of Alango Township is done with fiber splicing underway. Service installations are expected to begin by the end of October.

Construction is now taking place in Field Township and northern Alango Township. Once completed fiber splicing will begin. Service installations are expected to begin over winter.

This project is made possible through the State of Minnesota, Department of Employment & Economic Development, Low-Density Population Broadband Infrastructure Development Grant Program.  This project is estimated to cost $7,810,355, with the State of Minnesota’s Low-Population Density Program grant contributing $3,924,157, Paul Bunyan Communications investing $2,203,928, Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation (IRRRB) investing $1,000,000, St. Louis County investing $583,250, Alango Township $41,200, Field Township $17,800, and Sturgeon Township $40,000.

Hubbard County

Over 225 locations in southern Hubbard County including areas of Henrietta and Todd Townships south of Fishhook Lake and areas south and west of Long Lake in Hubbard Township.

Areas of Henrietta and Todd Townships south of Fishhook Lake

The area south of Fishhook Lake is finished and services are now available.  Todd Township construction will begin soon and is expected to be completed by the end of construction season.

Areas south and west of Long Lake in Hubbard Township

Construction is almost done.  Fiber splicing will follow with services anticipated becoming available by the end of the year.

This project is made possible through a USDA ReConnect Round 3 grant award. The portion of construction built with grant dollars will be an estimated $500,000.

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.

Construction will take place over the summer with services expected to be available by winter. To get connected, residents and businesses need to sign up for service before construction leaves the area. Sign up online at https://paulbunyan.net/, over the phone, or in person at our offices in Bemidji and Grand Rapids.

Paul Bunyan Communications is inviting baseball fans and sports enthusiasts to put their prediction skills to the test with the new Pick It Big Leagues Challenge, a free online contest for the upcoming professional baseball playoffs.

The Pick It Big Leagues Challenge is easy to enter. Participants simply register, submit their picks, and earn points based on correctly predicting match winners throughout the playoffs. Anyone 18 years of age or older can enter to compete against friends, family, coworkers, and fellow baseball fans for a chance to win up to a $500 credit on their Paul Bunyan Communications account.

Contest registration is now open at https://paulbunyan.pickitchallenge.com/   Anyone who participated in the 2026 Pick It March Mania or Pick It World Soccer Challenge contest is already registered for the Pick It contest website and can just sign in to make picks once available.  Anyone who did not participate in those previous contests this year will need to register for the contest website first.

Participants will be able to make their picks September 27 through October 1.  Entries must be completed before midday on Thursday, October 1.

Some restrictions may apply.  See contest website for contest rules.

Paul Bunyan Communications is returning more than $3.7 million to its members through this year’s capital credit retirement.

As a member-owned cooperative, when it generates positive margins in any given year, those funds are allocated to members based on their use of services. Over time, those allocations are returned to members as capital credit retirements, allowing them to share directly in the cooperative’s financial success.

Members who currently receive services from Paul Bunyan Communications and have a retirement amount of $150 or less will see the credit applied directly to their September bill. Members with retirements exceeding $150 have been mailed a check.

“Everything we accomplish as a cooperative is made possible by our members,” said Chad Bullock, Chief Executive Officer of Paul Bunyan Communications. “As we continue to expand and enhance our all-fiber optic network, it’s rewarding to be able to return a portion of that success back to those who helped make it possible. Returning capital credits is one of the core values of cooperative membership.”

Today, Paul Bunyan Communications serves more than 38,000 active members across a service territory spanning over 6,000 square miles. Through decades of investment and innovation, the cooperative has developed one of the largest rural all-fiber optic networks in the nation, delivering advanced communications services throughout northern Minnesota.

“Being a member of Paul Bunyan Communications comes with many benefits,” said Craig Boyer, Chief Financial Officer. “For more than 70 years, we’ve operated with our members’ best interests in mind. There are no membership fees or annual dues, simply subscribe to a local telephone line or GigaZone® Broadband Internet service and you become a member-owner of the cooperative.”

The cooperative employs more than 160 local professionals who live and work throughout the region, providing support close to home for the critical services we provide.

“Unlike national providers, every decision we make is focused on northern Minnesota,” said Brian Bissonette, Marketing Supervisor. “The revenue generated here stays here, supporting local jobs, expanding our network, improving services, and strengthening the communities we serve in many different ways.”

Members who received capital credit allocations in 2003 and/or 2025 totaling more than $10, but who do not receive a bill credit or check by October 1, are encouraged to contact Paul Bunyan Communications at (218) 444-1234 or (218) 999-1234.

Service availability depends upon location.  Some restrictions may apply.  Past performance is no guarantee of future capital credit returns.

We’re proud to support the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation and its Sparks of Change initiative, helping strengthen the communities we serve.

Learn more: gracf.org/donate.