We got into the Halloween spirit to support Great Tails Animal Rescue at their Howlin’ Halloween Masquerade Ball!

We’re proud to support this local organization located in Cohasset and the incredible work they do caring for animals in need and helping them find their forever homes. https://www.greattailsanimalrescue.com/ 

Thanks to everyone who helped make this fundraiser paws-itively successful!

The annual Paul Bunyan Communications Holiday Open House is Friday, December 11 from 10-2 at our offices in Bemidji and Grand Rapids.

Stop in for hot apple cider and cookies, pick up the 2026 collector ornament along with 2027 desk and sticky car calendars, and the PBC Academy will be open to answer any of your streaming video questions!

It’s a Holiday Tradition. Come celebrate the season with your local broadband cooperative!

Upcoming Holiday Office Closures

Thursday, December 24 & Friday, December 25

Offices will be closed in observation of the Christmas holiday.  Our regular office hours will resume on Monday, December 28.

Thursday, December 31

Offices will close early at 2 p.m. for New Year’s Eve.

Friday, January 1

Offices will be closed in observation of New Year’s holiday.  Our regular office hours will resume on Monday, January 4.

Emergency 24 hour repair will remain available.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Paul Bunyan Communications!

Congratulations to the winners of the cooperative’s Pick It Big Leagues Challenge, a free contest to pick the winners of the MLB Playoffs.

The top 10 finishers and one random draw participant win a credit on their Paul Bunyan Communications account.

• 2026 Pick It Big Leagues Challenge Winners
• 1^st Place- Heidi Simmons, Cass Lake        $500 credit
• 2^nd Place- Randy Moyer                              $250 credit
• 3^rd Place- Russell Folkerts, Blackduck     $100 credit
• 4^th Place- Vicki McFarren, Park Rapids   $50 credit
• 5^th Place- Gary Berg, Kelliher                     $50 credit
• 6^th Place- Sandra Dudley, Bemidji             $50 credit
• 7^th Place- Misty Peterson                             $50 credit
• 8^th Place- Peggy Bonneville, Nashwauk    $50 credit
• 9^th Place- Jen McInerney, Taconite           $50 credit
• 10th Place- Brian Kaatz, Park Rapids        $50 credit
• Random Prize Drawing: Jeff Grover of Deer River (86th place)  $100 credit

The next Paul Bunyan Communications Pick It Challenge contest will be for the college football bowl games and playoffs starting Friday, December 18.  Be sure to register and make your picks before the first games start!

We have made great progress on expanding our GigaZone® all-fiber optic network in an area southwest of downtown Hibbing and are adding another area to the expansion construction this fall.

The new expansion area added to this year’s plan includes over 140 locations in an area south of Hwy 169 between MN Hwy 73 and 1^st Avenue stretching just south of S 47^th Street.  It includes parts of 11^th Ave W, Newberg Rd, Aspen Knoll, Opal Lane, Aspen Grove, Diamond CT, and Meadow Drive.

Construction will take place over the next few weeks with services expected to be available over the winter. To get connected, residents and businesses just need to sign up for service. That can be done online at https://paulbunyan.net/ or in person at our Grand Rapids Customer Service & Technology Center.

Construction is almost done on the first area of expansion that includes over 700 locations in an area that stretches from Hwy 169 east to 1^st Avenue and north to 28^th Street West.  It includes portions of Ansley Rd, Corey Tracts Rd, 1^st-9^th Ave W, Dillon Rd, and 28^th-41^st St W.

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. In addition, Paul Bunyan Communications is an authorized DIRECTV dealer and certified Apple Service Center.

“It’s important for anyone in the expansion area who wants to get connected to sign up as soon as possible. By signing up before construction crews stop for the winter, you’ll be able to have your services installed once the network becomes operational. We will return to connect additional locations in the future, but those who wait to sign up may not be able to get connected until next summer,” said Brian Bissonette, Paul Bunyan Communications Marketing Supervisor.

For more than 70 years, Paul Bunyan Communications has brought the latest communications technology to communities across northern Minnesota. Today, the cooperative provides high-quality, reliable Internet & WiFi services across more than 6,000 square miles, including neighboring rural communities and cities such as Buhl, Cook, Britt, Marble, Nashwauk, and Keewatin.

The cooperative will expand even further in the city of Hibbing in 2027.  More information on those plans will be released once finalized.

Get in to win with the Paul Bunyan Communications Pick-it Bowl Challenge, a free online contest for participants to pick the winners for the Division 1 College Bowl and playoff games for a chance to win a credit on a Paul Bunyan Communications account.

The top 10 finishers will win a credit on their Paul Bunyan Communications account. First place winner will receive a $500 credit, second place is a $250 credit.

To sign up for the Pick It Bowl Challenge go to http://paulbunyan.pickitchallenge.com

The Pick-it Bowl Challenge is a fun and free way to interact with others in northern Minnesota and enjoy a little friendly competition.  Must be 18 years of age or older. Limit one entry per person. Prizes not redeemable for cash. Void where prohibited. Some restrictions may apply. See Pick It Bowl Challenge website for complete contest rules.

Congratulations to the TrekNorth Sundogs Football Team on their inaugural season!

We’re proud to support these young athletes as they make history and build a new tradition at TrekNorth.

Here’s to a great first season and many more to come! Go Sundogs!

Congratulations to the Bemidji Area Jr. High and High School Composite Mountain Bike Team on a great season!

We’re proud to support these young athletes and all their hard work and dedication. Way to go, riders!

We’re proud to support the Hubbard County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse and the important work they do in our communities!

Thank you to these dedicated volunteers for their time, service, and commitment to helping keep our communities safe.

We’re grateful for all you do!

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.

Cities of McGregor & Tamarack

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

Current Construction

Our construction crews are finishing up 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 mid-November.

Construction is wrapping up 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 is expected to be completed by mid-November.  Fiber splicing will follow with services anticipated becoming available by the end of the year.

Areas south and west of Long Lake in Hubbard Township

This area is finished and services are now available.

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.