Go paperless! Sign up by October 31 to receive your bill by e-mail and receive a one time $5 credit on your account!

Log in to your account through SmartHub then go to MY PROFILE and click MY INFORMATION. Then select UPDATE MY PAPERLESS SETTINGS and turn paperless ON.  It’s free and easy!

Paul Bunyan Communications has built one of the largest rural all-fiber optic networks in the United States that gives our members and region access to the fastest Internet speeds available.  This enables innovation, economic development, telehealth, online learning, and so much more.  A few times a year we will share the story of a member and how they utilize our broadband communications network.

Our first Member Technology Spotlight is on Bemidji Steel and their brand new state of the art facility in rural Hubbard County just south of Bemidji.  A facility that would not have been possible without our all-fiber optic network!

View on YouTube: Member Technology Spotlight Video: Bemidji Steel

Service interruption of some individual channels on Paul Bunyan Television may occur during the afternoon hours through October 15 due to solar interference.  During the interference, reception may range from minor sparkles to loss of reception or picture freezing for 10-15 minutes.

Solar interference occurs each calendar year in both the spring and the fall. It does not impact internet or telephone service.

What channels are affected and when will vary through October 15.

Stay informed with the latest news from Paul Bunyan Communications, sign up for our e-mail newsletter the Tele U What!

It’s free and you will get the chance to enter monthly drawings for great prizes too!

Sign up here 

Join us for the Grand Rapids Chamber Taking Care of Business sponsored by Paul Bunyan Communications on Wednesday, September 28 from 4-7 p.m. at Timberlake Lodge.  Admission is FREE, you can meet new people, learn more about a wide variety of local businesses, and be sure to stop at our booth to enter a drawing for a mini iPad!!

Paul Bunyan Communications and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are promoting Lifeline Awareness Week, September 12-16.

“Access to reliable high speed Internet service is critical.  We promote the Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity Program a lot throughout the year and Lifeline Awareness Week is another opportunity to spread the word about these programs.  We want to make sure all of our membership and those who live within our service area know about them and the benefit they can provide.  These programs help those struggling to afford Internet services get and stay connected!” said Gary Johnson, Paul Bunyan Communications CEO/General Manager

Lifeline is an FCC program designed to help make communications services more affordable for low-income consumers.  Lifeline provides up to a $9.25 monthly discount on qualifying voice and broadband services for eligible low-income subscribers and up to $34.25 per month for subscribers on qualifying Tribal lands.  To learn more about Lifeline, go to www.fcc.gov/lifeline-consumers or www.lifelinesupport.org/.

A new FCC program, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), is also now available to help families and households struggling to afford internet service.  The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.  Additional information about the Affordable Connectivity Program Benefit is available at www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877-384-2575 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET any day of the week.  Households that qualify for Lifeline also qualify for the ACP Benefit.

Paul Bunyan Communications, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and Itasca Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) are holding a sign-up day for the Affordable Connectivity Program on Monday, September 12 from 2-7 p.m. at the Inger Community Center.

This new long-term benefit will help to lower the cost of broadband service for eligible households struggling to afford internet service and provides a discount of up to a $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for qualifying households on qualifying Tribal lands.

A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:

• Has an income that is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines;
• Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline;
• Participates inone of several Tribal specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal Head Start (only households meeting the relevant income qualifying standard) Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations;
• Is approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision;
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income program.

Eligible households can enroll at the sign-up event, through a participating broadband provider, or by going to ACP Benefit to submit an online application or print a mail-in application and contacting their preferred participating broadband provider and selecting a plan.  Additional information about the Affordable Connectivity Program Benefit is available at www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877-384-2575 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET any day of the week.

Our offices will be closed on Monday, September 5 for the Labor Day Holiday.

As always, 24 hour emergency repair will be available.

Paul Bunyan Communications and the Red Lake Nation are holding a sign-up day for the Affordable Connectivity Program on Thursday, August 25 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Red Lake Nation College.

This new long-term benefit will help to lower the cost of broadband service for eligible households struggling to afford internet service and provides a discount of up to a $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for qualifying households on qualifying Tribal lands.

A household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:

• Has an income that is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines;
• Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline;
• Participates inone of several Tribal specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal Head Start (only households meeting the relevant income qualifying standard) Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations;
• Is approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision;
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income program.

Eligible households can enroll at the sign-up event, through a participating broadband provider, or by going to ACP Benefit to submit an online application or print a mail-in application and contacting their preferred participating broadband provider and selecting a plan.  Additional information about the Affordable Connectivity Program Benefit is available at www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877-384-2575 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET any day of the week.

The Itasca County Fair, sponsored in part by Paul Bunyan Communications is August 17-21.  Stop by our booth and check out our all-fiber optic fast Internet service powered by the GigaZone, Paul Bunyan Television, and get a free gift from Paul Bunyan Communications 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!