Paul Bunyan Communications CEO Speaks On National Gigabit Panel

(Bemidji, MN) (March 30, 2015) – As Paul Bunyan Communications continues to roll out their GigaZone service options in northern Minnesota, the project has also garnered national attention. Recently CEO/General Manager Gary Johnson was asked to participate on a Gigabit panel at the NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

"Delivering Gigabit Service to Your Community" was a panel discussion that featured Johnson, along with Joe Reardon the former major of Kansas City which was selected as the first Google Fiber community, and Don Macke the Director for the Center of Rural Entrepreneurship. The panel was moderated by NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield.

The purpose of the panel was to discuss Gigabit connectivity and the fact it brings more than just high-speed data to customers. It fosters innovation and economic vitality, benefiting the entire community while promoting entrepreneurship and economic development. The session helped look at both the similarities and differences of large and small gigabit communities.

"There is no doubt that Gigabit Internet is a big topic throughout the country right now and I was honored to be asked to speak about our GigaZone project. Like with any new technology, there will be those who are out front in bringing it to consumers and if you look at our past history it should come as no surprise that Paul Bunyan Communications is one of the pioneers in deploying a Gigabit network. We were one of the first in the country to expand our network after the deregulation of the Telecom Act of 1996, to offer high speed Internet services, to provide television services over a telephone network, and to bundle phone, high-speed Internet, and television for one price. As a cooperative we feel very strongly about investing in our network and our communities so they have access to the most robust, advanced communication services available." said Johnson

NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association represents nearly 900 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. NTCA advocates on behalf of its members in the legislative and regulatory arenas, and it provides training and development; publications and industry events; and an array of employee benefit programs. In an era of exploding technology, deregulation and marketplace competition, NTCA's members are leading the IP evolution for rural consumers, delivering technologies that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business.

"Paul Bunyan Communications has demonstrated an incredible amount of forward thinking over the past 20 years, time and again leading the way in providing the very latest in technology to its members. They have showed not only how it can be done, but that you can be successful doing it. It is inspiring to see and by sharing the new GigaZone initiative with our entire membership we know it will lead to similar projects throughout rural America." said Bloomfield.

The conference had over 2,100 attendees from member companies across the United States and the Gigabit panel discussion was a main session attended by most conference attendees.

"When you live in an area where advanced technology is available, many may assume it's available everywhere. You don't have to go that far from Bemidji or Grand Rapids to find consumers without access to even the most basic of high speed Internet service, yet our entire 5,000 square mile service area has had access to those services since 2004, some areas as early as 1999. It's good that our members expect to get the latest and greatest but it can be taken for granted. We do not do things to get national attention or awards, we do it for the greater good of our membership and the communities we serve. That is what matters to us at the end of the day. That said, whenever something we do garners regional or national attention it is an opportunity for us to share our story which can help educate our customers and the region about how we compare to other areas in Minnesota and the United States," added Brian Bissonette, Paul Bunyan Communications Marketing Supervisor.

"The impact Paul Bunyan Communications has made on economic development in the Bemidji area is tremendous" said Dave Hengel, Executive Director of Greater Bemidji, "there are some common needs businesses are looking for when looking to relocate, start up a new location, etc. One question all ask is about access to affordable, reliable broadband Internet. When I show them what Paul Bunyan has in place they are blown away by the level of services available. It is very appropriate for Gary to be on this panel with the former Kansas City Mayor who helped bring Google Fiber to his town because that is what Paul Bunyan is doing for our region on a much larger scale and in a rural area which has more challenges than densely populated urban centers."

Paul Bunyan Communications has the region's largest and fastest all fiber optic network with over 5,000 square miles throughout most of Beltrami County and portions of Hubbard, Itasca, Koochiching, and St. Louis Counties. The Cooperative provides Broadband High Speed Internet Services, digital and high definition television services, Smart Home services, digital voice services, and more.