Paul Bunyan Communications awarded Border to Border Broadband Grant

Paul Bunyan Communications was awarded a Border to Border Broadband Grant from the state of Minnesota to expand its fiber optic services to portions of central Itasca County in partnership with the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board and the county. As a result, the cooperative will begin expansion construction next spring that will pass more than 1,250 locations in portions of Balsam Township, Lawrence Township, Nashwauk Township, and the city of Taconite. Final expansion plans that will determine the locations to be passed are expected by early spring. Paul Bunyan Communications expects to finalize the expansion plans by early spring and will contact all locations along the expansion route shortly thereafter. Construction will start in the early summer and will be completed by June 2017.

Pictured left to right are Gary Johnson, Paul Bunyan Communications CEO/general manager; Mark Zimmerman, president and CEO, Itasca Economic Development Corp.; Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith; Whitney Ridlon, community development representative, Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board, and Steve Howard, Paul Bunyan Communications information technology and development manager.