Update on PBC broadband expansion in central Aitkin County

Paul Bunyan Communications broadband expansion across central Aitkin County is progressing as planned. The project area includes the cities of McGregor, Palisade and Tamarack,
as well as portions of Clark, Haugen, Jevne, Libby, Logan, McGregor, Shamrock and Workman Townships. Once completed over 2,400 homes and businesses will have access
to the all-fiber optic network and the services it provides.

Currently crews are working in areas south of Sandy Lake Reservoir and west of Lake Minnewawa. They are still working north of McGregor and will soon be heading east towards
Tamarack. Construction in the city of McGregor is almost done.

The first stage of the construction process is installing the main fiber network which is followed by installing the connections up to individual homes and businesses that have signed
up to be connected. Once those two stages are completed, the clean up/restoration crews will come through and the team will work to splice the fiber network. Once it is operational in a
project area, customers who signed up for service will be contacted to schedule service installations. A video on how the construction process works is located on the Paul Bunyan Communications YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZqT-58jqG_4.

Paul Bunyan Communications is a member-owned broadband cooperative that has served northern Minnesota since 1952. There are no membership fees or annual dues, membership
is gained when a resident or business subscribes to local phone service or GigaZone Broadband Internet service. The cooperative headquarters is in Bemidji with a Customer Service &
Technology Center located in Grand Rapids.

Residents and businesses in these expansion areas are encouraged to sign up for service before construction crews move on to ensure the fiber optic connection is brought up to the location.
That can be done online at paulbunyan.net or in person at one of the office locations.