Paul Bunyan Communications Expands Fiber Network to 3,200 More Northern Minnesota Locations

Families in McGregor, Palisade and Tamarack are among more than 3,200 northern Minnesota addresses set to get Paul Bunyan Communications' all-fiber GigaZone service this year, after the Bemidji-based cooperative announced three new construction projects stretching across Aitkin, Hubbard, Itasca and St. Louis counties.

The largest of the three projects covers central Aitkin County, where over 2,400 locations in those three cities and the surrounding Clark, Haugen, Jevne, Libby, Logan, McGregor, Shamrock and Workman Townships have gone without fiber service. A second project brings the network to more than 600 locations south and west of Cook, covering Alango, Carpenter, Field and Sturgeon Townships in Itasca and St. Louis counties. A third will reach roughly 225 homes and businesses in Henrietta and Todd Townships south of Fishhook Lake and areas south and west of Long Lake in Hubbard Township.

"Reliable internet access is essential for everyday life, whether it's for work, education, healthcare or running a business," said Chad Bullock, CEO and general manager of Paul Bunyan Communications.

The Itasca/St. Louis County project carries a total price tag of $7,810,355. The State of Minnesota's Low-Population Density Program grant covers $3,924,157; Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation contributes $1 million; St. Louis County adds $583,250; and individual townships pitch in smaller amounts. The Hubbard County project draws partial funding from a USDA ReConnect grant, while the Aitkin expansion is backed in part by a Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development grant.

Construction across all three projects begins this summer, with service activations phased through winter 2026. Paul Bunyan already covers more than 6,000 square miles of northern Minnesota, including most of Beltrami County, with speeds available up to 10 Gig. Residents in the newly announced areas must sign up before construction wraps in their zone to secure a connection.