REGIONAL- Paul Bunyan Communications is planning a significant expansion of its all-fiber optic network in parts of St. Louis and Itasca counties this year, bringing high-speed broadband service to more than 600 homes and businesses across five townships near Cook.
The project will extend the cooperative’s GigaZone network into areas south and west of Cook, including portions of Alango, Carpenter, Field, and Sturgeon townships, along with an unorganized township east of Carpenter.
Construction is expected to take place over the summer, with service anticipated to be available by winter.
Once completed, the expansion will provide residents and businesses with access to fiber-based internet service designed to support high-bandwidth needs such as streaming, remote work, and online services. Customers will also have access to WiFi and unlimited local and long-distance voice service.
Business customers will be able to utilize additional tools, including voice over internet protocol systems, disaster backup and recovery, and network management.
The total cost is estimated at $7,810,355, with funding coming from a combination of state, regional, local, and cooperative sources.
The largest share of funding, $3,924,157, is being provided through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Low-Density Population Broadband Infrastructure Development Grant Program. Paul Bunyan Communications is contributing $2,203,928 toward the project.
Additional support includes $1,000,000 from Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation, $583,250 from St. Louis County, and smaller contributions from local townships, including $41,200 from Alango Township, $17,800 from Field Township, and $40,000 from Sturgeon Township.
“Expanding our all-fiber optic network into more rural areas around our current service territory reflects our long-standing commitment to the region,” said Chad Bullock, CEO and general manager of Paul Bunyan Communications.
“Access to reliable, high-quality internet is essential for economic growth, education, and quality of life,” Bullock said. “As a cooperative, we continue to invest in our region to bring more homes and businesses the connectivity they need to succeed.”
“Our 2026 expansion marks another important step in extending the reach of our all-fiber optic network,” said Leo Anderson, chief technology officer for Paul Bunyan Communications.
“By delivering fast, reliable connectivity with the capacity to scale for future needs, we’re making sure residents and businesses have the tools they need to thrive, today and for years to come,” Anderson said.
Residents and businesses interested in connecting to the new network will need to sign up for service before construction is completed in their area. According to the cooperative, there is no membership fee to join, and no construction fee to have the network installed if customers enroll during the buildout phase.
Sign-up is available online, by phone, or in person at the cooperative’s customer service and technology center in Grand Rapids.
The Cook-area project is part of a broader 2026 expansion effort by Paul Bunyan Communications that will extend fiber service to more than 3,200 locations across multiple counties in northern Minnesota.
For many households in the project area, access to reliable high-speed internet has been nonexistent or, at best, inconsistent, particularly in more sparsely populated townships. Expanding fiber service can improve access to telehealth, support remote work opportunities, and provide more stable connections for students and families who rely on online services. Projects of this scale in low-density areas depend on layered public and local investment, with state grants, regional funding, county support, and township contributions all playing a role in making expansion feasible.
These local expansions are taking place amid broader policy changes that could shape the future of broadband deployment across the state.
Federal changes to broadband funding rules are influencing how projects are selected in Minnesota. Updated guidance issued in 2025 by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration shifted the BEAD program toward a more “technology-neutral” approach, requiring states to consider a mix of fiber, fixed wireless, and satellite options when awarding funds, rather than prioritizing fiber by default.
Minnesota’s approved BEAD plan reflects that shift, with state officials anticipating a combination of technologies to reach unserved areas, particularly in remote locations where fiber deployment is more costly. Analysts say the policy change has already begun to affect outcomes, with fiber accounting for a smaller share of proposed or funded projects than originally expected and more funding directed toward wireless and satellite options. The Minnesota Office of Broadband Development, which is overseeing roughly $652 million in federal funding, continues to work through how those federal requirements will shape final project selections and the pace of expansion across rural parts of the state.
At the same time, the shift has raised ongoing questions about long-term performance differences between technologies. Fiber networks like Paul Bunyan Communications’ GigaZone are capable of speeds up to 10 gigabits per second, far exceeding federal minimum broadband standards, while satellite-based services such as Starlink typically deliver speeds closer to 250 megabits per second, according to federal and industry data, a gap that can affect reliability, latency, and long-term scalability for users.