FairPoint upgrades broadband service to more than 220 locations in Piscataquis County

PORTLAND — FairPoint Communications, a Consolidated Communications company, recently announced the completion of broadband expansion projects across Piscataquis County. The broadband expansion extends and enhances FairPoint’s approximately 18,000-mile fiber optic network, which is the largest, fully-owned, and managed fiber-based network in northern New England.

As a result of these completed projects, improved broadband speeds are available to more than 220 locations in Brownville, Lake View Plantation, Medford, Milo, Parkman, and Sangerville – providing broadband service to some locations for first time.

“High speed internet access fuels Maine’s economic engine by unlocking new ways to be more productive, compete for business far past the storefront, and enable learning beyond the confines of a classroom,” said Mike Reed, FairPoint’s Maine state president. “Our team has been extremely active over the past year completing these broadband projects that bring critical improvements to the ‘last mile’ of FairPoint’s network to increase broadband speeds to these unserved and underserved areas. These projects provide immediate benefit to the locations impacted enabling those in more rural and remote areas to take full advantage of the digital age.”

To help support expansion and operation of broadband services in high-cost areas, in 2015 FairPoint accepted Phase II of the Federal Communication Commission’s Connect America Fund (CAF). These projects were funded through CAF Phase II and the company’s own significant direct investments and extended broadband in portions of the following streets/roads:

Brownville, North Road, Shore Road and Schoodic Lake Road;

Lake View Plantation, Coburn Road, Slipper Lane, North Shore Road, Deadmans Rock Road, Stream Road, Pine Drive and Branch Drive;

Medford, Medford Center Road, Paddy Hill Road, Fire Tower Road and Hathorn Road;

Milo: Joe Raymond Road and Sleeper Road;

Parkman: Perry Road, Dairy Road, Smart Road, Manter Scholl Road, Bradstreet Road, Dexter Road and Bridge Road;

and the Dexter Road in Sangervile

These locations will now qualify for download speeds of up to 15 Mbps, (and those closest to the serving equipment could qualify for up to 25 Mbps) based on the distance from the customer location to FairPoint’s servicing equipment, which enables streaming of high-definition videos, web browsing and online gaming.

Since April 2008 the company has invested more than $900 million in its communications infrastructure and technology to bring broadband to northern New England, including building thousands of miles of new fiber optic network across the region. FairPoint’s fiber-based, high capacity network offers customers a better, faster way to communicate.

On July 3, Consolidated Communications acquired FairPoint expanding the fiber network to more than 36,000 fiber route miles across 24 states making Consolidated Communications the ninth largest fiber provider in the U.S. For more information about the acquisition, visit www.fairpoint.com/consolidated.

To find out more details, including internet service speed eligibility, information about prices and bundled plans, or to schedule a professional installation of services, residential consumers can call 1-866-984-2001and business customers can call 1-866-984-3001. To learn about more upgrades FairPoint has completed, please visit https://communities.fairpoint.com/communities/.