FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

News Release

Contact:

Angelynne Beaudry

802-951-1524

FairPoint Upgrades Broadband Service in more than 5,100 locations throughout Vermont

Upgrades allow for improved internet access and speeds in 20 Vermont towns, including parts of Addison County

South Burlington, VT (Jan. 20, 2017) - FairPoint Communications1 announced today the completion of broadband expansion projects in 20 Vermont towns that extend and enhance FairPoint’s approximately 17,000 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 5,100 locations in Vermont -- in some areas for the 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 Beth Fastiggi, FairPoint’s Vermont State President. “Our team has been extremely busy 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). The projects in the following 20 towns are funded through CAF Phase II and the Company’s own significant direct investments:

Barnard
Bethel
Bradford
Brownsville
Danville
Ferrisburgh
Middlebury
Monkton
New Haven
Pittsford
Poultney
Proctor
Reading
Salisbury
Sandgate
Stockbridge
Townshend
Wells
West Pawlet
West Windsor

In Addison County, the upgrades were completed on portions of the following streets in the following towns:

FERRISBURGH

FIELD RD

MIDDLEBROOK RD

MUD CREEK LN

WING RD

MIDDLEBURY

AIRPORT RD

BIRCH DR

BLUEBERRY LN

BURNHAM DR

CADY RD

CASE ST

CHURCH ST

CONE DR

DAISY LN

DUTTON LN

E MAIN ST

FENN FARM LN

FOREST RIDGE DR

GRIST MILL RD

HATHAWAY LN

KINGS ROW

LOWER FOOTE ST

LOWER PLAINS RD

MAECLIFF CT

MAPLE CT

MOUNTAIN VIEW LN

MUNSON RD

N BRANCH RD

N LENO LANE EXT

N LENO LN

NEWTON DR

OAK DR

OSSIE RD

PERKINS LN

PIPER RD

QUESNEL LN

ROUTE 116

ROUTE 7

ROUTE 7 S

S LENO LN

SCHOOL HOUSE HILL RD

THREE MILE BRIDGE RD

UPPER PLAINS RD

WILMAR ST

MONKTON

LIME KILN RD

NEW HAVEN

CLARK'S WOODS RD

LIME KILN RD

PLANK RD

QUARRY RD

SALISBURY

LOTSAWATER RD

PRATT RD

ROUTE 7

These locations will now qualify for download speeds of up to 15 Mbps2, based on the distance from the customer location to FairPoint’s servicing equipment, which is more than sufficient speed to smoothly stream high-definition video, browse the web or participate in online gaming.

Since April 2008, FairPoint 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.

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 1-866.984.2001 and business customers can call 1-866.984.3001.

About FairPoint Communications, Inc. FairPoint Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: FRP) provides advanced data, voice and video technologies to single and multi-site businesses, public and private institutions, consumers, wireless companies and wholesale re-sellers in 17 states. Leveraging an owned, fiber-based Ethernet network — with more than 21,000 route miles of fiber, including approximately 17,000 route miles of fiber in northern New England — FairPoint has the network coverage, scalable bandwidth and transport capacity to support enhanced applications, including the next generation of mobile and cloud-based communications, such as small cell wireless backhaul technology, voice over IP, data center colocation services, managed services and disaster recovery. For more information, visit www.FairPoint.com.

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1 Services are provided through operating subsidiaries of FairPoint Communications, Inc.

2 Maximum Internet speeds referenced are only available in select areas. Internet speed claims represent maximum network service capability. Actual customer speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. Actual speeds vary based on a number of factors including site traffic and congestion, components within your computer such as processor speeds, memory and hardware and software configuration, content provider server capacity, internal network management factors and customer device capabilities.