FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

News Release

Contact:

Angelynne Beaudry

207-535-4129

FairPoint Upgrades Broadband Service in 6,700 locations throughout Maine

Upgrades allow for improved internet access and speeds in 22 Maine towns, including parts of Hancock and Penobscot Counties

Portland, Maine (Jan. 17, 2017) - FairPoint Communications1 announced today the completion of broadband expansion projects in 22 Maine 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 6,700 locations in Maine -- 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 Jeff Nevins, FairPoint’s Director of Community Broadband Development. “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 22 towns are funded through CAF Phase II and the Company’s own significant direct investments:

Acton
Alfred
Ashland
Bowdoinham
Brooksville
Castine
Chapman
Ellsworth
Greenbush
Hammond
Houlton
Lebanon
Linneus
Ludlow
Lyman
Mount Desert
New Limerick
Presque Isle
Sanford
Shapleigh
Somerville
Sutton Island

In Hancock County, the upgrades were completed on portions of the following streets:

BROOKSVILLE
CASSATT RD
HENRY POINT RD
S WHARF RD
SERENDIPITY LN
CASTINE
ANDREWS HALL
BACKSHORE RD
BATTLE AVE
BEECH HILL LN
BIRCH LN
BIW HALL
BOULDER DR
BOWDEN RD
BUILDING B
CABIN RD
CANNON PT
CAPTAINS WAY
CASTINE RD
COURT ST
CURTIS HALL
DISMUKES HALL
DRESSER LN
DRESSERS LN
DYCES HEAD RD
DYER LN
EATONS LN
FIELDSTONE LN
FT SHERBROOK LN
GRADUATE A
GRADUATE B
GREEN ST
HANCOCK CT
HATCH COVE RD
HUTCHINS WAY
LA TOUR ST
LEAVITT HALL
MADOCKAWANDO ST
MAIN ST
MAYO POINT RD
MERRYMEAD LN
MILL LN
MOONTIDE
MOORE FARM RD
MUSSEL BEACH LN
PAYSON HALL
PENTAGOET LN
PERKINS ST
PLEASANT ST
QUICK PLATZ HALL
RIVERHOUSE RD
RIVERSIDE DR
RODGERS HALL
ROUTE 4
SCHOOL ST
SEA FOX RUN
SEA ST
SIMPSON RD
SNAPPS WAY
SPRING ST
STATE ST
STUDENT CTR
TARRATINE ST
THE SHORE RD
WADSWORTH COVE RD
WALKER BOS LN
WATER ST
WELLINGTON POND LN
WESCOTT BATTERY
WINDMILL HILL LN
WOODSIDE WAY
ELLSWORTH
ATLANTIC HWY
BIRCH GROVE WAY
BLUE LN
BUCKSPORT RD
CAMPGROUND WAY
CARTER WAY
CLEARWATER WAY
COUNTRYSIDE CT
CUNNINGHAM WAY
HAPPYTOWN RD
PATTEN WAY
PONDVIEW WAY
TRINITY WAY
TURNBULL WAY
VISTA WAY
WINDFALL WAY
MOUNT DESERT
ABELS LN
ALLENS WAY
ASTICOU HILL TRL
ASTICOU WAY
BARNACLES WAY
BARR HILL WAY
BIRCH WAY
BLUE BELL LN
BRACY COVE LN
CENTENNIAL LN
CHURCH RD
CLEMENT WAY
CLIFTON DOCK RD
CORNING WAY
COVE END RD
COVINGTON LN
DELIGHTS RD
DODGE POINT RD
FARM LN
FOREST LN
FOX LN
GATEHOUSE RD
GIANT SLIDE RD
GILPATRICK LN
GOLF CLUB RD
GRAVES LN
HADLOCK POND RD
HARBOR DR
HARBOR WATCH LN
HARBORSIDE RD
HIGHLANDS LN
HUNTINGTON LN
HUNTINGTON PL
HUNTINGTON RD
INDIAN HEAD LN
JORDAN POND RD
JOY RD
KIMBALL LN
KIMBALL RD
KINFOLK LN
LOOKOUT WAY
LOWER DUNBAR RD
LYMAN LN
MAIN ST
MANCHESTER RD
MAPLE LN
MILLBROOK RD
N END LN
NEIGHBORHOOD RD
NEW COUNTY RD
NORUMBEGA LEDGES RD
NURSERY LN
ODYSSEY WAY
OLD FIREHOUSE LN
PARK LOOP RD
PEABODY DR
PINE RD
ROCK END RD
ROUTE 198
ROUTE 3
ROUTE 9
RUNNING POINT WAY
RYE FIELD LN
S SHORE RD
SARGEANT DR
SARGEANT POINT RD
SARGENT BROOK RD
SARGENT DR
SCHOOLHOUSE LEDGE RD
SEA ST
SEASIDE LN
SHORE RD
SINCLAIR RD
SMALLIDGE POINT RD
SMITH PL
SOUND DR
SOUTH SHORE RD
SOUTHWIND LN
SPRING LN
STANLEY LN
SUMMIT RD
SW VALLEY RD
SYLVAN RD
SYLVINAS WAY
TAYLOR WAY
TENNIS CLUB RD
THUYA DR
TIMBER FRAME WAY
TRACY RD
TREEHOUSE WAY
UPPER DUNBAR RD
VILLAGE PARK RD
WALLACE WAY
WEDGEROCK LN
WETLANDS WAY
WHEELWRIGHT WAY
WHOVILLE WAY
WILDWOOD RD
WOODLAND PATH
SUTTON ISLAND
S SUTTON ISLE
SUTTON ISLE

In Penobscot County, the upgrades were completed on portions of the following streets:

GREENBUSH
ANNEX RD
GREENFIELD RD
PARK RD
GREENFIELD TOWNSHIP
COUNTY RD
CROCKER TURN RD
CROSS RD
GREENFIELD RD
GROSBEAK GRV
LAZY LEDGES DR
LITTLEFIELD RD
MALLARD WAY
MYRA RD
PURPLE MARTIN CT
SUNSET LN
SWALLOW LN
WHIPPOORWILL LN
WILL WHITE RD

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.