Fairpoint Upgrades Broadband Service in 6,700 Locations Throughout Maine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE News Release Contact: Angelynne Beaudry 207-535-4129 [email protected]

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 Aroostook County

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 Aroostook County, the upgrades were completed in these towns on portions of the following streets: - - ASHLAND - HOULTON - LUDLOW - SQUAPAN LK - COUNTRY CLUB DR - ALBERT LN - WALKER ST - DREWS LAKE RD - B RD - - EAGLE DR - BARTLETT RD - CHAPMAN - SALEM ST - HEMORE RD - CHAPMAN RD - LASKEY RD - - LINNEUS - LUDLOW RD - HAMMOND - CHICKADEE LN - MOOSE BROOK RD - B RD - DREWS MILLS RD - RUSSELL RD - BURNT BROW RD - NEW LIMERICK RD - RUSTY LN - CARPENTER RD - S SHORE RD - WHITE RD - CUMMINGS CROSS - - - MCCONNELL MILL RD - - PRESQUE ISLE - - - CHAPMAN RD - - - NEW LIMERICK - BASTON BLVD - DEERFIELD LN - NORTH SHORE RD - BIRCH LN - DOGWOOD LN - OLD STATION RD - BROWN TROUT LN - DREWS LAKE RD - PARTRIDGE LN - BURTON RD - FIR LN - PICKEREL LN - CAMPBELL RD - IVEY LN - SALMON LN - CANADA JAY LN - LAKEWOOD LN - SOUTH SHORE RD - CEDAR LN - LOON LN - STATION RD - CHICKADEE LN - MCCARTHY DR - WHIPOORWILL LN - CHIPMUNK LN - MOURNING DOVE LN - WHITE PERCH LN - COUNTRY CLUB DR - N SHORE RD - WHITE TAIL DEER LN - COUNTRY CLUB DR W - NEW LIMERICK RD - WOOD DUCK LN - - These locations will now qualify for download speeds of up to 15 Mbps 2, 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. - # # # - - 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.