Blackfoot Finalizes Idaho Expansion, Announces Fremont Communications & Welcomes Employees

MISSOULA, MT -- (Marketwire) -- 02/01/13 -- Blackfoot Telecommunications Group (Blackfoot) today announced it has completed the acquisition of Fremont Telcom Co. and Fretel Communications, LLC, which were the Idaho properties of FairPoint Communications, Inc., a publicly traded service provider headquartered in Charlotte, NC. Both companies will now be collectively called Fremont Communications (Fremont).

Bill Squires, Blackfoot's chief executive officer, said, "I'm happy to announce this closure so we can move forward and welcome both former Fremont and Fretel customers and employees into the Blackfoot family. We're excited about the opportunity to start earning trust from local businesses and residents as Fremont Communications, part of Blackfoot Telecommunications Group."

Squires continued, "We have strategic transition teams in place who are dedicated not only to ensuring consistent voice and data services for customers, but also to helping all local employees throughout the process. There's a terrific group of well-qualified Fremont employees, now part of Blackfoot, who are ready to ensure continuity for customers in all the same locations. We're pleased that the Fremont team will continue to be led by longtime Operations Manager, Corey Packer."

Packer said, "I'm looking forward to the seamless merger of our two companies and networks. My goal is to maintain customer confidence by helping deliver the same quality of services from Fremont Communications while helping my eastern Idaho neighbors benefit from the world-class services that Blackfoot offers. I am excited about the future."

Fremont Communications will continue to serve homes and businesses in Idaho Falls, Rexburg, St. Anthony, Teton, Ashton, Island Park, with possible expansion in the future. Blackfoot's top tier IP network will add significant opportunities for advanced enterprise services throughout the region.

This expansion is part of Blackfoot's "Smart Growth" initiative and positions the company as the business and technology leader for the Rocky West. This acquisition is Blackfoot's third smart growth initiative this year and also includes a minority investment in Syringa Networks, LLC, which is a rapidly growing fiber transport and related services business. Blackfoot just completed the acquisition of Cutthroat Communications, a communications services provider offering wireless and fiber optic technologies. In early 2012, Blackfoot also purchased Modwest, a global web hosting company, headquartered in Missoula, MT.

More information: Blackfoot Expands In Idaho (Press Release)

Blackfoot Telecommunications Group (Blackfoot) offers advanced telecommunications solutions to customers in Western Montana including voice, data, IT and security services. Named after the Blackfoot River running through much of the territory it serves, Blackfoot was originally established in 1954 as Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative and is headquartered in Missoula, Montana. Today, the Blackfoot family of companies include Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative -- a member-owned cooperative; Blackfoot Communications -- a competitive local exchange company; and TeleSphere Software, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary offering professional services to the telecom industry. Read about Blackfoot products and services at www.blackfoot.com. Learn about Blackfoot in our communities on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BlackfootTelecomm.

FairPoint Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRP) is a leading communications provider of broadband Internet access, local and long-distance phone, television and other high-capacity data services to customers in communities across 17 states. Additional information about FairPoint products and services is available at www.FairPoint.com. You can also connect with FairPoint on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/fairpoint) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/myfairpoint).