Pine is a small telephone utility headquartered in Halfway, Oregon. It has been owned and operated by the Huff family since 1945 and currently serves approximately 800 customers in Baker and Wallowa Counties. The town of Granite, Oregon, is located in the Blue Mountains approximately 45 miles west of Baker City. Once a prosperous mining town, the Granite area is today used primarily for recreational activities and second homes. The area supports approximately 85 homes and businesses, including a general store and caf , a new lodge and the Tillicum mine.
Commercial power is available in town and a new water system is in the planning stages.
A paved county road extends to Granite from its primary communities of interest, Sumpter and Baker City. According to Pine, several new homes have been built in the area in recent years and the prospects for growth are good. Granite residents have expressed interest in obtaining telephone service from Pine on numerous occasions. In response, Pine has conducted studies to determine the feasibility of providing service to the Granite area. The plan includes a central office building, a digital switch equipped with SS7 and equal access functionality, a fiber optic toll cable between the Granite central office and the U S WEST central office in Sumpter, and loop plant capable of high speed data services.