“We are working with our local seniors and anyone with an older land line system referred to otherwise as POTS, the Plain Old Telephone System,” said owner and founder of ARPM906, Anton Reinaas. “It is being phased out by the FCC which means you cannot get it and they don’t need to maintain it anymore.”

In the rural U.P., a lot of the old styles of living are still found, loved and used by some residents as a way of keeping tradition going or by being stuck behind the roadblock modern technology can be. Reinaas believes that people should still be able to live how they want without fully modernizing.

“They should not be forced to use something that’s hard,” said Reinaas. “I think it’s important for them to have communication.”

Reinaas and his team members are all in high school and are all 15 or younger, and yet they are hard at work keeping the community connected.

“Our goal is to help seniors stay in touch with family, friends and essential services during this transition,” said Reinaas.

ARPM906 offers services to reconnect POTS systems, like rotary phones and old landlines, to modern systems to keep them working along with offering repairs to those as well.

“It doesn’t cost as much as a contractor. It just costs you the equipping and a one-time fee,” said Reinaas. “Not only can we install it, but we are working on an educational YouTube channel as well. We do discounts for teachers, veterans, old folks and more.”

ARPM906 can be reached on its website at arpm906.co.site, email at owner@arpm906.co.site or by phone at 989-220-1957.

“The goal is to help out as many people as I can,” said Reinaas. “I like to give back to the community.”

Antonio Anderson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. His email address is aanderson@miningjournal.net.