-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 j77ws5+8GnN1HO5V+U39qQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-09-031885.txt : 20090512
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-09-031885.hdr.sgml : 20090512
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20090512163019
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-09-031885
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20090508
FILED AS OF DATE:		20090512
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20090512

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FAIRPOINT COMMUNICATIONS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001062613
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS (NO RADIO TELEPHONE) [4813]
		IRS NUMBER:				133725229
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		521 EAST MOREHEAD ST
		STREET 2:		STE 250
		CITY:			CHARLOTTE
		STATE:			NC
		ZIP:			28202
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7043448150

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MJD COMMUNICATIONS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19980527

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Lilien Robert S
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001347792

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-32408
		FILM NUMBER:		09819196

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		FAIRPOINT COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
		STREET 2:		521 E. MOREHEAD STREET, SUITE 250
		CITY:			CHARLOTTE
		STATE:			NC
		ZIP:			28202
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>4
<TEXT>
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    <periodOfReport>2009-05-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001062613</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FAIRPOINT COMMUNICATIONS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FRP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

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            <rptOwnerName>Lilien Robert S</rptOwnerName>
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            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O FAIRPOINT COMMUNICATIONS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>521 E. MOREHEAD STREET, SUITE 500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHARLOTTE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>28202</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
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        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
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            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
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    </reportingOwner>

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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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                <value></value>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.8243</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <transactionDate>
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                    <value>1.8324</value>
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    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person's sale of FairPoint Communications, Inc. common stock, par value $0.01 per share (&quot;Common Stock&quot;), reported herein may be matched under Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, with his purchase of 13,000 shares of Common Stock on November 18, 2008, at a price of $2.30.  No profit was realized by the Reporting Person in connection with this short-swing transaction.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Robert S. Lilien</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-05-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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