-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 CRZ3lYR27ZpCgufFXxRZWhbxIPzJkgKWS6LcXO954pUOo0uCRWaOkwtusQtAXc2J
 oE3dB/iKTC/iFjP2QO+/zg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001116679-08-000205.txt : 20080122
<SEC-HEADER>0001116679-08-000205.hdr.sgml : 20080121
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080122170854
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001116679-08-000205
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080116
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080122
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080122

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:		08542509

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		704-344-8150

	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>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-01-16</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001347792</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Lilien Robert S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O FAIRPOINT COMMUNICATIONS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>521 E. MOREHEAD STREET, SUITE 250</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHARLOTTE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>28202</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Unit</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-01-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>166</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, par value $.01 per share</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>166</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5659</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These derivative securities are restricted units representing shares of FairPoint Communications, Inc. common stock, par value $.01 per share (the &quot;Common Stock&quot;), issued pursuant to the FairPoint Communications, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (the &quot;2005 Plan&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These derivative securities are restricted units representing shares of Common Stock and, accordingly, do not have an exercise price or expiration date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">On January 16, 2008, a cash dividend was paid on the Common Stock underlying restricted units held by the Reporting Person (the &quot;Units&quot;) which were issued under the 2005 Plan.  Pursuant to the 2005 Plan, such cash dividend was deemed to have been invested in Common Stock (in the form of restricted units) on such date.  The number of restricted units is equal to the value of the cash dividend paid with respect to the Units on the payment date divided by the closing price of the Common Stock on the payment date, rounded up to the nearest whole number of restricted units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The restricted units vest in four equal quarterly installments on the first day of each of the first four calendar quarters following the date the Units were originally issued; however, the shares of Common Stock underlying the restricted units will not be issued until the occurrence of certain events set forth in the Restricted Unit Agreement under which the Units were issued.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">No consideration was paid for the restricted units.  See footnote 3.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Robert S. Lilien</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-01-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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