Bluebird expanding work force
With a $45.1 million federal grant now in hand, Bluebird Network is hiring the first group of workers for a three-year project that will bring high-speed broadband to northern Missouri.
The Columbia-based broadband provider was awarded the grant in 2010, and its first dollars arrived in June. The 14 initial positions will grow to a workforce of 709 during the construction phase, according to company spokeswoman Melody Parry. About 40 jobs will remain after construction is completed, she said.
Bluebird will install 809 miles of new ultra-high-capacity fiber through 44 new microwave towers. The new network will be “middle-mile,” meaning that it’s the backbone structure that will bring broadband to local, “last-mile” providers who will deliver service to homes, retail customers and government entities, such as fire and police. The next-generation bandwidth has speeds of 10 Gb to 100 Gb, which allows for heavy use, such as video on demand, video-conferencing and high-speed Internet.
“We’re focused on bringing broadband Internet access to northern Missourians,” said Bluebird CEO Eric Fogle in a news release. “Only three weeks into the three-year grant, we are already hiring individuals with a variety of critical skills to help lead this project.”
Fogle was named chief executive of BlueBird Media last fall. In March, Bluebird merged with broadband provider Missouri Network Alliance to become Bluebird Network. The new firm is headquartered in Columbia, with offices in St. Louis and Kansas City.
Bluebird is one of several Missouri companies that are part of the public-private partnership called MoBroadbandNow, with a goal to increase broadband accessibility in the state from 79 percent to 95 percent by the end of 2014. The MoBroadbandNow initiative has pulled in more than $260 million in federal funds for 19 such projects around the state. Sho Me Broadband began construction in June to bring broadband to 10 counties in economically depressed southeastern Missouri.
The open positions at Bluebird include accountant, office manager, salesperson, construction manager, network design engineers, site acquisition manger, environmental assessment manager and procurement manager. Applications are available online at www.bluebirdnetwork.com
MoBroadbandNow is strongly supported by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon. “Just as the railroads and interstates transformed Missouri communities in decades past, these projects will help connect much of northern Missouri with the information superhighway of the future, “ Nixon said.
The Columbia-based broadband provider was awarded the grant in 2010, and its first dollars arrived in June. The 14 initial positions will grow to a workforce of 709 during the construction phase, according to company spokeswoman Melody Parry. About 40 jobs will remain after construction is completed, she said.
Bluebird will install 809 miles of new ultra-high-capacity fiber through 44 new microwave towers. The new network will be “middle-mile,” meaning that it’s the backbone structure that will bring broadband to local, “last-mile” providers who will deliver service to homes, retail customers and government entities, such as fire and police. The next-generation bandwidth has speeds of 10 Gb to 100 Gb, which allows for heavy use, such as video on demand, video-conferencing and high-speed Internet.
“We’re focused on bringing broadband Internet access to northern Missourians,” said Bluebird CEO Eric Fogle in a news release. “Only three weeks into the three-year grant, we are already hiring individuals with a variety of critical skills to help lead this project.”
Fogle was named chief executive of BlueBird Media last fall. In March, Bluebird merged with broadband provider Missouri Network Alliance to become Bluebird Network. The new firm is headquartered in Columbia, with offices in St. Louis and Kansas City.
Bluebird is one of several Missouri companies that are part of the public-private partnership called MoBroadbandNow, with a goal to increase broadband accessibility in the state from 79 percent to 95 percent by the end of 2014. The MoBroadbandNow initiative has pulled in more than $260 million in federal funds for 19 such projects around the state. Sho Me Broadband began construction in June to bring broadband to 10 counties in economically depressed southeastern Missouri.
The open positions at Bluebird include accountant, office manager, salesperson, construction manager, network design engineers, site acquisition manger, environmental assessment manager and procurement manager. Applications are available online at www.bluebirdnetwork.com
MoBroadbandNow is strongly supported by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon. “Just as the railroads and interstates transformed Missouri communities in decades past, these projects will help connect much of northern Missouri with the information superhighway of the future, “ Nixon said.