AT&T opens new storefront in Jackson

The opening of a new AT&T store in Jackson on Wednesday is part of the company's continued commitment to the state and area, said John Sondag, president of AT&T Missouri.

The authorized dealer at 2050 Walton Drive, Suite D, in front of Wal-Mart, has 11 people on staff. About 40 attended the ribbon-cutting, hosted by the Cape Girardeau and Jackson area chambers of commerce.

Sondag said the company has focused on investing in Cape Girardeau and Jackson and throughout Missouri.

"I think this store and the new store openings are really tangible evidence of our intent to ... continue to invest to improve the experience that our customers have. We employ about 10,000 people in the state of Missouri, and we have about 300 or so primarily in Cape Girardeau," he said.

The company has about 200 job openings throughout the state in an effort to meet demand.

"I'm very excited [about] the fact that we're in an industry today that is expanding ... but I can tell you it's a hard one," he said. "Things are changing constantly. The innovation and technology, just as you see in devices, all of that requires not only being able to explain the devices and have them, but it really takes a network. And we spent about $2.5 billion to make sure that we can handle the demands that we're seeing."

John Mehner, president and CEO of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, said the Jackson store is similar to the one in Cape Girardeau.

"[AT&T continues] to be a strong partner in the area," Mehner said.

Jackson Mayor Barbara Lohr said having the new store in town also will benefit people who live in outlying communities.

"This store will offer so many people more convenience, more choice, more access to the latest products and services available to all of us through the use of this modern technology," Lohr said. "This will allow all of us to be more connected to family, friends, social groups, and yes, even city government has to keep up."

AT&T has invested more than $2.55 billion in its Missouri networks from 2009 through 2013, including $35 million in the Cape Girardeau-Jackson region. In July, AT&T expanded its 4G LTE (long-term evolution) network to an additional 17 cell sites in Cape Girardeau, Perry and Ste. Genevieve counties.

AT&T has 40 company-owned stores in Missouri and sells products and services at authorized dealer locations and select national retail stores. Its retail expansion comes during its Project Velocity IP (VIP), a three-year investment plan launched in 2012 to expand and enhance its Internet protocol broadband networks.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address: 2050 Walton Drive, Suite D, Jackson