Fiber upgrade helped pave way for AT&T expansion

Last year’s creation of a “fiber corridor” was a major contributor to AT&T’s announcement to bring 150 jobs to its call center, company and city officials said.

AT&T Missouri president John Sondag made the announcement Wednesday at the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce.

“It was a year ago July that we were here to announce a major fiber deployment that’s really created the Cape-Jackson fiber corridor, which resulted in a lot of growth, bringing 1-gigabyte service to businesses in that corridor, which allowed those businesses to grow as well,” Sondag said.

He said the goal of AT&T is to bring the latest in technology, services and products to all customers and all businesses in all communities served.

“Achieving that goal isn’t cheap, isn’t easy, and I can tell you it isn’t done overnight,” Sondag added.

Over the past three years, Sondag said, AT&T has invested $1.8 billion in its networks throughout Missouri, upgrading service towers, bringing 1-gigabyte service to more customers.

“Those investments help generate a lot of jobs for those businesses, which is great,” Sondag said, adding that in turn creates jobs for AT&T.

Throughout Missouri, 250 job opportunities will be created in call centers and retail stores and as service technicians.

“All three [of those job types] are available here in Cape,” Sondag said.

Chamber of commerce president and CEO John Mehner, who also directs the Cape Girardeau Area Magnet, said efforts at the local and state level to create a pro-business environment help bring about job-creation announcements.

“Announcements like this don’t just happen,” Mehner said.

State Rep. Kathy Swan (R-Cape Girardeau) said the announcement “is great news for us. It enhances our prospects to grow.”

Hiring events will be in St. Louis and Springfield for retail and call-center positions, respectively.

A recruiting event for call-center positions in Cape Girardeau will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent addresses:

220 N. Fountain St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

351 S. Silver Springs Road, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

1625 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.