Bluegrass Cellular Commemorates 20th Anniversary
This year, Bluegrass Cellular Inc. will celebrate its 20th anniversary as a cellular service provider and pioneer of wireless technology in rural Kentucky. The company, which began with five employees in 1990, currently employs more than 360 and anticipates increasing its employee base by over 10 percent in the next two years.
Bluegrass Cellular was the first cellular carrier to provide analog cellular network service in rural Kentucky. Since the initiation of wireless service in the spring of 1991, the Bluegrass Cellular wireless network has grown to provide local network coverage to a population base of over one million people in the 40 counties within its license areas.
Bluegrass Cellular provides nation-wide voice and 3G data services to its customers through its relationships with other wireless providers and a key driver of Bluegrass Cellular’s continued growth includes the recently announced plans to partner with Verizon Wireless to provide 4G LTE service in rural Kentucky. This past year Bluegrass Cellular experienced exponential growth in smartphone and residential broadband customer use of its 3G wireless data network and has created over 70 jobs since the introduction of 3G services in 2008 to insure the highest level of quality service was provided to its customers.
Headquartered in Elizabethtown, Ky., Bluegrass Cellular’s President and current Chairman of the Board of the Rural Cellular Association (RCA), Ron Smith, managed the launch of the company after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued cellular licenses for eleven Rural Service Areas within the state of Kentucky in 1989.
“We are extremely proud to reach this milestone anniversary,” said Smith. “The company’s first tag line was ‘Wherever You Go’ and we are proud to meet that goal through our provision of nation-wide 3G services to our customers today. We also are aggressively planning the future introduction of 4G services. President Obama has challenged our industry to provide 98% of Americans with access to 4G, high speed, wireless services within five years and Bluegrass Cellular is taking action, partnering with carriers of all sizes across the nation and working with the FCC to achieve that goal.”
In commemoration of its 20th anniversary Bluegrass Cellular is planning the recognition of the more than 160 customers that have been with the company since the initiation of service, as well as a recognition program for its employees.
“We look forward to celebrating with our customers, communities and employees. It is important for us to show our appreciation for their loyalty and support throughout the years,” said Smith. “We are grateful for our employees who dedicate so much time and energy to providing outstanding service to our subscribers. We are able to celebrate this anniversary because of the hard work and commitment of our employees over the last two decades.”