Q3 2018

      
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Welcome

Welcome to the current installation of the Bluebird Network quarterly newsletter. In each newsletter we bring you the latest updates about Bluebird activities, industry news and upcoming events. We encourage you to check out the information provided within this newsletter, click on the article links, visit our website (simply “click” on the menu tabs above) and share our newsletters with others who may benefit from our information. We thank all our members and customers for their continued support and wish you the best of luck in the coming quarter!

Michael Morey,
President and CEO


An Overview of Bluebird Network

Bluebird Network is a Midwest telecommunications company that provides an efficient and fast fiber-optic network to rural and urban customers throughout the Midwest. Bluebird Network focuses on combining cutting-edge technology and the brightest individuals to deliver high-speed broadband and Internet services, and secure data storage solutions to Enterprise, Carrier and Data Center customers throughout Missouri, Illinois and the surrounding states. Our data center, the Bluebird Underground Data Center located in Springfield, Missouri, is an underground colocation facility that offers hardware and equipment protection from natural and unnatural disasters. For our customers, our services translate to quality, continuity, and performance. At Bluebird Network, we understand that success is all about good connections.

BLUEBIRD NEWS
Bluebird Network Expands Coverage of Missouri Schools with High-Speed Connectivity
Five new school districts select Bluebird Network for quality, speed, and reliability of rural Internet service

Bluebird Network, a Midwest regional telecommunications company, continues to expand coverage to Missouri schools by adding five new school districts as customers. Students at all schools in the districts will gain access to fast, reliable internet access from Bluebird to benefit from the growing wealth of online educational resources.


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UNDERGROUND UPDATES
Digging Deep for Data Center Optimization
By Todd Murren, General Manager, Bluebird Underground Data Center

Going underground is not the complete solution, but when done properly, it enables a world of possibilities to enhance operational efficiencies.

Given the current proliferation of Big Data analytics and the advent of IoT, the stakes are high for colocation customers seeking storage and compute solutions for increasingly massive quantities of data. To remain competitive, these organizations look to obtain the services of a colocation provider whose facility is highly secure, reliable and scalable — all at a price point that won’t break the bank. A tall order, but with the proper data center optimization strategy, colocation providers can meet the needs of new and existing customers, delivering ample space and power as well as resiliency and security while minimizing costs.


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CARRIER COLUMN
Weathering Disaster: How Underground Data Centers Protect Against Mother Nature’s Worst

Over the past few decades, scientific studies have continued to show that as global climate trends shift, extreme weather events are becoming increasingly probable. Heat waves, large storms, floods, tropical cyclones and tornadoes are all cropping up more frequently as widespread changes in weather patterns occur. Luckily, advancements in the data center market are being implemented to ensure that as these unpredictable factors grow in frequency, the integrity of an infrastructure site can remain uncompromised.

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BLUEBIRD INTERVIEW
Industry Spotlight: Bluebird Network CEO Michael Morey
Like many infrastructure operators that were originally founded by coalitions of rural telephone operators, Bluebird Network spent its first decade largely under the radar of the broader markets. But in recent years, the company has become much more visible as it expands its reach. A few years ago, Bluebird even bought an underground data center in Springfield, MO and entered the colocation space. With us today to talk about Bluebird’s infrastructure and its unique data center asset is President and CEO Michael Morey. An industry veteran with roots in fiber stretching back to AT&T in the early 80s, he joined Bluebird in 2012 and has presided over a period of rapid growth at the company.

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BEHIND THE NETWORK
An Inside Look at What Runs Our Network

How does Bluebird Network maintain its excellent reputation? It’s Bluebird Network’s dedication to provide great customer service. Our company motto is “Because success is all about good connections,” and we can’t have good connections without a reliable customer to connect with. The Bluebird difference is that Bluebird’s support begins and ends with a conversation with a live person. During the pre-sales process we listen to our customers’ requirements and provide the best solutions to meet their business needs. Bluebird’s networking team works with our customers during activation making sure both our network and the customer’s network are working correctly. Our network team uses state-of-the-art test equipment to provide assurance that our layer 2 services are performing properly with RFC 2544 and/or Y.1564 tests. Our high speed DIA services are validated with the RFC 6349 test. During the DIA service testing Bluebird can move our test equipment inside our customers network to help find and resolve issues in our customer’s network. Bluebird assists our customers with configuration issues from VLAN tagging, IP subnetting, or complex BGP settings. Our support establishes a relationship of trust with our customers that goes beyond the typical role of a service provider.

INDUSTRY CHATTER
Telehealth Underground: Why Subterranean Data Centers Provide The Most Resilient Infrastructure For Telemedicine Data

According to the American Telemedicine Association, more than one-half of U.S. hospitals now have a telehealth program in place. Overall, 71 percent of healthcare providers are using telehealth or telemedicine technologies to provide medical services in ambulatory and inpatient settings. Telehealth produces a deluge of data, including vital sign and symptom collection from patients, leading some healthcare providers to worry that critical information may get lost in the coming data tsunami which might provide a basis for medical malpractice complaints. Yet the telehealth market is predicted to grow by 14.3 percent to hit $36.2 billion by 2020, up from $14.3 billion five years ago, and almost 75 percent of Americans report that they are willing to schedule a telemedicine appointment as an alternative to traditional medical services.


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Dig deep for data center assurances
There’s a world going on underground

Given the growth in Big Data analytics, the advent of IoT, decentralization, and now AI for robotics, drones and autonomous vehicles, these developments have a significant impact on virtually every industry sector.

Equally significant are the places where these important compute and storage operations live. While there are many dimensions to operational risk, any assessment should begin with a location that provides assurances for the security and confidentiality of this sensitive and at times proprietary business function.


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New First Responder Stamp Available

Firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS professionals and other emergency personnel were recognized by the U.S. Postal Service at a first-day-of issue ceremony for the Honoring First Responders Forever stamp.

"Our nation's first responders rush into life-threatening situations for the benefit of others," said Guy Cottrell, the Postal Inspection Service's chief postal inspector and dedicating official. "The Postal Service is pleased to honor their skill, dedication and unfailing bravery with this stamp."


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FCC to invest $1.5 billion over 10 years in expansion of rural broadband
Money will extend rural broadband to more than 700,000 homes and small businesses

With the U.S. Federal Communication Commission’s Connect America Fund auction on the books, some 103 service providers will receive $1.488 billion over the next decade to build out rural broadband infrastructure to a projected 713,176 homes and businesses in 45 states. The FCC says those locations will have access to broadband speeds of at least 100 Mbps.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the “first-of-its-kind auction” is “the most appropriate and cost effective way to allocate funding for broadband in these unserved communities, bringing the highest-quality broadband services to the most consumers at the lowest cost to the ratepayer.”


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TRADE SHOWS AND EVENTS
October 15-17, 2018

Kansas City, MO
MATSS
October 25, 2018

Springfield, MO
techITout
October 25-26, 2018

Branson, MO
MPCA
October 29, 2018

Clayton, MO
Best of Clayton
October 29-31, 2018

Las Vegas, NV
INCOMPAS
Corporate HQ
2005 W. Broadway Bldg. A
Suite 215
Columbia, MO 65203
Phone: 1-573-777-4200
Toll Free: 1-855-BLUEBIRD
Kansas City Office
800 N.W. Chipman Road
Suite 5750
Lee’s Summit, MO 64063
Phone: 816-361-8821
Toll Free: 888-832-6662
 
St. Louis Office
10024 Office Center Avenue
Suite 201
St. Louis, Missouri 63128
Phone: 1-314-270-8730
Bluebird Underground
1904 N. LeCompte
Springfield, Missouri 65802
Phone: 1-417-851-0200