Bluebird Network Announces Expansion of Its Underground Data Center

COLUMBIA, Mo., Feb. 28, 2018 -- Bluebird Network, a Midwest telecommunications company, has begun an expansion of its Bluebird Underground Data Center, located in a Springfield Missouri underground mine.  The expansion design is underway and the project will go to bid in late May.

Bluebird Network's underground facility

This expansion represents an additional 4,700 square-feet of white space, bringing the total to 22,300 square-feet.  The entire data center currently occupies 80,000 square-feet of mine space, with the remaining space being dedicated to critical mechanical and electrical support systems.

In addition to the increased white space, the expansion includes a third 2MW generator, another Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system and a 10,000 gallon auxiliary fuel storage tank.  With these improvements, the Bluebird Underground Data Center can independently operate for up to four days on generator power, deliver additional A/B power to its customers and improve the overall operational performance of the data center.

All elements of this expansion will be located underground, continuing its design strategy of placing all critical mechanical and electrical systems underground to ensure operational stability.  This unique approach leverages the full protection provided by the data center’s natural surroundings, ensuring the best shield from both natural and unnatural disasters.

This expansion is the second of three planned since Bluebird Network acquired the data center in 2014.  The first expansion, completed in 2016, added approximately 4,000 square-feet of white space.  The third expansion will represent approximately 7,000 square-feet of additional white space in the future.

“This expansion will increase the physical size of the data center and will augment our current processes to make the facility stronger,” says Michael Morey, President and CEO of Bluebird Network.  “We will provide space to meet increased demand while enhancing our overall services.”

To learn more about Bluebird Network, please visit www.bluebirdnetwork.com.

About Bluebird Network

Bluebird Network, headquartered in Columbia, Missouri, was formed by integrating Bluebird Media, Missouri Network Alliance, and Illinois Network Alliance.  In 2014, an underground data center was acquired and created Bluebird Underground, adding a data center facility to the Bluebird suite of services.  Today, the network has over 6,000 fiber route miles of high-speed broadband and fiber-optic connections.  The Bluebird fiber network also has over 135 Points of Presence (POP) sites spanning the Midwest, including the major cities of Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Tulsa, Omaha, Des Moines, and Memphis.  To learn more, please visit www.bluebirdnetwork.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

Media Contact:
Sue Schaefer
Bluebird Network
[email protected]
816-237-2119

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/20e2edaf-ef85-4bd8-832e-198afd96b9b4