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85 to 100 jobs coming to Montana, Bresnan says

Bresnan Communications, which recently acquired cable television systems throughout Montana and the Rocky Mountain West, plans to build a network operations center in Montana, bringing 85 to 100 jobs to the state over five years.

By TOM HOWARD
Of The Gazette Staff

Bresnan’s commitment to Montana was announced Wednesday at the Montana Economic Development Summit at Montana State University-Billings.

Pat Bresnan, the company’s senior vice president of community relations, flew into Billings to attend the gathering. He said the company has been looking at real estate in Billings and other Montana communities, but so far no deals have been made.

"We are committed to Montana, and Billings is high on our list, but we haven’t found a site yet. We are looking at either building from the ground up or rehabilitating an existing building," Maureen Huff, a Bresnan spokeswoman, said later Wednesday.

Joe McClure, executive director of the Big Sky Economic Development Authority, announced Bresnan’s plans as the two-day conference kicked off Wednesday morning. McClure has been in contact with Bresnan officials since last winter. McClure said he has touted the benefits of doing business in Billings and has provided information about tax incentives and other programs friendly to business.

McClure said Bresnan’s proposed network operations center would provide the kind of clean, good-paying jobs that Montana needs: "family-wage" jobs, paying $35,000 a year or more.

Bresnan said network operations will be designed to provide customer service and technical support for the company’s cable television subscribers and subscribers to the company’s high-speed Internet service. He said there is no deadline for completing a real estate deal.

Bresnan Communications, based in White Plains, N.Y., recently acquired cable television systems from Comcast Corp., which bought cable operations from AT&T last year. Bresnan serves 314,000 cable television subscribers in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. Billings is among 14 Montana communities served by Bresnan.
onthenet
bresnan website

In an interview backstage at the conference, Bresnan said the company has followed a business model that allows it to prosper in smaller markets. Bresnan offers a wide range of products and provides excellent customer service, he said.

For months, members of Montana’s congressional delegation have been working to lure Bresnan to Montana.

Sen. Max Baucus, R-Mont., said he has talked to Bresnan officials on several occasions as word circulated that the company was considering an expansion in Montana.

"We kept saying we want you in Montana," Baucus said. "When it comes down to it, we need more high-paying jobs."

Billings Mayor Chuck Tooley said he would welcome the new jobs if Bresnan chooses Billings. Improved customer service to cable subscribers is another potential benefit of establishing the operations center in Billings, he said.

Customer service was a key issue for the City Council when Bresnan first proposed taking over the city’s cable television franchise, Tooley said.

Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.

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