Representatives of Windstream and local development groups celebrate the opening of Windstream’s call center on Industrial Drive Monday.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Windstream cut the ribbon Monday on a new call center in Moultrie that the company hopes will provide up to 50 jobs for the community.

This is the fourth such call center in Georgia for the communications company, which is known locally for cable television, telephone and internet services.

The call center will be located at Windstream’s Industrial Drive facility, which is undergoing remodeling to house it. Phone operators there will help Windstream customers from across the state with issues involving billing or service, according to Daryl Barron, director of fleet operations for the company.

Sheila Robinson, care manager, is in charge of the call center. She said the first cohort of 16 customer service positions is now in place. Ten have been working from home, and six more joined the company on Monday.

Robinson said she expects a second round of hiring in April and possibly a third in May. By June, they hope to employ 40 to 50 people there.

“It’s a great opportunity for us and for Moultrie,” Robinson said.

 Operations Manager Ben Summerlin pointed out that the positions require only a high school diploma, and they offer benefits and good opportunities for advancement with the company.

He said the company has recently hired 90 technicians across Georgia, seven of them in Moultrie. Some of those positions are related to a recent partnership with Colquitt EMC to expand broadband internet access into rural areas.

Economic development officials at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce and the Moultrie-Colquitt County Development Authority — both of which were represented at Monday’s ribbon cutting — were very pleased with the arrival of the call center.

“Obviously, the new job growth is amazing and we’re glad to have it,” Development Authority President Barbara Grogan said. “… These are the kind of jobs we like to see in Colquitt County.”