Only seven months after first announcing its newest customer service center would be built and staffed in Chattanooga, T-Mobile USA, Inc. on Thursday took the first customer service call at the company’s new, state-of-the-art facility.

Larry Stowell took the first call as other newly hired call center employees and local and state officials listened in.

The first caller was given 50 free bonus minutes.

Mr. Stowell was chosen to take the first call through an employee drawing. Currently 90 customer service representatives are on staff at the facility; nearly 150 people so far have been hired. The company expects to bring 550 additional jobs to the center when fully staffed to help support T-Mobile’s rapidly growing customer base of more than 21 million customers.

“Our Customer Service employees play a vital role in our company’s success,” said Sue Nokes, senior vice president of Customer Service for T-Mobile USA. “The culture and residents of Chattanooga are very service-oriented, which is a perfect match with T-Mobile’s culture. This has been reinforced with our success in Tennessee for more than five years.”

T-Mobile announced plans to build the Customer Service Center in Chattanooga in August 2005. officials said the modern facility "provides T-Mobile employees with the latest telecommunications tools and customer service technology while reinforcing the company’s Get More From Life® philosophy."

The 77,000-square foot facility at the corner of Highway 153 and Lee Highway offers employees an on-site workout facility, cyber café, wellness room, nursing room, game room, television lounge and on-site deli.

New employees ramp up with a six-week training schedule that brings 90 customer service representatives at a time through the company's “Get More® Academy.”

“T-Mobile has moved from announcement through construction to hiring and training in just seven months,” said Mayor Ron Littlefield. “That extraordinary accomplishment demonstrates T-Mobile’s commitment to this community. We are proud to join you in celebrating this important milestone.”

“Just looking at this facility tells you how much T-Mobile values both its customers and its employees,” said County Mayor Claude Ramsey. “Hamilton County is glad to count T-Mobile among its next generation of leading corporate citizens.”

The new facility has been a joint effort between T-Mobile USA, Holder Properties and The Staubach Company. Other organizations who helped to bring T-Mobile to Chattanooga include the city of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, EPB, EPB Telecom, Tennessee Valley Authority, South East Industrial Development Association (SEIDA), the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

“We are looking forward to partnering with T-Mobile and are pleased that they have committed to creating quality jobs in Tennessee,” said Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matthew Kisber. “T-Mobile’s presence in our state with this new Customer Care center is exactly the type of better-paying, higher-skilled job creation we’re striving for.”

The facility will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The anticipated wage rate is $9.50-$11 per hour.

“Working with T-Mobile shows what can happen when a ‘Can-Do Company’ chooses the ‘Can-Do Community,” said Trevor Hamilton, Chief Economic Development Officer for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. “T-Mobile’s new Customer Care Center is the result of outstanding cooperation between T-Mobile, the State of Tennessee, Hamilton County, the City of Chattanooga, the Chamber, and all of our economic development partners.”

The general manager is Charlene Morgan, who previously was with Verizon for 13 years. She has helped launch four customer service centers in the Southeast.

T-Mobile operates a customer service center in Nashville, with more than 850 employees. The company opened the Nashville center in 2001.

Individuals interested in careers at T-Mobile’s Chattanooga Customer Service Center should visit the company’s web site at www.t-mobile.com/jobs. Positions available include customer service representative, customer service coaches, customer service team managers and customer service support staff and management.