Western Wireless Corporation at the Center of Major Wireless Deals

Western Wireless Corporation played a significant role in the wireless industry, particularly with its involvement in major deals that shaped the market.

In 2001, Western Wireless Corporation merged with Voicestream Wireless Corporation to form Cingular Wireless, which later became AT&T Mobility.

This merger was a major turning point for the company, expanding its reach and influence in the wireless industry.

The acquisition of Voicestream Wireless Corporation brought significant assets and expertise to the table, positioning Western Wireless Corporation for future growth and success.

Western Wireless Corporation was a cellular network operator that provided mobile telecommunications service to subscribers in 19 western states in the United States, and seven other countries.

At its peak in 2004, Western Wireless provided service to 1.4 million domestic subscribers and had a subsidiary, Western Wireless International Corporation, which provided wireless communications services to 1.8 million subscribers in seven countries.

The company marketed analog cellular service under the CELLULAR ONE brand in 88 FCC-defined rural service areas and digital PCS service under the VoiceStream brand in 19 FCC-defined metropolitan service areas.

Western Wireless had a significant presence in the US, covering about 25% of the continental US in 88 rural areas and 19 metropolitan ones.

The company's international operations were a notable aspect, serving 1.8 million subscribers in seven countries through its Western Wireless International Corporation subsidiary.

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Alltel Plans to Buy Western Wireless for $4.32 billion in cash and stock.

The deal will give Alltel a toehold in states such as California and Nevada, and a larger slice of rural parts of the Midwest.

Alltel will pay 0.535 of its shares and $9.25 for each share of Western Wireless.

Western Wireless' territory covers about 25% of the continental U.S. in 88 rural areas and 19 metropolitan ones.

The acquisition will result in savings of as much as $230 million over three years.

Western Wireless shares climbed 85 cents to $37.37 on Nasdaq, a 30% increase from the average for the 30 days that ended Wednesday.

Alltel will assume debt of $1.5 billion as part of the deal.

The deal will close in midyear and lift earnings in 2006, according to Alltel.

Western Wireless Corporation secured a significant contract with Wireless Facilities, Inc. to provide services for their CDMA and GSM/GPRS overlay.

The agreement was announced on May 28, 2003, and Wireless Facilities will offer full turnkey services to Western Wireless, including project management, radio frequency design, network installation, and construction management services.

Western Wireless has a long history of partnering with Wireless Facilities, and this new contract is a testament to their reliability and expertise.

Under the terms of the agreement, Wireless Facilities will work with Western Wireless to expand their networks and meet the increasing demand for wireless voice and data services.

Western Wireless will be overlaying GSM/GPRS technology in select markets to accommodate newly signed GSM roaming agreements with Cingular Wireless and T-Mobile USA.

Wireless Facilities is a global leader in telecommunications outsourcing, with experience working in over 100 countries since their founding in 1994.

Their expertise in network architecture and dimensioning of mobile and high-speed wireless data systems makes them an ideal partner for Western Wireless.

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T-Mobile USA is planning to expand its GSM/GPRS 1900 footprint in rural U.S. markets.

T-Mobile's roaming agreement with Western Wireless will expand advanced GSM/GPRS 1900 voice and data service along more than 5,500 highway miles and across much of the Western United States.

This expansion will cover approximately 253 million people, making T-Mobile's GSM/GPRS 1900 network one of the largest in the country.

T-Mobile has also agreed to expand its roaming deal with Cingular Wireless, specifically to include advanced data services and expanded highway coverage.

Western Wireless will build its GSM/GPRS 1900 network to cover approximately 4 million people using new 1900 MHz spectrum to be purchased from T-Mobile, subject to regulatory approvals.

T-Mobile's GSM/GPRS 1900 network will reach approximately 253 million people with these and its other existing agreements.

Western Wireless expects to add GSM/GPRS to one-half of its existing cell sites by mid-2004, leveraging its existing network infrastructure to provide a cost-effective solution with extensive coverage to its roaming partners.

T-Mobile is committed to delivering on its Get More promise to its customers and making advanced GSM services as widely available in the United States as they are around the world.

T-Mobile operates the largest GSM footprint across the country, reaching 245 million people and serving over 10 million customers.

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