Today the deal was announced by AT&T. AT&T will get about 75% of Alltel with the rest still to be decided among US Cellular and investor groups. The deal will cost AT&T $2.35 Billion. AT&T says they will convert the entire network to GSM within a year after closing. Parts of the Alltel network already provide GSM roaming coverage.
Verizon Wireless grouped the Alltel markets into 30 "regions". AT&T will get 24 "regions" and US Cellular and the bidding investors are looking at the other 6. We will assume a "region" is a collection of geographically adjacent markets and AT&T's region contains 74 Alltel and Unicel markets. US Cellular did indicate they were mostly interested in markets closest to their existing service areas.
Hey, rural America gets the iPhone!
3 comments:
Any idea when Montana might actually get AT&T service? I have heard rough guesses of about a year, but you may have a more educated guess. I'd appreciate any insight!
Since the Montana Alltel network already has GSM available, the conversion may be pretty easy. AT&T would take over around the end of this year and the next step would be to change and equip the stores. You should be able to get an AT&T phone online, shortly after closing, but not at a local store until mid-2010. All guesses.
Yeah if you're within or closer by the major highways and the cities which we mostly have the GSM coverages by 1900 on 850 site which has distant limit at 22 miles for that Frequency as 1900 so not for rurals they're mostly picked up by 800/850 which is still CDMA.
Pretty much every else had said by next year after closing date in 4th Quarter of 2009 this year then 12 months begins the divest market from Verizon to AT&T in that time to swap CDMA to GSM
I'm sure you can switch over by then if you live in existing GSM in your area by Alltel right after closing date but 850 coverage wont happen for some time after this year.
I was told Chinook Wireless (CellularOne) was pretending they're partnership with AT&T but they're not really. And don't expect that neither of them would allow home to home roaming? I don't know we'll see by then.....
Post a Comment