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Alltel Completes Western Wireless Merger, Cellular One Up For Grabs

Aug 3, 2005, 1:35 PM by (staff)

Alltel this week officially completed their acquisition of Western Wireless. The carriers will merge networks, brands and leadership as Alltel later this year. Western Wireless currently owns and operates under the Cellular One brand, which it also leases to other regional carriers. As part of the merger, Western Wireless will have to give up ownership of the Cellular Brand. Dobson Communications, the second largest carrier using the brand is the most likely buyer. However the loss of Western Wireless's network from the Cellular One family could lower the brand's desirability and value, as it was the largest of all Cellular One carriers. If Dobson or another franchise does not purchase the Cellular One name, Alltel leadership has suggested an MVNO may be interested in the brand.

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Comments

This forum is closed.

This forum is closed.

terryjohnson16

Aug 3, 2005, 2:47 PM

Hope T-mobile..

I hope T-Mobile purchases Cellular One. That would give them more customers, and coverage in those areas. Does anyone know what bands does Cellular One use in those areas?

petenick

up for purchase would be the cellular one name in that market i think, NOT the actual company. The company itself, Dobson, does OK with GSM, they roam off of any t-mobile tower and most cingular/att (where roaming agreements apply.) If you check out a...
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ErikaMarie

I would really like to see T-Mobile purchase the WW part of CellularONE. I think it would then be several steps closer to purchasing Dobson CellularONE.

I do know for a fact that Dobson spent 6 million more dollars on advertising for 2005 than i...
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Compy

Aug 4, 2005, 4:58 PM

Merger Exceptions

Also, to clarify:

The Nebraska, Kansas, and Arkansas markets that Western Wireless DBA CellularONE in will not become AllTel markets as part of this process. If you check the coverage maps of both companies, you'll see why: it would be a "rural monopoly".

These markets will be ran by the trust company until someone purchases them as well.

tropicalhaven

Given that Alltel purchased most of the required ATTWS divestitures, I wonder if Cingular might want the Alltel divestitures, as I don't think Cingular is strong in those markets.

Maaz

Aug 5, 2005, 1:27 PM

GSM service

I wonder what will happen to the GSM service that Western Wireless provided. Will they all be converted to CDMA? If so, major providers like Cingular are going to lose a lot of roaming coverage.

Maaz

tropicalhaven

Alltel must honor the existing contracts that Cingular and T-Mobile, namely, had in regards to GSM service. Not only was spectrum transferred to Western Wireless, it was specifically transferred for GSM service, in addition to overlays in their curre...
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bolthead

Aug 4, 2005, 9:20 AM

I hope Dobson doesn't get it

As hard of a time as Dobson gave Alltel and WW about the merger I hope Alltel puts the Screw to them for the name 😈

ErikaMarie

Why is that? Just curious as I worked for Dobson for 2 yrs... they laid me off July 1st.

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