AT&T Wireless Services, Inc., Cingular Wireless LLC, Meriwether Communications LLC, And Skagit Wireless, LLC Spectrum Swap

Subsidiaries of AT&T Wireless Services, Inc. (“AWS”), subsidiaries of Cingular Wireless LLC (“Cingular”), Meriwether Communications LLC (“Meriwether”), and Skagit Wireless, LLC (“Skagit”) (collectively, the “Parties”) have filed a series of fourteen applications pursuant to Section 310(d) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, seeking Commission consent to the full and partial assignment of cellular and broadband Personal Communications Services (“PCS”) licenses and authorizations in various markets. This transaction consists of exchanges of full and partial licenses between AWS and Cingular, Cingular and Meriwether, and Cingular and Skagit.

These applications have been consolidated under WT Docket No. 03-46, and most of the record in the proceeding is accessible through the Electronic Comment Filing System. Copies of documents in the record may also be obtained for a fee from FCC's duplicating contractor Qualex International, or may be viewed and/or copied at the FCC Reference Center.

Timeline

Public Notices

5/14/03
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Grants Consent for the Assignment of Licenses to AT&T Wireless Services, Inc., Cingular Wireless LLC, Meriwether Communications LLC and Skagit Wireless, LLC, DA No. 03-1641 Word | Acrobat

2/14/03
AT&T Wireless Services, Inc., Cincular Wireless LLC, Meriwether Communications LLC, and Skagit Wireless, LLC Seek FCC Consent to Assign Cellular and Broadband Personal Communications Services Licenses (DA No. 03-440) WTB Acrobat | Word | Text

Applications

Assignment Applications To Exchange Licenses from AWS to Cingular

1/10/03
File Number 0001147592, Assignor AT&T Wireless PCS, LLC, Lead Call Sign KNLF221
File Number 0001147615, Assignor AMT Cellular, LLC, Lead Call Sign KNLF256
File Number 0001147624, Assignor QuinCom, Inc., Lead Call Sign KNLG928
File Number 0001147643, Assignor TeleCorp Holding Corp. II, L.L.C., Lead Call Sign WPOJ823
File Number 0001147639, Assignor Tritel C/F Holding Corp., Lead Call Sign WPOK616

Assignment Applications To Exchange Licenses from Cingular to AWS

2/11/03
File Number 0001146802, Assignor Ameritech Mobile Communications, LLC, Lead Call Sign KNKN201
1/10/03
File Number 0001146840, Assignor BellSouth Mobility LLC, Lead Call Sign KNLG620
File Number 0001146818, Assignor Pacific Bell Wireless Northwest, LLC, Lead Call Sign KNLF283
File Number 0001146844, Assignor BellSouth Mobility LLC, Lead Call Sign KNLG613
File Number 0001146848, Assignor Southwestern Bell Wireless, LLC, Lead Call Sign KNLF295

Assignment Applications To Exchange Licenses from Cingular to Meriwether

1/10/03
File Number 0001146821, Assignor Southwestern Bell Wireless, LLC, Lead Call Sign KNLF295

Assignment Applications To Exchange Licenses from Meriwether to Cingular

1/10/03
File Number 0001148062, Assignor Meriwether Communications, LLC, Lead Call Sign KNLG935

Assignment Applications To Exchange Licenses from Cingular to Skagit

1/10/03
File Number 0001146851, Assignor BellSouth Mobility LLC, Lead Call Sign KNLG622

Assignment Applications To Exchange Licenses from Skagit to Cingular

1/10/03
File Number 0001148051, Assignor Skagit Wireless, LLC, Lead Call Sign KNLH623

1/29/03
Ownership Disclosure Information filed by AT&T Wireless Services, Inc.

1/17/03
Ownership Disclosure Information filed by Cingular Wireless LLC

10/30/01
Ownership Disclosure Information filed by Skagit Wireless LLC

6/15/01
Ownership Disclosure Information filed by Meriwether Communications, LLC

Background

As a result of this transaction, Cingular will receive 5, 10, or 15 MHz of PCS spectrum in discrete portions of seven states; AWS will receive 10 MHz of broadband PCS spectrum in discrete portions of five states; and Meriwether and Skagit will receive 10 MHz of PCS spectrum in discrete portions of two states. In addition, AWS will receive the cellular block authorization in the Kauai, Hawaii Rural Service Area (“RSA”). Upon consummation of this transaction, Cingular will exit the Kauai RSA, and the current Cingular customers will be transitioned to AWS. AWS intends to provide the Cingular customers in the Kauai market with a minimum of 30-days notice of the transition. The Parties state that, after consummation of this transaction, AWS will directly own and control 25 MHz of cellular spectrum and 10 MHz of PCS spectrum in Kauai. Additionally, AWS has a non-controlling equity interest in ABC Wireless, L.L.C., which holds a 30 MHz PCS license in Kauai.

Designated Entity and Entrepreneurial Eligibility Issues

The parties state that this transaction will include the assignment of C and F Block PCS licenses to Cingular. The Commission’s Rules state that “[n]o assignment or transfer of control of a license for frequency Block C or frequency Block F won in closed bidding pursuant to the eligibility requirements of § 24.709 will be granted,” except when, among other things, “[t]he application for assignment or transfer of control is filed on or after the date the licensee has notified the Commission pursuant to § 24.203(c) that its five-year construction requirement has been satisfied.” The parties state that the five-year build-out notifications have been filed for all of the C and F block licenses implicated in the assignment applications. Additionally, the parties acknowledge that full payment of the remaining unpaid principal and any unpaid interest accrued through the eventual date of the assignments and any other payments otherwise required by Section 1.2111 of the Commission’s rules will be required to be made immediately prior to closing.

Clock History

Day 1 was on: 2/14/03
This information was last updated on: 5/14/03