Western Wireless adds GSM!

[BillRadio]

A recent news release from Western Wireless (dba Cellular One in the western U.S.), included plans for roaming technolgy. The key line is "migrating...TDMA...to GSM..." This is a HUGE addition to GSM rural roaming capabilities in the west! However, this GSM will be at 800 MHz.

-Bill

"In 2002, Western also renewed its roaming agreements with three major carriers - AT&T Wireless, Verizon Wireless and Cingular Wireless. Stanton said that roaming accounts for about 75 percent of the company's revenue and that's why it's important for Western to have a consistent footprint and multiple technology platforms. Currently the company offers CDMA, TDMA and analog air interface technologies. However, Stanton also said the company is in the process of migrating its TDMA network to GSM in order to offer GSM service across its footprint. 'We will be the only source of roaming with GSM in our footprint. We believe offering roaming on GSM and CDMA will provide more pricing power,' Stanton says."

[DCinSEA]

Wow. That is good, but a little late. They will already be losing a lot of the roaming revenue from AWS and Cingular on their JV that will be up and running this quarter, though.

I can't believe WW didn't figure this out sooner.

DCinSEA

[ILUVSOCAL]

Also, Edge Wireless, the AT&T Affiliate Network here in the west, is overlaying GSM onto their current TDMA 1900 systems. They currently operate in Northern California, Southern Oregon, Eastern Idaho and Western Wyoming. This will greatly expand GSM in the rural west, especially in Southern Oregon and the Northern California counties of Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte, Siskiyou, Modoc and Lassen, all currently have no GSM service.