AWS/Cingular/Triton enigma solved! Cingular to serve all top 100 cities!

[bobolito]

Deal paves way for Cingular to serve all top 100 cities as Triton PCS ends AT&T Wireless relationship and gains key service in North Carolina, Puerto Rico

ATLANTA, REDMOND, WA AND BERWYN, PA -- July 8, 2004 -- Cingular Wireless, AT&T Wireless (NYSE:AWE), and Triton PCS (NYSE: TPC) announced today they have signed a non-binding letter of intent that - contingent on closing of Cingular's acquisition of AT&T Wireless - would give Cingular expanded wireless service in Virginia and Triton PCS added coverage in North Carolina as well as entry into Puerto Rico.

Under the terms of the letter of intent, Cingular would receive Triton PCS's network assets and customers in Virginia. Triton PCS would receive certain AT&T Wireless network assets and customers in North Carolina and Puerto Rico, plus $175 million in cash from Cingular. Employees in the affected markets will transition with the business.

Additionally, Triton PCS and AT&T Wireless have entered into definitive agreements to terminate the stockholder agreement, which includes termination of an exclusivity arrangement in return for the surrender of AT&T Wireless' equity in Triton PCS. The parties also agreed that Triton PCS would have exclusive right to the SunCom brand. With these agreements, Triton PCS will be able to compete beyond its current footprint and Cingular will provide continuing service in areas where Triton PCS currently has operations.

Further, Triton PCS and Cingular will enter into a new long-term, reciprocal roaming agreement, which will allow Cingular and Triton PCS subscribers to benefit from Cingular's extensive nationwide network and Triton PCS's strong regional network.

"Our agreements with Triton PCS build on our planned acquisition of AT&T Wireless. When all are finalized, we will have spectrum and coverage in all top 100 U.S. metro areas -- yet another move in delivering on our promise to be the premier wireless carrier in the U.S.," said Stan Sigman, President & CEO of Cingular Wireless. "The agreement also promotes competition by creating a strong new regional provider in North Carolina."

"With more than a 30% increase in covered POPs and a new presence in the high-growth North Carolina markets of Charlotte, Raleigh/Durham and Greensboro, these agreements boost Triton PCS's growth prospects and position the company to continue as a leading wireless carrier in the Southeast," said Michael E. Kalogris, Triton PCS Chairman and CEO. "This, combined with our entry into Puerto Rico, will reduce our dependency on roaming revenue and dramatically reduce future roaming expense. Our
agreements also recognize the great value we have built in our Virginia operations."

The closing of all of the agreements are contingent upon closing of
Cingular's acquisition of AT&T Wireless. The letter of intent is subject to negotiation and execution of definitive agreements and standard regulatory approvals. The companies expect the Cingular/AT&T Wireless merger to be approved and finalized in 2004.


http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/st...2206598&EDATE=

[bobolito]

By Yuki Noguchi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 8, 2004; Page E05


Cingular Wireless LLC and AT&T Wireless Services Inc., which plan to merge, have agreed to pay $175 million and give up some cellular capacity elsewhere to strengthen their signals in Virginia, according to a source close to the companies.

The cell phone companies would turn over some of their cellular network in North Carolina and Puerto Rico in exchange for Triton PCS Holdings Inc.'s network in Virginia, which includes Richmond, Roanoke, Charlottesville and Norfolk, according to the source, who requested anonymity because the deal is scheduled to be announced today.

Cingular, which hopes to close its $41 billion merger with AT&T Wireless by the end of the year, does not have any airwave licenses in those parts of Virginia. It has had to rely on roaming agreements with other carriers for its customers to get service in those areas.

The deal would reduce the roaming charges paid by some Cingular customers, as well as the amount the company has to pay to send phone calls over other carriers' networks. AT&T Wireless also would return its 17 percent ownership in Triton to the company in exchange for an agreement to pay lower rates to use Triton's network.

In addition, Cingular would get Triton's 400,000 Virginia customers and 300 employees in Virginia. Roughly the same number of AT&T Wireless employees and customers in North Carolina and Puerto Rico would transfer to Triton. That transfer would not occur until Cingular's merger with AT&T Wireless is complete.

Atlanta-based Cingular hopes that saying it would divest network and assets to Triton will help its merger win regulatory approval. The combined Cingular and AT&T Wireless would be the dominant carrier in some North Carolina markets. The merger is under antitrust review by the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission.

Triton, based in Berwyn, Pa., is an affiliate company with agreements to allow its customers to use AT&T Wireless's network outside of Triton's coverage area. AT&T Wireless customers also roam onto Triton's network. As of March 31, Triton had 919,906 customers in the Southeast. It plans to continue to provide the reciprocal roaming agreements.




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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2004Jul7.html

© 2004 The Washington Post Company

[bobolito]

More details..

http://www.tritonpcs.com/collateral/...esentation.pdf

[ehcruzan]

Sounds like a great deal! I'm really impressed with Cingular's management. The merger may be more seamless than competitors think.

[agentHibby]

Just asking how could Cingular cover all of Top 100 cites when one of them is in Puerto Rico? San Jaun #22 of the top 100??

[bobolito]

Because they are not losing Puerto Rico. What they are doing is giving Triton the AWS network in PR, not Cingular's.

In the end Cingular is gaining some markets, not losing any.

Watch for Cingular/AWS posting the new revised Spectrum Aggregation Chart, Coverage Map, and Competitor's chart with the FCC in the next few days.

[agentHibby]

ok
Thankyou bobolito for the info.
Cingular will be the first to make it in all of the top 100 markets for a Cellular/PCS company. I think Nextel is already there??

[Etorres777]

I'm impressed at Cingular.. I can't wait until the merge is completed

[ehcruzan]

ok
Thankyou bobolito for the info.
Cingular will be the first to make it in all of the top 100 markets for a Cellular/PCS company. I think Nextel is already there??

Does Nextel have service in Puerto Rico?

[agentHibby]

I was thinking that Nextel had service only in San Juan. I gues I was wrong so they are 99 out of 100.

[bobolito]

Nextel has service in the top 100 already. They accomplished this in 2001.
http://dc.internet.com/news/print.php/941091

I believe Sprint PCS has all top 100 as well.

[bobolito]

I'm impressed at Cingular.. I can't wait until the merge is completed

They have accomplished a lot in just 4 years. More so than any of the carriers combined:

- Integrated SBC and BLS wireless operations.
- Entered NYC while allowing T-Mobile to enter the west coast.
- Pushed the development of GAIT technology.
- Converted all its TDMA to GSM.
- Triggered the development of GSM 850.
- Installed the first operating EDGE network in the world.
- Beat one of the world's largest carriers (Vodafone) in a fierce auction.
- It is buying what once was the largest US wireless carrier.
- It will become the largest wireless US operator.
- The biggest threat to Verizon to date.
- Growing from the lower end spectrum holder to the richest spectrum holder.
- Pushed T-Mobile growth in the west coast and Triton growth.
- Has gone from a major roaming buyer to a major roaming seller.
- Just wait and see what they have in store for 3G.

[WiggyFife]

The article states that "Cingular" will serve the top 100 markets. How can they make that claim when Cingular still does not list Phoenix, Arizona, one of the top markets on their drop-down list, off of their own website???

Or will Cingular, once the merger is complete, just overtake ATTWS's network? I'm so curious about this. Thanks for the insight...

[Etorres777]

The article states that "Cingular" will serve the top 100 markets. How can they make that claim when Cingular still does not list Phoenix, Arizona, one of the top markets on their drop-down list, off of their own website???

Or will Cingular, once the merger is complete, just overtake ATTWS's network? I'm so curious about this. Thanks for the insight...

What are the top 100 markets in the U.S. If my city is ranked 23 largest in U.S. is it included in the top 100 markets? (El Paso, Texas)?

[Shizam76]

What are the top 100 markets in the U.S. If my city is ranked 23 largest in U.S. is it included in the top 100 markets? (El Paso, Texas)?

Is sure is

[jerkelly]

So what exactly does this mean for me, as a Suncom customer? Is this good news? Do I understand it correctly that Suncom customers will be able to roam on Cingular networks? Thanks to anyone who can clarify for me

[bobolito]

The article states that "Cingular" will serve the top 100 markets. How can they make that claim when Cingular still does not list Phoenix, Arizona, one of the top markets on their drop-down list, off of their own website???

Or will Cingular, once the merger is complete, just overtake ATTWS's network? I'm so curious about this. Thanks for the insight...

Cingular has not completed the acquisition of AT&T Wireless. Once they do that, they will be available in Phoenix. As you said, they will take over AT&T Wireless network.

[bobolito]

So what exactly does this mean for me, as a Suncom customer? Is this good news? Do I understand it correctly that Suncom customers will be able to roam on Cingular networks? Thanks to anyone who can clarify for me

It will probably mean nothing depending where you are. However, if you are in Virginia you will run the same luck as the rest of the AT&T Wireless customers, namely, you will become a Cingular customer.

[WiggyFife]

Cingular has not completed the acquisition of AT&T Wireless. Once they do that, they will be available in Phoenix. As you said, they will take over AT&T Wireless network.

Do you, or anyone else know if Cingular will build out their AZ GSM Network any further once the merger is complete?

[jones]

In northern Jersey and NY City Metro and LI, CINGULAR does not have any CELL Sites because they were riding on T-Mobile.
However ATTWS has a Lot.
Moving their existing customers to ATTWS network will be quite a challenge.
Some cell sites both ATTWS and T-Mobile are colocated and some are not.
I wonder which signal their customers will pick up when they're located in the same Tower.

[WirelessBeachBum]

Wirelessly posted (Samsung i600: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.01; Windows CE; Smartphone; 176x220))

good non binding plan...

[bobolito]

In northern Jersey and NY City Metro and LI, CINGULAR does not have any CELL Sites because they were riding on T-Mobile.
However ATTWS has a Lot.
Moving their existing customers to ATTWS network will be quite a challenge.
Some cell sites both ATTWS and T-Mobile are colocated and some are not.
I wonder which signal their customers will pick up when they're located in the same Tower.

Well, officially, the towers belong to both T-Mobile and Cingular according to the sharing agreement. Once the agreement is terminated (Feb 2005) T-Mobile will regain full ownership of the towers. Right now, it is 50/50.

Moving existing customers to AWS will be simpler than thought. First, the AWS LAC will be opened and that will allow Cingular customers automatically use AWS towers with no other changes. Secondly, a new OTA will be needed so that Cingular phones begin treating AWS towers as their home towers instead of T-Mobile's. In the end, the procedure will be simpler than combining two networks like they will be doing in other areas.

If both T-Mo and AWS have panels in the same tower, the phone will logically prefer AWS because that will be the home network. T-Mobile will be treated as a roaming partner and phones will be using it only if the AWS signal is not available which is a rare scenario in this area.

[Airb330]

This is great news. I for one, was not thrilled with T-Mobile in VA. I had too many problems with it. Seems like Cingular is going to be everywhere!

SS, I am sure Cingular will continue to improve service in AZ. ATT is already pretty good. Cingular just may be an option for you next year.

[Kenny]

Airb,

How do you like your Cingular GSM service? Where do you use it?

I asked the following on Hofo and will ask here to see if anyone knows.

I'm in Chicago which is of course was the big spot for Ameritech but taken over for quite some time by SBC. For SBC landline users are there any special pricing packages or discounts for choosing Cingular Wireless?

[Kenny]

Well after digging around for quite a bit I think I found it...

SBC Total Connections is a money saving bundle that offers a residential phone line, a package of custom calling features, SBC long distance services, Internet access and wireless service on one convenient SBC bill. Order SBC Yahoo! DSL with your SBC Total Connections bundle for a one-year term for as low as $26.95* per month — our lowest price available for high-speed Internet access. And with Cingular® Wireless, you'll save $5.00 off the regular monthly price if you are a new customer.

[Etorres777]

I'm a current AWS customer. I also have SBC. When the merge is complete will it be possible to get the bills combined but, technically i'm not a new costumer. So how does it work out in the end?

[Shizam76]

Well after digging around for quite a bit I think I found it...

SBC Total Connections is a money saving bundle that offers a residential phone line, a package of custom calling features, SBC long distance services, Internet access and wireless service on one convenient SBC bill. Order SBC Yahoo! DSL with your SBC Total Connections bundle for a one-year term for as low as $26.95* per month — our lowest price available for high-speed Internet access. And with Cingular® Wireless, you'll save $5.00 off the regular monthly price if you are a new customer.

Kenny...I'm in the Chicago area too . My girlfriends mom and brother both got Cingular service through SBC with the discount, etc. All I have to say is DON'T DO IT! Go to a Cingular store and purchase your service seperately....here's why.....

They got their phones shut off due to lack of payment. What happened is they sent all money owed this past April (for landline, DSL and cell phones) and they got a disconnection notice. So she called Cingular and they said that they never received the payment from SBC, and they told her she needed to contact SBC to find out why they haven't submitted Cingular's portion of the money. She called SBC and they said "We submitted the money to Cingular, you have to call them." She called Cingular back, they confirmed, they haven't received the money for the cell phone portion. Blah blah blah, nobody would do anything, and they all blamed the other one. So both the phones got shut off due to "lack of payment" for march's bill. They had to pay the $36 re-connection fee. I don't know how this ended up, I think they eventually found the money, somewhere.

Bottom line is, your money and service are at the mercy of these 2 computer systems working together and the people running them. One small wrong key punch by an employee or some network hic-up and BAM. Your check may register as being cashed or deposited by them, but ooops your money is "missing". I wouldn't take the chance on service interuption and someone "losing" my money somewhere.

My girlfriend wanted to get a phone through our SBC service and I said " NO! You know what happened to your mom and brother.."

[Shizam76]

I'm a current AWS customer. I also have SBC. When the merge is complete will it be possible to get the bills combined but, technically i'm not a new costumer. So how does it work out in the end?

Eddie...see my above post about SBC/Cingular same bill. I would keep them seperate

[Kenny]

Shizam, thanks for the info!

How do you like Cingular's GSM service throughout the greater Chicago area?

[Shizam76]

Kenny....it works for me just fine. They have awesome coverage in Chicagoland. I can't tell you when I had a call drop on me...it's been a while. Plus, if you go into a building and the signal gets weak, it will switch to AT&T GSM or even Tmobile in certain places. With my GAIT phone I also can get signal where others can't, because I can fall back on TDMA if needed