When did Alltel start selling in Wichita,KS?

It was part of the divestiture from the Cingular/AT&T merger. Here is a link to the news release:

http://www.alltel.com/corporate/media/news/04/nov/n411nov2604a.html

 

Alltel bought the (divested by Cingular) assets of ATTWS, a PCS network with a 20 MHz license. See this press release from Alltel. Alltel didn't get the subscribers, therefore, no screams of discontent that you could have noticed (like for Litchfield County, CT).

COtech

 

Did you read the second post before you posted the very same thing?

 

The licenses from Cingular gave them 10Mhz PCS coverage in the Witchita area (Sedgwick and El Dorado counties). So now of the 105 Kansas counties, Alltel is now in all but 7 counties. Unfortunately, it will be hard to get into those remaining counties as they are along the I-70 corridor leading into Kansas City. I don't think Alltel has any desire to compete head on with the larger wireless companies that dominate the major metro areas.

Keep in mind that US Cellular purchased the the former WW areas in eastern Kansas and most of Nebraska that they got from Alltel's divestment. One thing is for certain, US Cellular will also be comming to Wichita. They have the right to buy PCS spectrum there from the former ATW (now Cingular). It wouldn't make any sense for them to acquire all this coverage around Witchita, but have no coverage in the city itself. I would think too that they might be more of a mind to also compete in the Kansas City market as opposed to Alltel. After all, that is what they did in St Louis. However, any such plan would be a ways down the road as they own no spectrum (or rights to buy spectrum) in the KC area with the exception of Douglas County (Lawrence).

 

Alltel may start buying up more Metro areas or they may just get bought by T-Mobile or Verizon.

 

When I started my reply, there was only one post. Great minds think alike.

COtech