VoiceStream Wireless Joins Settlement Agreement on NextWave
Spectrum Will Allow VoiceStream, Other Carriers, to Expand Coverage and Services
BELLEVUE, Washington - 11/16/2001 — VoiceStream Wireless Corp. announced today that it has joined other winning bidders of the Federal Communications Commission's Auction No. 35 in signing the settlement agreement reached between the carriers, the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. government, and NextWave Personal Communications, Inc. The settlement agreement will enable VoiceStream and other mobile service providers to use wireless spectrum that was originally auctioned nearly five years ago.
"Spectrum is at a premium in the U.S. wireless industry," said John Stanton, chairman and CEO of VoiceStream Wireless. "The good news is that the settlement will allow wireless carriers to build out and deploy additional service and capacity in many of the areas where demand is the highest, providing Americans consumers with more wireless services, choices, capacity, and coverage."
"The FCC, Administration, and members of the wireless industry worked together to resolve a very difficult issue and create a positive outcome, which provides for the U.S. Treasury to receive significant funds on a timely basis and scarce wireless spectrum to be deployed to serve American consumers," Stanton added.
VoiceStream and its joint venture with Cook Inlet Region Inc. were the winning bidders in Auction No. 35 for licenses in markets such as Austin and San Antonio, Texas; Baltimore, Md.; Charlotte, N.C.; Cleveland, Ohio; Columbia, S.C.; Milwaukee, Wis.; San Diego, Calif.; and Seattle, Wash.
The principal terms of the agreement include that NextWave will relinquish all of its claims to the C and F Block licenses covered by the settlement. The FCC will be able to issue licenses to the Auction No. 35 winning bidders, who bid a total of approximately $15.85 billion for these licenses, and the U.S. Treasury is expected to receive a net amount of $10 billion.
The settlement agreement is contingent on passage of congressional legislation prior to the end of 2001, bankruptcy court approval, and no successful challenge to the settlement agreement or the legislation.
About VoiceStream
Based in Bellevue, Wash., VoiceStream and its affiliates own licenses to provide service to over 97 percent of the U.S. population. VoiceStream's committed to providing the best value in wireless service through its 'GET MORE' promise to provide customers with more minutes, more features and more service than any other wireless provider in the markets they serve. VoiceStream uses and operates the globally dominant Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications technology platform. VoiceStream is a member of the T-Mobile International group, the mobile telecommunications subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom (NYSE:DT). Through its subsidiaries and other investments, Deutsche Telekom today serves more than 62 million mobile telephony subscribers worldwide. For more information, visit the company web site at voicestream.com.
Contact Information
Press Only:
T-Mobile USA Media Relations
425-378-4002
Haidee Schwartz
Weber Shandwick
202-585-2098