Companies Also Sign Co-location Agreement -- Reducing Operating Expense and Speeding Network Buildout
Bellevue, Wash. and Redmond, Wash. — Apr. 23, 2003
Driving the continued expansion of GSM/GPRS 1900 MHz wireless communication services in the United States, AT&T Wireless (NYSE: AWE) and T-Mobile USA, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of T-Mobile International, the mobile arm of Deutsche Telekom AG (NYSE:DT), today announced a joint roaming agreement, opening up significant new coverage territory for both companies.
Also today, the companies announced an agreement encouraging inter-carrier co-location of network facilities by dramatically reducing cell tower co-location lease costs between the two companies. In addition to lowering costs, this agreement is expected to speed build-out of each company's advanced GSM/GPRS networks.
For AT&T Wireless customers, the roaming agreement provides advanced 1900 voice and data service covering approximately 3,000 highway miles and 12.1 million potential customers in key markets including Minneapolis, MN; Atlantic City, NJ (including along the Atlantic City Expressway); Sarasota, FL; the Delaware/Maryland/Virginia Peninsula; along I-25 from Albuquerque, NM to El Paso, Texas; and, along I-20 in Texas from Dallas to Abilene.
For T-Mobile's customers, the agreement opens up advanced 1900 GSM/GPRS voice and data service in key markets and along more than 2,500 miles of Interstate highways, including AT&T Wireless' coverage along I-40 from the California border to Albuquerque, NM; I-25 from Denver to Albuquerque; I-80 in Pennsylvania; and I-30 from Texarkana, Texas to Little Rock, AR. Markets include Little Rock; Green Bay and Madison, Wis.; Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh, NC; and Knoxville, Tenn. covering more than 10.9 million potential customers.
Today's roaming agreement augments the two companies' aggressive build-out plans for next generation networks.
"On the heels of our roaming agreements with Cingular and Edge Wireless, today's announcement lays another significant plank in the nation's growing GSM coverage map," said John Zeglis, Chairman and CEO of AT&T Wireless. "T-Mobile was an early proponent of GSM, and we are glad to have them as a roaming partner. We're pleased to be able to leverage this additional coverage on behalf of our customers, while providing T-Mobile's customers access to our own next-generation GSM/GPRS highway network."
"GSM is the world standard for wireless voice and data communications and we are delighted to have AT&T Wireless join us in establishing GSM as the emerging North American standard as well," said Robert Dotson, CEO and President of T-Mobile USA, Inc. "This is yet another great opportunity for T-Mobile customers to GET MORE®, allowing them to use GSM 1900 coverage in new territories throughout America while allowing both companies to rapidly and cost effectively build out a single GSM network in less populated areas of the country. We continue to pursue creative ways to expand our GSM 1900 footprint and drive it even further into rural markets."
Financial terms of the agreements were not disclosed. The additional GSM/GPRS 1900 coverage provided by the roaming agreement is expected to be available this June for both companies' customers. AT&T Wireless and T-Mobile expect to begin implementing the reduced co-location rent agreement in the second quarter of 2003.
Lindsay Morio
T-Mobile USA Media Relations
425-383-4002
About T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG. By the end of the first quarter of 2010, approximately 150 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group - 33.7 million by T-Mobile USA - all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS, the world's most widely used digital wireless standards. T-Mobile USA's innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG.
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