AT&T acquires NextWave for $25M, Assumes Debt

[bigsnake49]

AT&T's making no secret of the fact it wants to snatch up as much spectrum as it possibly can, so news of the company's proposed acquisition of NextWave Wireless doesn't result in much of a shock. AT&T has agreed to purchase the company -- and all of its WCS (Wireless Communication Service) and AWS spectrum licenses and equity along with it -- for 25 million, pending FCC approval. If you count 25 million in contingency costs and the outstanding debt the big blue globe has also picked up, however, the total bill climbs to 650 million.

 

http://www.engadget....twave-spectrum/

[ChadBroChillz]

I wonder if Sprint is going to get a phone call next for their WCS spectrum.

[4GHoward]

How much spectrum does NextWave owns?

[xcharles718]

I wonder if Sprint is going to get a phone call next for their WCS spectrum.

They might go to anyone else before Sprint, just out of spite.

 

Not a lot of business sense, but this is AT&T we're talking about.Also, it would help NV cost.

[lynyrd65]

I think AT&T should be allowed to buy them as well as others' WCS spectrum.

 

No one else wants to build it out anyway. It might as well be put to at least some use.

[ChadBroChillz]

From the Spectrum Omega map, Nextwave owned a ton of WCS spectrum, and Sprint is the only other owner of WCS. If ATT got All the A and B, they would have 20mhz nationwide.

[WiWavelength]

Well, this signifies that AT&T is truly serious about WCS as its next LTE band, and it likely takes AT&T out of the running to acquire DISH's S band/AWS-4 spectrum. So, with an AT&T option off the table, look for Charlie Ergen to partner with Sprint and build out his LTE network on the Network Vision platform.

 

AJ

[4GHoward]

Well, this signifies that AT&T is truly serious about WCS as its next LTE band, and it likely takes AT&T out of the running to acquire DISH's S band/AWS-4 spectrum. So, with an AT&T option off the table, look for Charlie Ergen to partner with Sprint and build out his LTE network on the Network Vision platform.

 

AJ

 

How about T-Mobile?

[WiWavelength]

How about T-Mobile?

 

How about Cricket or MetroPCS?

 

AJ

[WiWavelength]

Fierce Wireless has a thorough article on the details and ramifications of the AT&T-NextWave transaction:

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/att-acquire-nextwave-and-its-wcs-spectrum-650m/2012-08-02

 

AJ

[4GHoward]

How about Cricket or MetroPCS?

 

AJ

 

What about them?

[WiWavelength]

What about them?

 

What about T-Mobile?

 

AJ

[4GHoward]

What about T-Mobile?

 

AJ

 

What about Cricket or MetroPCS?

[WiWavelength]

Okay, Howard, do you now see how non directional all of these "What if..." and "How about..." questions can be? So, if you have a point, please just make it outright.

 

AJ

[ericdabbs]

What about Cricket or MetroPCS?

 

Cricket and MetroPCS have been in deep doo doo for the past couple quarters. They are not in a position to help Dish build out a LTE network especially since they have to worry about their own network. Besides Sprint has brand new cell tower infrastructure in Network Vision that would easily accommodate Dish's needs. I really hope that Dish and Sprint can hammer out a network hosting contract that will be beneficial for both parties. Anything that can help investors get off Sprint's back about lack of cash reserves to pay back loans would be appreciated.

[irev210]

This seems like a very inexpensive way to add usable spectrum to AT&T's portfolio.

 

Seems very typical for AT&T to go the budget route instead of paying up for S-Band.

[4GHoward]

Well, this signifies that AT&T is truly serious about WCS as its next LTE band, and it likely takes AT&T out of the running to acquire DISH's S band/AWS-4 spectrum. So, with an AT&T option off the table, look for Charlie Ergen to partner with Sprint and build out his LTE network on the Network Vision platform.

 

AJ

Okay, Howard, do you now see how non directional all of these "What if..." and "How about..." questions can be? So, if you have a point, please just make it outright.

 

AJ

 

Okay, AJ, do you think that DISH will partner up with T-Mobile instead since they are starting their network modernization project later?

[bigsnake49]

Well, this signifies that AT&T is truly serious about WCS as its next LTE band, and it likely takes AT&T out of the running to acquire DISH's S band/AWS-4 spectrum. So, with an AT&T option off the table, look for Charlie Ergen to partner with Sprint and build out his LTE network on the Network Vision platform.

 

AJ

 

Add to this that DirectTV is sniffing around Clearwire and I see some very interesting developments in the next 12 months. Both the satellite providers need to deploy some video on demand infrastructure.

[xcharles718]

So I guess selling the S-Band isn't really a option anymore(unless somehow the VZW/SpectrumCo deal fails).

I truly wonder if Ergen ever had any real intention to use it.

 

And since we're on the topic of "What if"

What about ATNI?

[iansltx]

...and this is where AT&T trading Sprint's WCS for their PCS would be useful, since Sprint otherwise is just going to sit on their WCS licenses.

[supert0nes]

This has been the most fun forum topic in quite some time. This is as close to the water cooler gossip as we get!

[supert0nes]

It's got to be hard for ATT to part with any of their PCS spectrum. I don't know how much they are utilizing what they own, but the omega map tells me they own quite a bit in all of their PCS bands.

 

Edit: Maybe they'll just buy the WCS spectrum from Sprint, which wouldn't be bad either.

[bigsnake49]

I'm surprised that Sprint didn't buy them first, if only to force AT&T to trade spectrum.

[ericdabbs]

...and this is where AT&T trading Sprint's WCS for their PCS would be useful, since Sprint otherwise is just going to sit on their WCS licenses.

 

I would love for an Sprint WCS spectrum swap for PCS spectrum especially in those cities that have only 15-20 MHz of PCS spectrum. At this point I am all for trading spectrum to carriers who are actually going to use it. And so if AT&T did offer such a deal as this, I would take it if I were sprint.

[Guest 503ducati]

http://www.lightread...?doc_id=223537

 

 

Could Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) be the next operator to sell AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) WCS spectrum?

UBS AG analyst John Hodulik suggests that Sprint could make around $130 million selling off its remaining WCS licenses to AT&T. Ma Bell filed to buy WCS licenses in the 2.3GHz band fromComcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK), Horizon Wi-Com and NextWave Wireless Inc. (Nasdaq:WAVE) Thursday.