Verizon sells 700MHz A&B blocks for $1.9B

[bigsnake49]

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/verizon-sell-700-mhz-b-block-spectrum-att-19b/2013-01-25

 

This will allow AT&T to offer 10x10MHz LTE channels nationwide.

[supert0nes]

I bet not long now before AT&T sells the rest of their AWS spectrum. I bet T-Mobile picks up a bit of it on the cheap. I think this deal is a good thing, except for the fact that often in these spectrum "divestitures" for Verizon they seem to pick up even more AWS.

[jefbal99]

So at&t got the 700Mhz A/B, gave up some AWS and cash. The rich get richer?

[Deval]

So where does this put AT&T and Verizon on spectrum position? Now AT&T has nationwide 20mhz?

[WiWavelength]

No, not nationwide. These Lower 700 MHz B block 12 MHz licenses will allow AT&T to double the bandwidth of its LTE 700 network to 10 MHz FDD in certain markets (LA, Chicago, etc.) that are currently spectrum constrained to 5 MHz FDD.

 

AJ

[bigsnake49]

Full List:

 

Chicago, IL

Los Angeles, CA

Miami, FL

Oklahoma City, OK

Cincinnati, OH

Memphis, TN

West Palm Beach, FL

Rochester, NY

Youngstown, OH

Lake Charles, LA

Fort Collins, CO

Bradenton, FL

Alexandria, LA

Billings, MT

Rapid City, SD

Tyler, TX

Longview, TX

Waco, TX

Texarkana, TX

Great Falls, MT

Pueblo, CO

Casper, WY

Utah 1, 4, 5 and 6

Louisiana 1, 2 and 3

Wyoming 2

Washington 2

Idaho 5

Texas 18

Colorado 4

New Mexico 5

Virginia 10

Montana 8 and 9

South Dakota 1

 

They will be leasing Lower Block B in Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh-Durham from Grain Management

Edited January 25, 2013 by bigsnake49

[Deval]

No, not nationwide. These Lower 700 MHz B block 12 MHz licenses will allow AT&T to double the bandwidth of its LTE 700 network to 10 MHz FDD in certain markets (LA, Chicago, etc.) that are currently spectrum constrained to 5 MHz FDD.

 

AJ

 

Ahh ok, makes sense.

 

Which leads me to believe that Verizon bought that spectrum strictly to sit on it and resell when applicable.

[WiWavelength]

Ahh ok, makes sense.

 

Which leads me to believe that Verizon bought that spectrum strictly to sit on it and resell when applicable.

 

Oh, I doubt that. The Upper/Lower 700 MHz auction took place nearly five years ago. That is a long time to sit on Lower 700 MHz spectrum just to resell it. Plus, I would have to add up the numbers, but I am not certain that VZW made any profit on its Lower 700 MHz sales. If anything, VZW may have lost money.

 

Here is a comment that I made today to my private telecom discussion group:

 

...VZW originally wanted the Lower 700 MHz licenses for additional capacity. And if VZW had not succeeded in acquiring SpectrumCo-Cox's AWS licenses, then I think that VZW would have utilized its Lower 700 MHz bandwidth.

 

AJ

[bigsnake49]

Oh, I doubt that. The Upper/Lower 700 MHz auction took place nearly five years ago. That is a long time to sit on Lower 700 MHz spectrum just to resell it. Plus, I would have to add up the numbers, but I am not certain that VZW made any profit on its Lower 700 MHz sales. If anything, VZW may have lost money.

 

Here is a comment that I made today to my private telecom discussion group:

 

 

 

AJ

 

They paid $4.4B for the lower 700MHz spectrum. I have not added the numbers either but they definitely lost money.

[WiWavelength]

They paid $4.4B for the lower 700MHz spectrum. I have not added the numbers either but they definitely lost money.

 

You would expect then that analysts would have some choice words for VZW, but I bet that VZW (the "Teflon Don") gets not a whit of criticism, even though it managed to do something almost unthinkable -- lose money on a spectrum investment. If Sprint had done something similar, Craig Moffett would be cheering for Sprint's imminent demise.

 

AJ

[Fraydog]

You would expect then that analysts would have some choice words for VZW, but I bet that VZW (the "Teflon Don") gets not a whit of criticism, even though it managed to do something almost unthinkable -- lose money on a spectrum investment. If Sprint had done something similar, Craig Moffett would be cheering for Sprint's imminent demise.

 

AJ

 

Yeah, that guy...

 

Seriously, why don't one of these investment firms give you a call and see if you would work for them? I know you'd be loath to take such an offer, but why not?

Edited January 26, 2013 by Fraydog

[WiWavelength]

Seriously, why don't one of these investment firms give you a call and see if you would work for them? I know you'd be loath to take such an offer, but why not?

 

If a firm or carrier wanted to tap into my decade of independent spectrum analysis experience, I certainly would take the call, listen to the offer. And if I were to accept a position, I would have this message for Craig Moffett:

 

...I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.

 

 

AJ

[chamb]

If a firm or carrier wanted to tap into my decade of independent spectrum analysis experience, I certainly would take the call, listen to the offer. And if I were to accept a position, I would have this message for Craig Moffett:

 

 

 

 

AJ

 

Funny but also very true A.J. Yes, very very true but many people do not think like we do.

[bigsnake49]

If a firm or carrier wanted to tap into my decade of independent spectrum analysis experience, I certainly would take the call, listen to the offer. And if I were to accept a position, I would have this message for Craig Moffett:

 

 

 

 

AJ

 

I will definitely recommend you!

[irev210]

You would expect then that analysts would have some choice words for VZW, but I bet that VZW (the "Teflon Don") gets not a whit of criticism, even though it managed to do something almost unthinkable -- lose money on a spectrum investment. If Sprint had done something similar, Craig Moffett would be cheering for Sprint's imminent demise.

 

AJ

 

Well, you could also argue that it was an implicit cost of acquiring AWS. It is highly unlikely that they would have been able to acquire AWS from SpectrumCO+COX if they didn't preemptively offer to divest their lower 700MHz holdings to the FCC as a condition of acquiring more AWS.

 

In a way, they basically showed their hand to AT&T (and others) that this spectrum would be coming on the market. If Verizon just sat on it, when AT&T became spectrum constrained, I imagine they could have profited nicely... but at the same time, if VZN Wireless was spectrum constrained (you can sort of argue they already are), AWS would have cost them more as well.

 

I think the bigger question is - was acquiring the AWS specturm for $3.9 billion+ lower 700MHz sale losses worth it? Would Verizon been better off with the lower 700MHz licenses and the extra cash? I think they needed to get the AWS deal done.