Thomas Steed’s Post

U.S. Cellular said it would sell $1 billion worth of its spectrum licenses to Verizon. The deal includes the sale of 663 million megahertz point-of-presences of its cellular spectrum licenses. A point-of-presence refers to a physical location which connects users to the internet. This comes after T-Mobile agreed in May 2024 to buy much of U.S. Cellular's operations, including wireless customers and stores, as well as certain specified spectrum assets for $4.4 billion. This latest transaction highlights the gradual dismantlement of U.S. Cellular – a regional wireless network operator with around 4.5 million customers – among the nation's big wireless network operators. https://lnkd.in/eASce3rX

Separate deals involving the sale of parts of U.S. Cellular are sparking investors’ interest. T-Mobile US is close to an agreement to buy some of the regional wireless carrier’s operations and valuable wireless spectrum licenses for more than $2 billion, citing anonymous sources. That transaction could be announced later this month, while Verizon’s deal might require more time — if it happens at all. The deals are being pursued independently in a bid to ease antitrust concerns. Verizon and T-Mobile are the largest and second-largest U.S. cellphone companies by subscribers, respectively. Shares of U.S. Cellular and Telephone and Data Systems, which holds nearly 75% of U.S. Cellular’s publicly traded shares, both soared on Thursday. The company provides wireless service to more than four million customers across 21 states from Oregon to North Carolina. https://lnkd.in/gc3k2sWH

T-Mobile US is reportedly in talks to acquire a portion of UScellular's assets, aiming to bolster its spectrum holdings in a deal valued at over $2 billion, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. The potential acquisition aligns with T-Mobile's strategy to expand its spectrum portfolio, following its successful deployment of 5G mid-band networks using acquired spectrum from a 2021 FCC auction. UScellular's spectrum resources hold significant value for T-Mobile, potentially enhancing its network capabilities and customer experience in the fiercely competitive US telecom market.

U.S. Cellular agreed to sell a portion of its retained spectrum licenses used to transmit mobile phone signals and high-speed data services to AT&T in a $1.02 billion deal. The transaction is part of the regional wireless carrier's strategy to monetize its spectrum assets that were not part of the previously announced sale to T-Mobile. T-Mobile in May agreed to buy much of U.S. Cellular’s operations in a roughly $4.4 billion deal. That agreement would give T-Mobile more than 4 million new customers and a trove of valuable spectrum rights to carry more of their data over the air. Last month, U.S. Cellular agreed to sell select spectrum licenses for $1 billion to Verizon. It also signed deals with two other mobile network operators but did not disclose the details. U.S. Cellular said that, including the proposed deal with T-Mobile, it will have reached agreements to monetize about 70% of its total spectrum holdings. https://lnkd.in/e24RErcN

T-Mobile US mulls deal to buy part of UScellular: T-Mobile US reportedly conducted discussions to buy a piece of UScellular, which would give it access to valuable spectrum if a deal is reached. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported T-Mobile, the US’ second largest operator, is willing to pay over $2 billion for some of UScellular’s assets in a deal that could close this month. The boards of both UScellular and majority shareholder Telephone and Data Systems (TDS) announced in August 2023 they are considering the partial sale of some of the mobile operator’s assets. A representative from UScellular declined to comment to Mobile World Live. It is the fourth-largest mobile operator in the US with mobile services across 21 US states. As of Q2, UScellular has 4.5 million wireless subscribers. The company also operates 4,500 cell towers across 19 states in its footprint, but those assets are likely less valuable to T-Mobile than its spectrum. In June 2023, the mobile operator announced the launch of its 5G mid-band network using the 3.45GHz spectrum it won in a Federal Communications Commission auction in 2021. UScellular President and CEO Laurent Therivel stated on the Q2 earnings call it expects to have mid-band on cell sites that handle almost 50 per cent of its data traffic by year end. He also noted it is seeing higher net promotor scores in the areas where it has been deployed. The post T-Mobile US mulls deal to buy part of UScellular appeared first on Mobile World Live. http://dlvr.it/T6gyDy

U.S. Cellular agreed to sell a portion of its retained spectrum licenses used to transmit mobile phone signals and high-speed data services to AT&T in a $1.02 billion deal. The transaction is part of the regional wireless carrier's strategy to monetize its spectrum assets that were not part of the previously announced sale to T-Mobile. T-Mobile in May agreed to buy much of U.S. Cellular’s operations in a roughly $4.4 billion deal. That agreement would give T-Mobile more than 4 million new customers and a trove of valuable spectrum rights to carry more of their data over the air. Last month, U.S. Cellular agreed to sell select spectrum licenses for $1 billion to Verizon. It also signed deals with two other mobile network operators but did not disclose the details. U.S. Cellular said that, including the proposed deal with T-Mobile, it will have reached agreements to monetize about 70% of its total spectrum holdings. https://lnkd.in/eVjaYf5X

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, T-Mobile and Verizon are in discussions to carve up UScellular, one of the country’s last major regional wireless carriers, in separate transactions that would give both buyers access to valuable airwaves. T-Mobile is closing in on a deal to buy a chunk of the regional carrier for more than $2 billion, taking over some operations and wireless spectrum licenses, according to people familiar with the matter. Read more on this story here: https://lnkd.in/gxbtbJiP

T-Mobile To Acquire Most of US Cellular in $4.4 Billion Deal: T-Mobile said Tuesday that it plans to acquire most of U.S. Cellular, including stores, some of the wireless operator's spectrum and its customers, in a deal worth $4.4 billion. The deal includes cash and up to $2 billion of debt. From a report: T-Mobile said it will use U.S. Cellular wireless spectrum to improve coverage in rural areas while offering better connectivity to U.S. Cellular customers around the United States. The company said it will allow U.S. Cellular customers to keep their current plans or switch to a T-Mobile plan. U.S. Cellular will retain some of its wireless spectrum and towers and will lease space on at least 2,100 additional towers to T-Mobile. The companies expect the deal to close in mid-2025. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

T-Mobile To Acquire Most of US Cellular in $4.4 Billion Deal: T-Mobile said Tuesday that it plans to acquire most of U.S. Cellular, including stores, some of the wireless operator's spectrum and its customers, in a deal worth $4.4 billion. The deal includes cash and up to $2 billion of debt. From a report: T-Mobile said it will use U.S. Cellular wireless spectrum to improve coverage in rural areas while offering better connectivity to U.S. Cellular customers around the United States. The company said it will allow U.S. Cellular customers to keep their current plans or switch to a T-Mobile plan. U.S. Cellular will retain some of its wireless spectrum and towers and will lease space on at least 2,100 additional towers to T-Mobile. The companies expect the deal to close in mid-2025. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Here's some news with my colleague Lauren Thomas that's been a long time coming. About nine months after UScellular put itself up for sale, T-Mobile and Verizon are in talks to carve up one of the last big regional cellphone carriers left in America, people familiar with the matter say. T-Mobile's discussions are especially advanced and could offer more than $2 billion for a chunk of the regional company. U.S. Cellular has a deep base of rural cellphone customers scattered across the country, but it's the Chicago company's wireless spectrum licenses that are an especially hot commodity. Phone companies rely on wireless airwaves to beam everything from email to TikTok videos to their customers. The big carriers have already paid more than $100 billion to reserve new airwaves for 5G signals and are hungry for more. One twist: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has lacked the ability to sell new spectrum licenses since its authority to auction them expired last year. That drought has driven up the price of licenses on the secondary market, offering a U.S. Cellular a potential windfall. America's wireless market is already concentrated among three big networks, however, so any sale is likely to face vetting by antitrust authorities — including the FCC.