ATandT Buys NextWave to Expand Wireless Spectrum Holdings ...

AT&T is buying NextWave
Wireless, a wireless spectrum holding company, as it seeks to grasp a new chunk
of the 2.3 GHz Wireless Communication Service (WCS) spectrum, which presently
is not yet available for use by mobile Internet carriers.

The move will allow AT&T to be ready to take
advantage of WCS when federal rules change to allow the use of WCS in about
three years, according to an Aug. 2 statement by AT&T.

"WCS spectrum was first auctioned in 1997, but has not been utilized
for mobile Internet usage due
to technical rules designed to avoid possible interference to satellite
radio users in adjacent spectrum bands," according to the statement.
"In June, AT&T and Sirius XM filed a
joint proposal with the FCC [Federal Communications Commission] that would
protect the adjacent satellite radio spectrum from interference and enable WCS
spectrum ? for the first time ? to be used for mobile Internet service. This
proposed solution on WCS spectrum, which is still under review by the FCC,
effectively creates much-needed new spectrum capacity."

Under the deal, AT&T will pay about $650 million
for NextWave, including $600 million to acquire its debt.

In addition to its WCS holdings, NextWave also holds
licenses in the Advanced Wireless Service (AWS) band in the United States and
Canada.

By working with the FCC to modify the rules governing WCS while protecting
from possible interference with adjacent radio bands, "the proposed WCS
rule changes and NextWave acquisition represent an alternative approach to
creating additional wireless network capacity to help support skyrocketing
wireless data usage on smartphones and tablets," according to AT&T.

If approved, AT&T said it hopes to begin initial deployment in three
years to add to its 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) capacity.

The NextWave acquisition must be approved by the FCC to be finalized. The
deal is expected to close by the end of this year.

The first 128 licenses in the 2.3 GHz WCS were originally
auctioned by the FCC for use back in April 1997, but they quickly
raised concerns about potential radio wave interference with the nearby Satellite
Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS)?band,
according to an ATT Public Policy Blog post.

That dispute has continued to drag on, preventing wireless companies from
using the WCS band for their growing legions of customers. That?s where the new
joint proposal from AT&T and Sirius XM comes in with hopes to finally find
a solution to the debate.

"It?s time for the era of dispute and uncertainty to come to an end,"
wrote Joan Marsh of AT&T in the blog post.

The proposal "will enable the adoption of technical rules satisfactory
to both interests and should enable licensees in the 2.3 GHz WCS band to deploy
the most efficient new mobile broadband technologies, including LTE, while not
posing an unreasonable interference threat to satellite radio reception,"
Marsh wrote.? "To be sure, neither
party to this proposal got everything it had asked for and perhaps
wanted.? But both AT&T and Sirius XM are confident that they have
developed a set of technical rules that will allow each service to flourish
while ending the uncertainty that has plagued both bands for far too long."

NextWave and the FCC were previously locked in an eight-year
legal battle over wireless spectrum rights until a settlement was reached in 2004.

Source: Eweek.com

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