AT&T will acquire 49 Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum licenses from Aloha Partners II for an undisclosed sum. The deal is expected to close in the second half of the year, pending regulatory approval.
The licenses cover nearly 50 million people in 14 states — California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.
AT&T said the new spectrum complements its existing AWS holdings.
- Aloha Partners II was formed in 2004 and is currently the 8th largest owner of wireless spectrum in the U.S.
- In 2004 Aloha Partners II purchased 15 licenses covering 38 million pops from the Federal Communications Commission in the Advanced Wireless Spectrum (AWS) auction. In 2007 and 2008 Aloha Partners II purchased an additional 37 AWS licenses covering 12 million pops from Nextwave Wireless. Today, Aloha Partners II has licenses that cover 50 million people and 630 million MHz POPs.
- In 2007, AT&T acquired spectrum licenses in the 700 MHz frequency band from Aloha Partners for $2.5 billion in cash. The spectrum licenses cover areas with approximately 196 million people.
