AT&T has filed with the FCC for transfer of AWS-1 licenses from Stelera to AT&T Mobility, making it Big Blue’s third spectrum transaction already in 2014.
The AWS-1 A Block licenses cover 55 counties in nine Cellular Market Areas (CMA) across parts of Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. AT&T estimates that post-transaction would hold a total of 56 to 180 megahertz of spectrum in the CMAs involved in this transaction, including 20 to 50 megahertz of AWS-1 spectrum.
AT&T plans to use the spectrum to boost capacity for its LTE network. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The nature and scope of this transaction is similar to a transaction filed last week with the FCC that would reassign 20 MHz of AWS licenses in 24 CMAs from Cable One to AT&T.
Earlier this year, AT&T filed to snatch up 49 AWS licenses from Aloha Partners. The licenses cover nearly 50 million people in 14 states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.
AT&T’s AWS shopping spree comes after the carrier last year gave up AWS spectrum licenses covering big markets like Phoenix and Los Angeles as part of a $1.9 billion deal to acquire lower 700 MHz B Block licenses from Verizon.
Filed Under: Carriers
