The FCC is close to granting AT&T approval for its $2.35 billion purchase of rural U.S. wireless licenses from rival Verizon, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.
According to Reuters, AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel said on Thursday that his company expects to close the deal in the first half of the year, in line with its previously announced expectations. AT&T said the assets of Verizon Wireless are in 79 mainly rural areas and will affect more than 1 million subscribers.
Verizon Wireless was forced to sell the service areas, which are spread over 18 states, to satisfy regulatory conditions of its purchase of Alltel in January 2009. The areas are mainly Alltel territories that overlap with Verizon’s own coverage, but also some Verizon territories and areas covered by Rural Cellular, another carrier Verizon bought last year.
That merger created the biggest wireless provider in the United States, surpassing AT&T in terms of subscribers. AT&T announced plans to acquire Centennial, another large rural carrier, in November 2008
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski circulated an order last week, asking four other members of the commission to approve the deal that is likely to be voted upon in the coming weeks, the paper said.
