VoiceStream Wireless
VoiceStream Wireless Inc. traces it roots to the 1994 establishment of VoiceStream Wireless PCS as a subsidiary of Western Wireless Corporation. On May 3, 1999, Western Wireless Corporation spun off its VoiceStream Wireless PCS subsidiary to Western Wireless shareholders, creating an independent, publicly-traded company named VoiceStream Wireless Corporation. Shares of the newly independent company traded on the NASDAQ under the stock ticker symbol VSTR. Deutsche Telekom AG purchased VoiceStream Wireless Corporation on May 31, 2001 for US$35 billion. Deutsche Telekom renamed its acquisition VoiceStream Wireless Inc. and organized it as a subsidiary of T-Mobile International AG, the mobile communications subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG. VoiceStream Wireless Inc. was re-named T-Mobile USA, Inc. in July, 2002.
VoiceStream Wireless PCS
VoiceStream Wireless PCS was established in 1994 as a subsidiary of Western Wireless Corporation to provide digital wireless personal communications services (PCS) in 19 FCC-defined metropolitan service areas. VoiceStream Wireless' digital, urban service areas complemented the analog, rural service areas marketed by Western Wireless under the Cellular One brand.
VoiceStream Wireless was a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Wireless until December 1997, when United States federal regulators granted Western Wireless' request to exceed a foreign ownership cap. The waiver allowed Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa to buy a 19.9% stake in the VoiceStream Wireless subsidiary.
VoiceStream Wireless Corporation
On May 3, 1999, Western Wireless spun off its VoiceStream Wireless division to Western Wireless shareholders, creating an independent, publicly-traded Delaware corporation called VoiceStream Wireless Corporation. Shares of VoiceStream Wireless traded on the NASDAQ under the stock ticker symbol VSTR. The spin off was intended to remove any conglomerate discount, get better value recognition for each of Western Wireless' core analog cellular and digital PCS networks and help each business pursue independent strategies.
In 2000, VoiceStream Wireless acquired two regional carriers. Omnipoint Corporation, a regional network operator in the northeast, was acquired on February 25, 2000 and Aerial Communications, Inc., a regional network operator in the midwest, was acquired on May 4, 2000. The combined company retired the Omnipoint and Aerial brands and completed integrating the three companies by converting to a single customer billing platform, implementing standard business practices and launching the VoiceStream brand and "GET MORE" marketing strategy in all markets.
Deutsche Telekom acquisition
On June 1, 2001, Deutsche Telekom AG completed the acquisition of VoiceStream Wireless Inc. for US$35 billion and southern regional network operator Powertel, Inc. for US$24 billion. By the end of 2001, VoiceStream Wireless had 19,000 employees serving 7 million subscribers.
In July 2002, VoiceStream Wireless Inc. took its current name, T-Mobile USA, Inc. and began rolling out the T-Mobile brand, starting with locations in California and Nevada. T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the United States operating entity of T-Mobile International AG, the mobile communications subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG.
See also
Notes
References
- Heberlein, Greg (1998-11-15). "Analysts Say Spinoff Plan Makes Western Wireless More Attractive". The Seattle Times (The Seattle Times Company). Archived from the original on 2011-04-28. http://www.webcitation.org/5yHBhb7JK. Retrieved 2011-04-28. "A spinoff would not only rid the shares of any conglomerate discount and help get better value recognition for each of the core PCS and cellular businesses...but presumably help each pursue different strategic agendas."
- Heberlein, Greg (1999-05-04). "Profit-Taking Pulls Dow Under 11,000". The Seattle Times (The Seattle Times Company). Archived from the original on 2011-04-28. http://www.webcitation.org/5yHA57cWs. Retrieved 2011-04-28. "The Western Wireless-VoiceStream Cellular split, effective yesterday..."
- Race, Shayndi; Das, Anupreeta (2011-03-21). "AT&T to Buy Rival in $39 Billion Deal". online.wsj.com. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Archived from the original on 2011-04-28. http://www.webcitation.org/5yHoyJyxF. Retrieved 2011-04-28. "AT&T Inc. said it was buying T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom AG for $39 billion in cash and stock, a move that would create the nation's largest wireless carrier..."
- "About Us". voicestream.com. VoiceStream Wireless Inc. 2000. Archived from the original on 2000-08-15. http://replay.web.archive.org/20000815221043/http://www.voicestream.com/about/. Retrieved 2011-05-01. "The Omnipoint transaction closed on February 25, 2000. The Aerial transaction closed May 4, 2000. The combined company will operate under the VoiceStream brand name across the country."
- "About Us". voicestream.com. VoiceStream Wireless Corporation. 2002. Archived from the original on 2002-04-03. http://replay.web.archive.org/20020403004549/http://voicestream.com/about/default.asp. Retrieved 2011-05-01. "One June 1, 2001, Deutsche Telekom AG announced that it completed its acquisitions of VoiceStream Wireless Corporation and Powertel, Inc..."
- "About Us". voicestream.com. VoiceStream Wireless Inc. 2002. Archived from the original on 2002-08-05. http://replay.web.archive.org/20020806151342/http://www.voicestream.com/about/facts.asp. Retrieved 2011-05-01. "In July 2002, T-Mobile launched its all digital wireless voice, messaging and data services to customers in California and Nevada, marking the debut of the global brand name in the United States."
- "Memorandum Opinion and Order FCC 01-142" (PDF). fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. 2001-04-27. Archived from the original on 2011-05-06. http://www.webcitation.org/5yU6jzaqi. Retrieved 2011-05-06. "VoiceStream is a publicly-traded Delaware corporation, headquartered in Bellevue, Washington"
- "Overview - Quick Facts". t-mobile.com. T-Mobile USA, Inc. 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-04-28. http://www.webcitation.org/5yHxuGv74. Retrieved 2011-04-28. "Ownership: T-Mobile USA is the US operating entity of T-Mobile International AG, the mobile communications subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG"
- "T-Mobile History". t-mobile.com. T-Mobile USA, Inc. 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-04-28. http://www.webcitation.org/5yHyTpXfu. Retrieved 2011-04-28. "1994–2001...From the merger of General Cellular and Pacific Northwest Cellular, Western Wireless grows into a PCS provider for several western and southwestern states as well as Hawaii. After a successful public offering by Western Wireless, VoiceStream Wireless is launched."
- "VoiceStream will now be called T-Mobile". Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Hearst Communications Inc.). 2002-07-18. Archived from the original on 2011-04-27. http://www.webcitation.org/5yGriTnb2. Retrieved 2011-04-27. "T-Mobile, formerly VoiceStream, made its debut yesterday with television, radio and newspaper advertisements in California and Nevada. Over the next few months, the VoiceStream brand will be completely phased out in other cities in favor of T-Mobile."
- "Western Wireless Corporation Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1996". sec.gov. United States Securities and Exchange Commission. 1997-03-31. Archived from the original on 2011-03-11. http://www.webcitation.org/5x78l6Z3L. Retrieved 2011-03-11. "The Company operates its cellular systems under the CELLULAR ONE(R) brand name and operates its PCS markets under its proprietary VoiceStream(R) brand name."
- "Western Wireless Gets Foreign-Ownership Waiver". The Seattle Times. Seattle Times News Services (The Seattle Times Company). 1997-12-31. Archived from the original on 2011-04-28. http://www.webcitation.org/5yHAgksAl. Retrieved 2011-04-28. "U.S. federal regulators granted Issaquah-based Western Wireless' application to exceed the 25 percent cap on foreign ownership, clearing the way for Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa to buy, indirectly, a 19.9 percent stake in a Western Wireless subsidiary."
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