Verizon Wireless And NEATT Wireless Sign Agreement To Swap Spectrum In Nine Arkansas Counties

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Verizon Wireless announced today that it has signed an agreement with NEATT Wireless, LLC, to exchange spectrum in nine counties in Northeast Arkansas.

The spectrum, in the 1.9 GHz frequency range called “PCS,” covers the counties of Clay, Craighead, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Poinsett, Randolph, and Sharp. These counties cover a population of approximately 270,000 people. In the transaction, Verizon Wireless will exchange some of its swaths of PCS spectrum in these counties in return for some PCS spectrum from NEATT Wireless. This transaction gives both companies the ability to better utilize their spectrum holdings in these counties to meet future demand and does not impact current customers.

Percy L. Berger, Sr., chairman, president and chief executive officer of NEATT Wireless, said, “We are pleased to partner with Verizon Wireless in this transaction to better rationalize our spectrum in these important counties in Arkansas. This swap agreement allows both companies to reposition our spectrum resources for future use to keep pace with customer demand and serve customers more efficiently. Further, it demonstrates Verizon Wireless’ commitment to work together with small and minority-owned telecommunications companies to improve the nation’s telecommunications network.”

Consummation of the transaction is subject to approval by the FCC.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving 87.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 87,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.  

About NEATT WIRELESS
NEATT WIRELESS is a minority-owned and operated facilities-based wireless telecommunications company with wireless operations in Northeastern Arkansas. Its markets cover twenty five of Arkansas’ northeastern counties stretching from the Missouri border to east central Arkansas over to central Arkansas around the capital city of Little Rock. NEATT WIRELESS market area covers over 21 million MHz/POPs. The Company is in the process of rationalizing its network and spectrum to better serve the small, rural, unserved and underserved telecommunication consumers throughout the United States.

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