MALVERN, Pa.-Triton Cellular Partners reached a definitive agreement to acquire 12 wireless operating territories in Kansas, Alabama and Mississippi from U.S. Unwired for about $158 million.
Triton’s strategy is to acquire rural wireless properties to develop regional rural service area clusters. It currently operates cellular services in Washington and Oregon.
According to Steve Skinner, Triton president and chief executive officer, the company plans to introduce Interim Standard-136 Time Division Multiple Access technology to the U.S. Unwired markets.
In related news, the company’s personal communications services affiliate, Triton PCS Inc., signed an agreement with Ericsson Inc. for a digital Advanced Mobile Phone Service 1900 MHz system. The arrangement is valued at $200 million.
Based on IS-136 technology, the network will be installed in Triton’s Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and northern Georgia markets. The five-year contract calls for Ericsson to supply and install base stations and mobile switching centers.
Triton is operating as a licensed affiliate of AT&T Wireless Services Inc. The company agreed in October to acquire financing and build a TDMA network using 20 megahertz of PCS spectrum held by AT&T.
The agreement covers Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, the Washington-Baltimore corridor and Georgia.
Triton said it will operate the network under the Triton name with a tag line indicating the affiliation with the AT&T Wireless brand.
