NEW YORK-U.S. Cellular Corp. said it expects to spend more than $400 million upgrading its network to CDMA2000 1x technology by the end of next year, including $265 million through the end of 2003 and up to an additional $145 million through the end of next year.
Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Global Media and Communications conference in Boston, Jack Rooney, U.S. Cellular president and chief executive officer, said the carrier expects to spend about $80 million of its $650 million to $670 million 2003 capital expenditure budget building out its recently acquired spectrum licenses in Oklahoma City, St. Louis and Portland, Ore. The rest of the carrier’s 2003 capex budget is expected to be used to build out U.S. Cellular’s northern Indiana market and continue to add network capacity and 1x equipment across its entire footprint.
