OKLAHOMA CITY-Dobson Communications Corp. signed a three-year GSM/GPRS roaming agreement with T-Mobile USA Inc. providing both companies with access to each other’s networks throughout the United States. Dobson recently announced plans to overlay its legacy TDMA network with GSM/GPRS technology.
Dobson said the agreement will allow its customers to roam onto T-Mobile USA’s network using multi-band GSM/GPRS handsets, which the carrier expects to launch in select retail markets later this year. The carrier added that it currently offers service using the 1.9 GHz spectrum bands in parts of Oklahoma and Kansas with the rest of its markets using 850 MHz spectrum.
Dobson signed a similar GSM/GPRS roaming agreement with AT&T Wireless Services Inc. in July.
Dobson also announced it completed its acquisition of American Cellular Corp. following the successful restructuring of American Cellular’s debt and equity ownership. American Cellular was previously a joint venture between Dobson and AT&T Wireless, which still owns approximately 4.5 million shares of Dobson’s common stock.
Following the acquisition, Dobson said it is now the ninth-largest wireless operator in the United States, with nearly 1.6 million subscribers in 16 states, and is the largest independent rural wireless provider.
