Subj: WinStar Wins 15 LMDS Licenses in FCC Auction
Date: 98-03-26 16:57:05 EST
WinStar Wins 15 LMDS Licenses in FCC Auction
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 26, 1998--
171 Million New Channel Pops Bring Total to Over 1 Billion
Bandwidth in Top 50 Markets Now Averages More than 700 MHz
WinStar Remains Only National Provider of Fixed Wireless
Broadband Telecom Services to all Top 50 Markets
WinStar Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ -WCII) commented today on the results of the recently completed LMDS auction.
WinStar won a total of 15 LMDS licenses covering 171 million channel pops (population times the number of 100 MHz equivalent channels) bringing the company's total channel pops to over one billion. WinStar was the high bidder for the A Block, a 1,150 MHz channel, covering 8 of the top 50 markets including: Oakland, San Francisco, Norfolk, San Jose, Orlando, New Orleans, Salt Lake City and Greensboro. As a result, WinStar's spectrum holdings now average over 750 MHz in the top 30 markets and approximately 740 MHz in the top 50 markets.
WinStar Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, William J. Rouhana, Jr., said today, "We are extremely pleased by the outcome of the LMDS auction. In addition to obtaining spectrum in the markets we had targeted, no other company emerged from the auction with a national footprint of licenses or the ability to serve more than half of the top 50 U.S. markets. This leaves WinStar as the only and most ubiquitous provider of fixed wireless broadband telecom services in this country's largest 50 markets."
The LMDS licenses enable WinStar to utilize the 28 GHz spectrum, along with its existing bandwidth in the 38 GHz part of the spectrum, to provide high speed voice, data and video services to businesses and schools throughout the country. The company said the new licenses fill out its spectrum holdings in cities where it had not fully reached its bandwidth objectives. The company's net bid for the 15 licenses amounted to $43.4 million, after the receipt of a 25% bidding credit. Issuance of the LMDS licenses is subject to final FCC approval of the company's applications.
WinStar Communications, Inc. is a national local communications company, serving business customers, long distance carriers, fiber-based competitive access providers, mobile communications companies, local telephone companies, and other customers with broadband local communications needs. The company provides its Wireless Fiber(SM) services using its licenses in the 38 GHz spectrum. The company also provides long distance, Internet and information services.
WinStar is a registered trademark, and Wireless Fiber is a service mark of WinStar Communications, Inc.
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