Sprint, in a move that seems to be inspired by it’s desperate need to focus on its core business and its new WiMAX network, is leaving SpectrumCo, its joint venture with Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox and Brighthouse, all cable operators. Sprint has been under pressure from WallStreet to clean up its act. SpectrumCo won 137 licenses after bidding $2.37 billion in last year’s auctions for spectrum that resides in 1.7 and 2.1 GHz frequencies. Sprint was the smallest partner in the JV.
The news was first revealed in the Time Warner 10Q filed earlier this week. The decision doesn’t impact Sprint’s other deals and alliances (such as Pivot) with CableCos. The cable partners haven’t yet decided on what they are going to do with the AWS spectrum, and when (if any) service will be rolled out by them.
On the latest episode of TWiT, John C. Dvorak said he thinks Google and Sprint are going to team up together incase AT&T tries to charge Google for access to their customers. I wonder if this is part of that.
137 licenses after bidding $2.37 billion… does that math bother anyone else?
Michele, it takes well over 400 license to get national coverage in that band. These licenses are CMA (RSA and MSA) like the old Cellular licenses.
That is incorrect, Mr. Kopelman. The licenses that they won are B block AWS licenses. Which are the larger BEA licenses.