FCC Will Vote On Wireless Issues On Nov. 4; Clearwire Sets Shareholder Vote

The FCC will do a bit of voting on Nov. 4, as well. In a busy meeting scheduled for Election Day, the FCC will decide on three wireless issues: on whether wireless devices should be able to operate in the white-spaces; on Verizon Wireless’s (NYSE: VZ) acquisition of Alltel (NYSE: AT) and on the merger between Clearwire (NSDQ: CLWR) and Sprint’s (NYSE: S) WiMax division. Previously, the FCC said it was the commission’s goal to tie-up some loose ends by the end of the year, and companies involved in both mergers are eager for the transactions to clear. The $28.1 billion merger between Verizon and Alltel will create the country’s largest wireless provider with 80 million customers, and may be affected by the current credit crisis. Separately, Clearwire and Sprint are eager for their deal to in order to receive $3.2 billion in funding from a number of investors, including Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA), Time Warner (NYSE: TWX) and Google (NSDQ: GOOG). Clearwire said today it will mail ballots to shareholders, so they can vote on the transaction. A special meeting will occur at 9 a.m. on Nov. 20 near its headquarters in Kirkland. In a statement, Clearwire’s CEO Ben Wolff said: “The stockholder vote is one of the final steps required to close the transaction with Sprint before the end of the year.”

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