Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames. Verizon Wireless LLC was founded in 2001 as a joint venture of SBC Communications (now AT&T, Inc.), and BellSouth (which AT&T Inc. acquired in 2006). The joint venture created the nation's second largest carrier. Verizon grew out of a conglomeration of 12 regional companies with Bell roots. The 12 companies included: Ameritech Mobile Communications, LLC* BellSouth Mobility, LLC* BellSouth Mobility DCS, Inc. BellSouth Wireless Data, LLC SBC Wireless, LLC SNET Mobility, LLC Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems, Inc.* Southwestern Bell Wireless, Inc. Pacific Bell Wireless, LLC Pacific Bell Wireless Northwest, LLC Also included were some Cellular One markets, and Houston Cellular. Verizon's lineage can be traced back to Advanced Mobile Phone Service, Inc. (companies spun off from this denoted with a *), which was a subsidiary of AT&T created in 1978 to provide cellular service nationwide. AMPS, Inc. was divided among the RBOCs as part of the Bell System Divestiture. With the exception of Pacific Bell and BellSouth Mobility DCS, the digital network consisted of D-AMPS technology. The Pacific Bell and BellSouth Mobility DCS networks used GSM technology on the PCS frequency band (1900 MHz). [edit] AT&T Wireless merger After a bidding war with Britain's Vodafone PLC, Verizon announced in February 2004 that it would purchase AT&T Wireless Services, Inc., for $41 billion. This was more than twice the company's recent trading value. Some analysts have said that although Vodafone was unsuccessful in acquiring AT&T Wireless, it was nonetheless successful in forcing Verizon to overpay for the acquisition. AT&T Wireless logo Verizon Wireless logo, 2005-2007 The merger was completed on October 26, 2004. The combined company had a customer base of 46 million people at the time, making Verizon the largest wireless provider in the United States. AT&T Wireless was then legally renamed New Verizon Wireless Services, Inc. [1] Shortly after new commercials were shown a with the "AT&T" transforming into the Verizon logo, and with the Verizon logo's text turned blue to acknowledge the change. First announced on June 22, 2005 Verizon Wireless announced the intention to divest its Caribbean and Bermuda operations and licenses which it acquired from the acquisition of AT&T Wireless, to Irish-owned and Jamaica-based Digicel Group under undisclosed financial terms.[8][9][10][11][12] In 2006, one year following the deal, a high ranking source allegedly close to the sale pointed the Barbados Daily Nation Newspaper towards some SEC filings made by Verizon which were said to establish an idea of the approximate sale price of the deal. According to the SEC filings Verizon was paid around US$122 million, with much of that $122m cost to Digicel going towards the purchasing of the former AT&T Wireless assets in Barbados.[13] [edit] GSM Facilities In California, Nevada, Northern New Jersey and New York City, Verizon and T-Mobile USA maintained and shared a GSM-1900 network prior to the acquisition of AT&T Wireless, through a joint venture known as GSM Facilities. The network sharing agreement allowed Verizon to offer local service in northern New Jersey and New York City and T-Mobile to offer service in California and Nevada. On May 25, 2004, Verizon and T-Mobile USA announced their intention to dissolve the agreement contingent on Verizon's successful acquisition of AT&T Wireless, the Verizon network was transferred to T-Mobile, with Verizon continuing work on the GSM facilities at AT&T Wireless sites. [2] Verizon supports legacy D-AMPS/TDMA, and analog networks; however, in March 2006 they announced that these networks would be shut down by February 2008.[14] As part of this effort, Verizon will charge a $4.99 monthly fee to those customers who still use D-AMPS-based phones.[15] As of March 31, 2007 Verizon no longer supported the TDMA technology for its GoPhone (pre-paid) customers. All GoPhone customers had to migrate to the newer GSM technology. Former networks also include various paging services and the Verizon Interactive division, which became Velocita Wireless and was recently purchased by Sprint Nextel.[16] In 2002, Verizon began an initiative called "Project Genesis" that involved a GSM/GPRS overlay of the entire wireless network. Project Genesis was completed by the end of 2004.
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