Unicel
Communications Services | |
Founded | 1990 |
---|---|
Defunct | 2008 |
Fate | Acquired by Verizon |
Headquarters | Alexandria, Minnesota |
Key people | Richard P. Ekstrand, President & CEO |
Products | Telecommunications |
Unicel was a brand of
Unicel offers 850 MHz and 1900 MHz (
On July 30, 2007, Rural Cellular Corporation announced
On December 4, 2007, Verizon announced that it would swap some of its RCC properties with AT&T in exchange for some properties from Dobson Cellular, which AT&T recently acquired.[3]
On June 10, 2008, The Department of Justice has said that in order to acquire Rural Cellular Corporation, Verizon Wireless must divest some of RCC's existing wireless assets including Vermont, New York, and Washington states. The DOJ has filed a lawsuit that will force Verizon Wireless to comply with the divestiture before the acquisition can proceed.[4]
The FCC approved the acquisition on August 5, 2008. Approval depended on the sale of towers in six key market areas, including all of Vermont, in order to ensure that the acquisition wouldn't be anti-competitive in those areas. Verizon must also continue to maintain Unicel's GSM towers in other markets if it does not choose to sell them. [5]
On August 7, 2008,
On December 22, 2008, AT&T announced that it would complete its takeover of UNICEL's Vermont shares and begin to roll out its phones, brand and contracts to its wireless customers in Vermont, New York, and Washington State.
UNICEL still offers phone service in two states as these areas were not included in the Verizon Wireless acquisition. UNICEL's service in these states will eventually change to a different wireless provider.[7]
As of August 24, 2011 the UNICEL website has been completely shut down. [8]
References
- ^ "Licensed Area". Archived from the original on 2006-03-25.
- ^ Rural Cellular - Investor Relations Press Release
- ^ AT&T, Verizon To Swap Rural Wireless Assets - Wireless - InformationWeek
- ^ PC World - Business Center: DOJ Requires Verizon to Divest for Merger
- ^ FCC approves Unicel buyout — but Vermont assets must be sold | burlingtonfreepress.com | The Burlington Free Press
- ^ Verizon Wireless Completes Purchase Of Rural Cellular
- ^ "AT&T Buys Unicel: iPhone Finally Confirmed Heading to Vermont". Archived from the original on 2009-03-18. Retrieved 2008-12-29.
- ^ "Home". unicel.com.