Communications business AT&T has agreed to spend $1.9 billion (£1.2 billion) to acquire some 700MHz mobile spectrum from Verizon Wireless. It’s acquiring 39 licences that cover 42 million people in 18 states.
The deal is designed to help AT&T to continue expanding its 4G LTE network and is expected to be completed in the second half of this year, subject to regulatory approval.
Last year Verizon Wireless announced that it wanted to focus its LTE rollout on the 700MHz ‘upper C’ spectrum and the higher AWS (Advanced Wireless Services) bands. As a result, it’s been planning the sale of its lower 700 MHz spectrum licences.