Alamosa PCS to Enter New Markets

<%=company1%> network partner Alamosa PCS (Dallas, TX) will extend its wireless voice and data services under the Sprint PCS brand into California and Wisconsin under a US$85 million amendment to its supply agreement with Nortel Networks (Toronto, Canada) for cdmaOne network infrastructure equipment.

This amendment, which includes expansion of existing networks in Arizona and Colorado, will bring Alamosa PCS' three-year investment in Nortel Networks' infrastructure to US$167 million. The company announced a US$82 million deal for networks in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas in 1999. Nortel Networks will provide the carrier with CDMA infrastructure equipment and services, including CDMA Metro Cell radio base stations.

Alamosa PCS manages local service and operations in markets throughout the Midwest, West, North Central, and Southwest under a management agreement with Sprint PCS. As part of the agreement, Alamosa PCS is building a digital CDMA wireless network, which will operate on the FCC licenses owned by Sprint PCS. Each company operates and markets the network as Sprint PCS service, the carrier's leveraging the branding, marketing, and distribution programs.

In exchange, network partners benefit from Sprint PCS' relationships with key infrastructure and phone manufacturers, and national retail distribution partners. In addition, they use the carrier's network and customer care support assets, including 24-hour network management and monitoring, billing, and voice mail.

Edited by Ellen Jensen