AT&T Wireless - History

History

Cingular Wireless LLC was founded in 2000 as a joint venture of SBC Communications and BellSouth. The joint venture created the nation's second-largest carrier. Cingular grew out of a conglomeration of more than 100 companies, with 12 well-known regional companies with Bell roots. The 12 companies included:

  • Three companies spun off from Advanced Mobile Phone Service, Inc.
    • Ameritech Mobile Communications, LLC
    • BellSouth Mobility, LLC
    • Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems, LLC
  • BellSouth Mobility DCS, Inc.
  • BellSouth Wireless Data, LLC
  • CCPR Services Inc. d/b/a Cellular One of Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands
  • Pacific Bell Wireless, LLC
  • Pacific Bell Wireless Northwest, LLC
  • SBC Wireless, LLC
  • SNET Mobility, LLC
  • Southwestern Bell Wireless, Inc.

SBC Wireless had previously operated in several northeast markets under the "Cellular One" brand, while BellSouth's wireless operations incorporated the former Houston Cellular.

Cingular's lineage can be traced back to Advanced Mobile Phone Service, which was a subsidiary of AT&T created in 1978 to provide cellular service nationwide. AMPS, Inc. was divided among the Regional Bell Operating Companies 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).

In October 2007, AT&T’s president and chief executive officer Stan Sigman announced his retirement. Ralph de la Vega, group president-Regional Telecom & Entertainment, was named as president and CEO, AT&T Mobility.

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