In an effort to “operate more efficiently” by “holding larger blocks of contiguous spectrum and/or aligning spectrum blocks with those already held in adjacent markets,” AT&T and T-Mobile filed applications with the FCC to swap significant portions of PCS and AWS-1 spectrum in various parts of the country. Several of the AT&T licenses involved in the proposed transfer were originally held by Leap Wireless and their divestiture is required by the Commission. Specifically, AT&T is assigning to T-Mobile between 10 and 20 megahertz of spectrum in California, Florida, Kansas, Texas, and Washington while T-Mobile is assigning to AT&T between 5 and 20 megahertz of spectrum in California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Post-transaction, AT&T will hold between 86 and 170 megahertz in its impacted markets while T-Mobile will hold between 40 and 102 megahertz in its impacted markets. Petitions to deny are due August 20, 2014, oppositions are due September 2, 2014 and replies to oppositions are due September 9, 2014.
