After rumors throughout 2007, it became official this fine Monday, as Alltel Wireless (NYSE: AT) -- the fifth-largest wireless carrier in the U.S. -- agreed to be bought out by TPG Capital (an arm of Texas Pacific) and GS Capital in a transaction worth about $27.5 billion. Alltel Wireless will remain headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, as well.Alltel management has been reportedly aggressively looking to partner with one or several private equity companies since late in 2006, and its board finally found the mark that will allow it do what it needs to: Compete more heavily with the big dogs (AT&T (NYSE:T), Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ), Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) and T-Mobile) utilizing its very large nationwide wireless coverage footprint. In a sense, the company can escape public scrutiny and spending for a while as it retrenches and pours capital into its network as fast as possible to narrow the gap in the red-hot wireless service business.
The question is how fast this can happen and when Alltel Wireless will re-enter the public market (which is bound to happen). The deal is scheduled to close by the end of this year and possibly stretch out until 2008 based on how regulators handle the proposal. With 12 million customers across the country, Alltel needs to go for the jugular on service and customer buildout scale or risk becoming irrelevant, and this deal will enable that motive.
