PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 16-541 Released: May 13, 2016 SPRINT CORPORATION AND CELLCO PARTNERSHIP D/B/A VERIZON WIRELESS SEEK FCC CONSENT TO THE ASSIGNMENTS OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE LICENSES AND AN ADVANCED WIRELESS SERVICES LICENSE ULS File Nos. 0007105233, 0007105234, 0007105235, 0007105236, 0007105277, 0007105304, 0007105307, 0007105309, 0007105362, 0007105366, 0007106318, 0007106322, 0007108323, 0007108331, 0007108346, 0007108370, 0007108687, 0007108782, 0007109469, 0007110250, 0007144644, 50003CWAA16, and 50004ALAA16 PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED Petitions to Deny Due: June 3, 2016 Oppositions Due: June 10, 2016 Replies Due: June 17, 2016 I. INTRODUCTION Sprint Corporation (Sprint), and Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless (Verizon Wireless, and together with Sprint, the Applicants), have filed applications pursuant to Section 310(d) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 1 seeking the simultaneous assignments and exchanges of full and partitioned Personal Communications Service (PCS) licenses and a full Advanced Wireless Services (AWS-1) license by and among Verizon Wireless and certain subsidiaries of Sprint and Verizon Wireless. 2 The subject licenses cover geographic areas scattered throughout the country. The proposed transactions involve the transfer of spectrum; no customers or networks would be transferred. According to the Applicants, in many of the markets involved in the proposed transaction, equal amounts of spectrum would be exchanged and therefore the attributable spectrum holdings of Sprint and Verizon Wireless would be unchanged. The Applicants assert that the proposed spectrum exchanges would allow for holding larger blocks of contiguous spectrum, which in turn should permit more robust operations. In those markets where either Sprint or Verizon Wireless gains additional spectrum, the Applicants maintain that the proposed transaction would help meet the demands of their customers for broadband wireless services. Our preliminary review of the applications indicates that the spectrum implicated by the proposed transaction covers 145 counties in all or parts of 59 Cellular Market Areas (CMAs), covering approximately five percent of the population of the United States, in parts of Alabama, Arkansas, 1 47 U.S.C. § 310(d). 2 The Sprint subsidiaries are: PhillieCo, LLC, SprintCom, Inc., and Wirelessco, LLC. The Verizon Wireless subsidiaries are: Alltel Communications, LLC, New Par, Verizon Wireless Personal Communications LP, and Verizon Wireless Tennessee Partnership. 2Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Pre-transaction, across all the CMAs involved in these transactions, Sprint holds 41 megahertz to 225.5 megahertz of spectrum in total; post-transaction, Sprint would hold 41 megahertz to 230.5 megahertz of spectrum in total. Our preliminary review indicates that in those counties in which Sprint would realize a net gain in its PCS spectrum holdings, it would hold a maximum of 230.5 megahertz of spectrum in total post-transaction. Sprint would further increase its spectrum holdings that are currently already above the spectrum screen in seven counties in all or parts of three CMAs – CMA 48 (Toledo, Ohio), CMA 585 (Ohio 1 – Williams), and CMA 586 (Ohio 2 – Sandusky) – in Ohio. Pre-transaction, Verizon Wireless holds 72 megahertz to 137 megahertz of spectrum across all the CMAs involved in these transactions; post-transaction, Verizon Wireless would hold 72 megahertz to 142 megahertz of spectrum in total. In those counties in which Verizon Wireless would realize a net gain in its spectrum holdings, its spectrum holdings post-transaction would not trigger the total spectrum screen. II. SECTION 310(d) APPLICATIONS The applications for the assignment of licenses have the following file numbers: File No. Licensee/Assignor Assignee Lead Call Sign 0007105233 3 Alltel Communications, LLC SprintCom, Inc. KNLG571 0007105234 Alltel Communications, LLC Wirelessco, LLC KNLG303 0007105235 Cellco Partnership SprintCom, Inc. KNLF602 0007105236 Cellco Partnership SprintCom, Inc. WPOJ838 0007105277 Cellco Partnership Wirelessco, LLC KNLH289 0007105304 Cellco Partnership Wirelessco, LLC WPOJ838 0007105307 New Par PhillieCo, LLC WPOK675 0007105309 New Par SprintCom, Inc. WPTB352 0007105362 New Par Wirelessco, LLC KNLF487 0007105366 New Par Wirelessco, LLC WPOK675 0007106318 Verizon Wireless Personal Communications LP SprintCom, Inc. KNLF274 0007106322 Verizon Wireless Tennessee Partnership Wirelessco, LLC WQDM397 0007108323 PhillieCo, LLC Cellco Partnership KNLF219 0007108331 SprintCom, Inc. Alltel Communications, LLC KNLH556 0007108346 SprintCom, Inc. Cellco Partnership KNLF294 0007108370 SprintCom, Inc. New Par KNLH246 0007108687 SprintCom, Inc. Cellco Partnership KNLG226 0007108782 Wirelessco, LLC Alltel Communications, LLC KNLF280 3 The Applicants have designated this the lead application. 3File No. Licensee/Assignor Assignee Lead Call Sign 0007109469 Wirelessco, LLC Cellco Partnership KNLF927 0007110250 Wirelessco, LLC Verizon Wireless Tennessee Partnership KNLF280 0007144644 Wirelessco, LLC Cellco Partnership KNLF211 50003CWAA16 4 SprintCom, Inc. Cellco Partnership WPOJ712 50004ALAA16 5 SprintCom, Inc. Cellco Partnership KNLG675 III. EX PARTE STATUS OF THIS PROCEEDING Pursuant to Section 1.1200(a) of the Commission’s rules, 6 the Commission may adopt modified or more stringent ex parte procedures in particular proceedings if the public interest so requires. We announce that this proceeding will be governed by permit-but-disclose ex parte procedures that are applicable to non-restricted proceedings under Section 1.1206 of the Commission’s rules. 7 Parties making oral ex parte presentations are directed to the Commission’s ex parte rules. Parties are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentation must contain the presentation’s substance and not merely list the subjects discussed. 8 More than a one- or two-sentence description of the views and arguments presented is generally required. 9 Other rules pertaining to oral and written presentations are set forth in Section 1.1206(b) as well. 10 IV. GENERAL INFORMATION The assignment applications have been found, upon initial review, to be acceptable for filing. The Commission reserves the right to return any application if, upon further examination, it is determined to be defective and not in conformance with the Commission’s rules or policies. Interested parties must file petitions to deny no later than June 3, 2016. Persons and entities that file petitions to deny become parties to the proceeding. They may participate fully in the proceeding, including seeking access to any confidential information that may be filed under a protective order, seeking reconsideration of decisions, and filing appeals of a final decision to the courts. Oppositions to such pleadings must be filed no later than June 10, 2016. Replies to such pleadings must be filed no later than June 17, 2016. All filings concerning matters referenced in this Public Notice should refer to ULS File Nos. 0007105233, 0007105234, 0007105235, 0007105236, 0007105277, 0007105304, 0007105307, 0007105309, 0007105362, 0007105366, 0007106318, 0007106322, 0007108323, 0007108331, 0007108346, 0007108370, 0007108687, 0007108782, 0007109469, 0007110250, 0007144644, 50003CWAA16, and/or 50004ALAA16, as appropriate. To allow the Commission to consider fully all substantive issues regarding the applications in as timely and efficient a manner as possible, petitioners and commenters should raise all issues in 4 The Applicants filed this application by paper because, at the time of filing, the associated license was licensed to another party and was being assigned to SprintCom, Inc. This application is now available electronically. 5 The Applicants filed this application by paper because, at the time of filing, the associated licenses were licensed to another party and were being assigned to SprintCom, Inc. This application is now available electronically. 6 47 C.F.R. § 1.1200(a). 7 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206. 8 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(1). 9 Id. 10 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b). 4their initial filings. New issues may not be raised in responses or replies. 11 A party or interested person seeking to raise a new issue after the pleading cycle has closed must show good cause why it was not possible for it to have raised the issue previously. Submissions after the pleading cycle has closed that seek to raise new issues based on new facts or newly discovered facts should be filed within 15 days after such facts are discovered. Absent such a showing of good cause, any issues not timely raised may be disregarded by the Commission. Under the Commission’s current procedures for the submission of filings and other documents, 12 submissions in this matter may be filed electronically through the Commission’s Universal Licensing System (ULS) or by hand delivery to the Commission. ? To file electronically, 13 access ULS via the Internet at http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/ and click on the “Submit a Pleading” quick link, complete the administrative information, and upload the pleading. ? To file by paper, the original and one copy of each filing must be filed by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 12th St., SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. The filing hours at this location are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. One copy of each pleading must be delivered electronically, by email or facsimile, or if delivered as paper copy, by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (according to the procedures set forth above for paper filings), to: (1) Scott Patrick, Mobility Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at scott.patrick@fcc.gov or (202) 418-2643 (facsimile); (2) Linda Ray, Broadband Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at linda.ray@fcc.gov or (202) 418-7247 (facsimile); (3) Kate Matraves, Competition and Infrastructure Policy Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at catherine.matraves@fcc.gov or (202) 418-2643 (facsimile); and (4) Jim Bird, Office of General Counsel, at TransactionTeam@fcc.gov or (202) 418-1234 (facsimile). The applications and any associated documents are available for public inspection and copying during normal reference room hours at the following Commission office: FCC Reference Information Center, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. The applications also are available electronically through ULS, which may be accessed on the Commission’s Internet website. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice) or (202) 418-0432 (TTY). Contact the FCC to request reasonable accommodations for filing comments (accessible format documents, sign language interpreters, CART, etc.) by email: FCC504@fcc.gov; phone: (202) 418-0530; or TTY: (202) 418-0432. 11 47 C.F.R. § 1.45(c). 12 FCC Announces Change in Filing Location for Paper Documents, Public Notice, 24 FCC Rcd 14312 (2009). 13 Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd 11322 (1998). 5For further information, contact Scott Patrick, Mobility Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-2853, or Kate Matraves, Competition and Infrastructure Policy Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 391-6272. -FCC-