The FCC announced yesterday that AT&T and T-Mobile have filed an application to swap PCS (1900 MHz) licenses and one AWS (1700 MHz) license. According to the report, the two companies would exchange equal amounts of spectrum in 35 markets with AT&T gaining spectrum in 12 markets. In another 8 markets, T-Mobile would gain 5-10 MHz of PCS spectrum. Along with that, T-Mobile would pick up another 10 MHz of AWS spectrum covering Spokane, Washington.

“Preliminary review of the applications indicates that the proposed transaction would result in the assignment and/or exchange of PCS and AWS-1 spectrum in 55 Cellular Market Areas (“CMAs”) in 17 states. Specifically, AT&T would acquire and/or receive in an exchange 5 to 20 megahertz of PCS spectrum in 54 CMAs. T-Mobile would acquire and/or receive in an exchange 10 to 20 megahertz of PCS spectrum in 43 CMAs. Our preliminary review further indicates that in 35 CMAs, AT&T and T-Mobile would exchange equal amounts of PCS spectrum; in 12 CMAs, AT&T would gain 10 megahertz of PCS spectrum; and in 8 CMAs, T-Mobile would gain 5 to 10 megahertz of PCS spectrum as a result of the proposed transaction. Finally, T-Mobile would also acquire 10 megahertz of AWS-1 spectrum in 1 CMA (CMA 109 – Spokane, WA).”

Phonescoop via FCC