AT&T to Buy Centennial For Nearly $1 Billion

More good news!

This means there might be better cell reception in the virgin islands by the end of next year!

Nov. 8, 2008 — AT&T Inc. and Centennial Communications Corp. said Friday that AT&T plans to acquire Centennial, a regional provider of wireless and wired communications services, for nearly $1 billion in cash.

‘”It’s not going to mean a change in service,” William L. Roughton, Centennial’s vice president of legal and regulatory affairs, said Saturday from Washington, D.C.

However, the Centennial name will be gone when the sale is finalized. Roughton expects that to happen toward the end of the second quarter of 2009.

According to a press release from AT&T, the transaction will enhance AT&T’s wireless coverage for customers in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and largely rural areas of the Midwest and Southeast United States. Centennial has 1.1 million customers in those locations.

As a result of the acquisition, Centennial’s wireless subscribers will have access to iPhone 3G, an AT&T exclusive.

“As a result of this merger, our wireless customers will enjoy greatly expanded network coverage and access to AT&T’s wide range of innovative products and services. Our business customers will benefit from AT&T’s expertise in delivering networking services and solutions to businesses of all sizes,” he said.

Well, it sounds good at least!  we shall see.