DISH Network Proposes Merger with Sprint Nextel Corporation for $25.5 Billion

    U.S. technology leader with track record of disrupting entrenched incumbents presents superior alternative to pending SoftBank proposal – DISH offers more cash and a greater ownership stake
    Sprint shareholders would receive $7.00 per share, consisting of $4.76 in cash and stock representing approximately 32% in a company with a significantly enhanced strategic position
    Creates an industry-leading spectrum portfolio and the only company that can offer customers a fully-integrated, nationwide bundle of in- and out-of-home video, broadband and voice services
    Delivers substantial synergies and growth opportunities estimated at $37 billion in net present value, including an estimated $11 billion in cost savings

NII Holdings Announces Sale of Nextel Peru

-- NII agrees to sell Nextel Peru to Entel for $400 million
-- Transaction is consistent with NII's strategy to focus on its largest markets, Mexico and Brazil
-- Additional capital further improves NII's liquidity position as it focuses its investments on the expansion of its new next generation platform in its largest markets

NII Holdings, Inc. (NIHD) today announced that it has agreed to sell its Peruvian operations to Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones S.A. (Bolsa de Comercio de Santiago: ENTEL) for approximately $400 million.

Otelco Announces Restructuring Transaction

Otelco Inc. (NASDAQ: OTT; TSX:  OTT.un), a wireline telecommunication services provider in Alabama, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, Vermont and West Virginia, today announced a restructuring transaction, which will strengthen the Company by deleveraging its balance sheet and reducing its overall indebtedness by approximately $135 million.  Otelco has reached an agreement with its senior lenders to amend and extend the terms of its current senior financing through April 2016.  In addition, our IDS units will be cancelled and the existing senior subordinated debt will be converted into equity.  The vast bulk of our subordinated debt is held in the IDS units, and, as such, our IDS unit holders will continue to be significant shareholders of the Company as they are today. 

Atlantic Tele-Network Announces Sale of U.S. Retail Wireless Business to AT&T

Atlantic Tele-Network, Inc. (ATNI), a telecommunications service provider to rural, niche and other under-served markets, today announced it has agreed to sell its domestic retail wireless business operated under the Alltel name by ATN’s subsidiary Allied Wireless Communications Corporation (“Allied”). AT&T will purchase the operations in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $780 million.

Allied, based in Little Rock, Arkansas, serves approximately 585,000 customers in rural areas of six states – Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, Ohio and Idaho, and generated revenues for the first nine months of 2012 of approximately $350 million. In ATN’s public filings, these operations are consolidated within its U.S. Wireless segment. These operations generated operating income estimated to be approximately $34 million, which is net of depreciation and amortization expense of approximately $42 million, for the first nine months of 2012.