U.S. Cellular - Timeline

Timeline

• In 2003, U.S. Cellular acquired naming rights to the baseball stadium used by the Chicago White Sox. Formerly known as “Comiskey Park,” the stadium is officially renamed "U.S. Cellular Field." U.S. Cellular and AT&T Mobility (formerly Cingular) exchange wireless assets. U.S. Cellular receives new spectrum in markets next to or overlapping existing operations in 13 states in exchange for its Georgia and northern Florida licenses. U.S. Cellular builds and launches 12 new markets from the transaction's assets over the next two years, including Oklahoma City and St. Louis. U.S. Cellular launches easyedge, its suite of wireless data services.
• In 2004, U.S. Cellular divests its south Texas markets.
• In 2005, U.S. Cellular enters the St. Louis market. St. Louis becomes the second largest market U.S. Cellular serves, after Chicago. U.S. Cellular introduces SpeedTalk, its walkie-talkie-like service.
• In 2006, U.S. Cellular acquires the rest of eastern Tennessee's TN-RSA 3, formerly known as Eloqui Wireless. Already owning a 1/6 stake in the venture, US Cellular purchased the remaining 5/6ths of the shares.
• In 2007, U.S. Cellular purchases IA RSA 15 in northwest Iowa.
• As of Q3 2007 Average monthly revenue per user is at $52.71
• As of Q4 2007 $368 million in data revenues. Average monthly revenue per unit is at $51.13. They had a retail postpay churn rate of 1.4%. Have 6,383 total cell sites, have invested $566 million in the cell sites as well as the infrastructure.
• As of Q2 2008 preparing to roll out 3G/EVDO revision A to select markets.
• As of Oct. 28, 2008 U.S. Cellular launched Mobile Broadband, a service allowing customers to access data on their cell phones 10 times faster than before. It brings DSL-like service and capabilities to customers through EVDO (Evolution-Data Optimized) technology, commonly referred to as 3G. The service launched in Chicago and Rockford, Illinois; northwestern Indiana; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Des Moines, Iowa and southern Wisconsin, with more cities to follow in early 2009.
• As of May 1, 2009 U.S. Cellular launched Mobile Broadband in most of Iowa except for western Iowa. In addition to Iowa, parts of Tennessee are now part of U.S. Cellular's Mobile Broadband coverage area.
• As of June 30, 2009 U.S. Cellular expanded its Mobile Broadband coverage in most of Wisconsin, central and northern Illinois, with more to follow.
• Mobile Broadband launched in summer 2009 in parts of Maine and New Hampshire, as well as areas surrounding Tulsa.
• Jay Ellison, the company's Executive VP of Operations, retired at the end of 2009.
• On May 31, 2010 CEO Jack Rooney retired from the company.
• On June 1, 2010 Mary N. Dillon assumed the position of CEO.
• As of July 16, 2010 U.S. Cellular launched Nationwide 3G Data Roaming covering 98% of its customer base.
• US Cellular Corporation exercised a right to expand by 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2) at Citicorp Plaza in Chicago, Illinois, which will increase the size of its lease to 232,000 square feet (21,600 m2). US Cellular recently renewed its lease through October 31, 2017.
• On October 1, 2010 U.S. Cellular unveiled the Belief Project.
• On May 6, 2011 U.S. Cellular announced that it will offer 4G LTE by the end of 2011.
• On June 13, 2011 U.S. Cellular launched the company's first Windows Phone 7 which is the HTC 7 Pro.
• On June 22, 2011 U.S. Cellular launched the Motorola Xoom, an Android 3.1 (Honeycomb) Tablet.
• On November 7, 2012 U.S. Cellular announced the sale of several markets (customers and spectrum) to Sprint. This included their home market of Chicago.