Verizon Wireless Sides With NextWave

Communications Today, Feb 7, 2002

Verizon Wireless has changed from backing the Federal Communications Commissions' efforts to reclaim NextWave Telecom's PCS spectrum licenses to asking a court to tell the FCC to give up the chase. The Bedminster, N.J.-based carrier on Tuesday petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to force the FCC to comply with the court's June 2001 ruling that the commission violated bankruptcy law by repossessing NextWave's licenses.

Verizon Wireless in January 2001 bid $8.8 billion for licenses made up of a portion of NextWave's spectrum rights. The FCC, which is asking the Supreme Court to consider its appeal of the lower court's ruling in favor of NextWave, has already denied Verizon Wireless' request to return its $1.7 billion down payment on its bids. >TK