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Cedar Rapids, Iowa-Based Telecom Provider to Offer Wireless Service

Posted on: Friday, 5 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

Sep. 4--CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa--McLeodUSA Inc. business customers will soon be able to purchase wireless telephone service from the company.

The Cedar Rapids-based telecommunications provider has signed a multiyear wholesale agreement with AT&T Wireless Services to offer branded wireless voice service.

McLeodUSA customers will receive equipment and customer support from the company, but the calls will be carried on AT&T's wireless network.

"McLeodUSA will now be able to offer our current and potential customers wireline and wireless local and long distance voice services along with Internet and data services in a combined offering, thereby reducing costs, improving quality of service and increasing productivity," said Chris Davis, McLeodUSA chairwoman and chief executive officer.

Greg Crosby, McLeodUSA group vice president of marketing, said the addition of wireless services expands the company's Preferred Advantage product portfolio.

"We've been on a mission for the last few months to develop our capabilities to be a full-service provider of telecommunications services to our customers," Crosby said. "There are a couple of things that we really felt strongly that we needed to add to our portfolio.

"AT&T Wireless will provide wireless voice service. Our agreement with Cisco Systems that we announced Tuesday will enable us to offer leading technology equipment with our network services."

Crosby said McLeodUSA is focused on serving the business market because that's where there is the greatest potential for growth.

"We're not ruling out down the road extending wireless to our residential customers," Crosby said. "At the moment, we've chosen to focus on the business market as our priority.

"We're really focused on providing integrated solutions for businesses.

We will work with a company to assess their wireline, wireless, data and Internet service needs and then design a package that meets their needs."

Crosby said the company will roll out its wireless service by the end of the year. He said AT&T Wireless Service will cover about 90 percent of McLeodUSA's 25-state operating territory.

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To see more of The Gazette, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.gazetteonline.com

(c) 2003, The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

MCLD, T,

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