Full Description

MetroPCS Communications, Inc. (MetroPCS), incorporated in 2004, is a wireless communications provider that offers wireless broadband mobile services under the MetroPCS brand in selected metropolitan areas in the United States over its own licensed networks or networks of entities, in which the Company holds a substantial non-controlling ownership interest. The Company provides an array of wireless communications services to its subscribers on a no long-term contract, paid-in-advance, flat-rate, unlimited usage basis. As of December 31, 2008, it had approximately 5.4 million subscribers in eight states.

The Company provides its array of wireless broadband mobile services primarily in selected major metropolitan areas in the United States, including the Atlanta, Boston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando/Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Tampa/Sarasota metropolitan areas. As of December 31, 2008, it holds, or has access to, wireless spectrum covering a total population of approximately 150 million people and nine of the top 12 and 14 of the top 25 most populous metropolitan areas in the United States. The Company provides services using code division multiple access (CDMA), networks, using 1xRTT technology. In September 2008, it entered into a national roaming agreement and an agreement to exchange wireless spectrum with Leap Wireless International, Inc. (Leap).

The Company’s voice services allows customers to place voice calls to, and receive calls from, any telephone in the world, including local, domestic long distance, and international calls. Its services also allows customers to receive and make calls while they are located in geographic areas served by certain other wireless broadband mobile carriers through roaming arrangements with such carriers. Its data services include services provided through the Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW), platform, such as ringtones, ring back tones, games and content applications; text messaging services (domestic and international); multimedia messaging services; mobile Internet browsing; mobile instant messaging; location based services; social networking services, and push e-mail. The Company offers custom calling features, including caller ID, call waiting, three-way calling and voicemail. The Company sells a range of handsets manufactured by nationally recognized handset manufacturers for use on its network, including models that have cameras, can browse the Internet, play music and have other features facilitating digital data.

The Company competes with AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, Time Warner Cable, Comcast and Cox Communications.