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| Trade name | UScellular |
|---|---|
| Company type | Public company |
| Traded as |
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| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 1983; 41 years ago (1983) |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Revenue |  US$4.02 billion (2019) |
| Net income |  US$133 million (2019) |
| Number of employees | 4,800 (4Q 2021) |
| Parent | Telephone and Data Systems (84%) |
| Website | www |
United States Cellular Corporation (doing business as UScellular) is an American mobile network operator. It is a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems Inc. (which owns an 84% stake). The company was formed in 1983 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. UScellular is the fourth-largest wireless carrier in the United States, with 4,786,000 customers in 426 markets in 23 states as of the second quarter of 2022. It was previously known as United States Cellular and U.S. Cellular.
Timeline
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1980s
- 1983
- United States Cellular was founded as a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems Inc. (TDS). and incorporated on December 23, 1983.
- 1985
- United States Cellular began operations in Knoxville, Tennessee (June), and Tulsa, Oklahoma (August).
- 1988
- TDS took the company public. United States Cellular adopted USM as its ticker symbol and is traded on the American Stock Exchange.
- 1987
- Don Nelson was appointed the first president.
1990s
- 1999
- United States Cellular relaunched under the “U.S. Cellular” brand name and image across all markets nationwide.
2000s
- 2000
- Don Nelson, retired; Jack Rooney took over as CEO.
- 2001
- U.S. Cellular received the prestigious Wireless Titan Award as the top wireless carrier in terms of customer service from Wireless Review magazine.
- 2002
- U.S. Cellular purchased PrimeCo Wireless Communications and launched in Chicagoland on November 22.
- U.S. Cellular signed Joan Cusack as national spokesperson.
- 2003
- January: U.S. Cellular acquired naming rights to the baseball stadium used by the Chicago White Sox. Formerly known as Comiskey Park, the stadium was officially renamed U.S Cellular Field (it was renamed Guaranteed Rate Field in 2016).
- U.S. Cellular and Cingular (now owned by AT&T Mobility) exchange wireless assets. U.S. Cellular received new spectrum in markets of 13 states that were adjacent to or overlapped existing operations in exchange for its Georgia and northern Florida licenses.
- U.S. Cellular launched Easyedge, its suite of wireless data services.
- 2005
- U.S. Cellular entered the St. Louis market. St. Louis becomes the second largest market U.S. Cellular serves, after Chicago.
- U.S. Cellular introduced SpeedTalk, its walkie-talkie-like service.
- 2008
- October 28: U.S. Cellular launched Mobile Broadband, a service enabling customers to access data on its cell phones 10 times faster than before. It brought DSL-like service and capabilities to customers through EVDO (Evolution-Data Optimized) technology, commonly referred to as 3G.As of Q2 2008, U.S. Cellular was preparing to roll out 3G/EVDO revision A to select markets.
2010s
- 2010
- May: CEO Jack Rooney retired.
- June: Mary N. Dillon assumed the position of CEO.
- July: U.S. Cellular launched Nationwide 3G Data Roaming, enabling customers who are outside of its coverage area to roam on AT&T Mobility‘s network for no extra fee.
- October: U.S. Cellular unveiled the Belief Project, an array of industry-first initiatives designed to give potential customers several compelling reasons to switch to U.S. Cellular and reward loyal customers.
- 2011
- May: U.S. Cellular announced that it will offer 4G LTE.
- May: U.S. Cellular launched first Android-powered device
- June: U.S. Cellular launched the Motorola Xoom, a tablet running Android Honeycomb.
- 2012
- November: U.S. Cellular announced the sale of several markets to Sprint Corporation. This included their home market of Chicago. The move was part of a larger strategy for the company to focus on increased growth and profitability.
- 2013
- June: Mary Dillon departed as CEO; Kenneth R. Meyers appointed CEO.
- 2016
- June: Google announced that they have partnered with U.S. Cellular as part of their Google Fi service. U.S. Cellular contributed its network and LTE service to the "network of networks" along with T-Mobile US and Sprint Corporation.
2020s
- 2020
Network
CDMA/3G network
Originally, UScellular used analog, then Digital AMPS "TDMA" cell phones in most markets, but the company started shifting over to 1xRTT CDMA technology in 2003. After the switch, UScellular has discontinued all analog and TDMA services. Starting in 2009, UScellular converted its network to EVDO which offered 3G speeds.
The company offers national LTE & 5G coverage through roaming agreements. Native coverage is mainly in the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, parts of the East and New England. Although headquartered in Chicago, UScellular did not offer service in the Chicago metropolitan area until it acquired territories from PrimeCo Communications between 2002 and 2003, after the formation of Verizon Wireless.
As of January 1, 2023, customers on CDMA will only be able to make voice calls and roaming will no longer be available. The carrier plans to discontinue CDMA, but has not announced when the carrier will completely shut down that network.
4G LTE network
UScellular announced that it would start offering 4G coverage to customers beginning in the first quarter of 2012. Just like the other larger wireless competitors, the company decided to go with LTE for its 4G coverage. The rollout was planned for selected cities in Iowa, Wisconsin, Maine, North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma. These include some of UScellular's leading markets such as Milwaukee, Madison and Racine, Wis.; Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa; Portland, Bangor and Houlton, Maine; and Greenville, N.C. As of November 14, 2012, UScellular has added additional 4G LTE markets, including Southern Oregon (Roseburg, Grants Pass, and Medford areas).
UScellular's LTE network is primarily built upon two low-frequency LTE bands; 12 and 5. Through the agreement with King Street Wireless, UScellular has access to the lower 700 MHz A, B, and C blocks across most of their operating markets. Spectrum bandwidth on LTE includes, 5*5, or 10*10 MHz on band 12 700 MHz 5*5 MHz on band 5 850 MHz 5*5, or 10*10 MHz on band 4 AWS 1. UScellular also has 5Mhz or 10Mhz of spectrum on Band 66 (AWS-3) in some markets.
Supplementary spectrum in the band 2 1900 PCS, and band 4 2100/1700 AWS 1 and 3 bands can be deployed across UScellular's LTE network for additional capacity in the future. Furthermore, additional 850 MHz Cellular spectrum could be refarmed from 1X CDMA to create a wider 10*10 MHz channel allocated for LTE.
UScellular made plans to launch their first market with VoLTE during the first quarter of 2017. The company began VoLTE trials during 2016 and continued upgrading equipment in select markets to allow the trial process to continue following the services official launch.
In December 2019, UScellular was found in an FCC investigation to have lied about its 4G LTE coverage by as much as 38%, only managing to reach the federally mandated minimum speeds 45% of the time.
Throughout the past few years, UScellular has begun deploying 5G in their markets. In most markets, this is achieved using 5Mhz or 10Mhz on band n71, while other markets have begun using Band 48 (3.5Ghz) for additional capacity.
Nationwide Coverage Through Roaming
UScellular has roaming agreements with both AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile U.S. This allows customers to roam on these networks with LTE or 5G speeds with no extra charges.
5G network
UScellular announced plans to launch its first phone with 5G support, the Samsung Galaxy S20, as well as coverage maps for its first commercial 5G network in both urban and rural parts of Iowa and Wisconsin in February 2020.
Radio frequency summary
Further information: CDMA frequency bands, LTE frequency bands, and 5G NR frequency bandsThe following is a list of known CDMA, LTE, and 5G NR frequency bands which UScellular employs in the United States:
| Frequency Band | Band Number | Protocol | Generation | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 850 MHz CLR | 0 | IS-95/1xRTT/ EVDO |
2G/3G | Active/Refarming to LTE | EVDO is being shut down market by market, with spectrum being refarmed to LTE. CDMA voice and 1X data services to be retained in all markets for the foreseeable future. Eventual CDMA shut down planned, but a date has yet to be set. |
| 1.9 GHz PCS | 1 | ||||
| 600 MHz DD | 71 | LTE/LTE-A | 4G | Active/Building Out | Additional LTE band for coverage and capacity in select areas. |
| 700 MHz Lower A/B/C Blocks | 12 | Active | Primary LTE bands. | ||
| 850 MHz CLR | 5 | ||||
| 1.9 GHz PCS | 2 | Additional LTE bands for capacity. | |||
| 1.7/2.1 GHz AWS | 4/66 | ||||
| 3.5 GHz CBRS | 48 | Pending deployment | |||
| 5.2 GHz U-NII | 46 | Active/Building Out | License assisted access (LAA). Additional capacity in select areas. | ||
| 600 MHz DD | n71 | NR | 5G | Primary low band for 5G NR network. | |
| 3.4 GHz C-Band | n77 | Pending deployment | Spectrum acquired in 2021 auction. | ||
| 3.7 GHz C-band | Spectrum will be available for use starting December 2023. | ||||
| 24 GHz K-Band | n258 | Spectrum acquired in 2019 auction. | |||
| 28 GHz Ka-Band | n261 | Active/Building Out | Currently used for FWA services. | ||
| 39 GHz Ka-Band | n260 |
Community Involvement
Since 2009, UScellular has donated nearly $22.6 million along with countless experiences and technology items to nonprofit organizations across the country in three areas: STEM Learning, Bridging the Digital Divide and Celebrating Associate Passions/Local Communities.
STEM Learning
In March of 2021, UScellular donated $150,000 to Girls Who Code to open five new Girls Who Code clubs in Kansas, Oklahoma, Virginia and Maine to help increase access to future opportunities, especially among young women.
The company made a $100,000 DonorsChoose donation in 2021 for to provide STEM learning support for 500 teachers and 50,000 students.
Bridging the Digital Divide
In 2021, USCellular launched the After School Access Project with a pledge to provide up to $13 million in hotspots and service in 2022 to help up to 50,000 youth get connected.
In August 2022, the company is donated $4.7 million in wireless hotspots and service to 17 YWCA locations and 16,000 YWCA members across the country to help youth access the connectivity they need outside of the classroom.
Celebrating Associate Passions/Local Communities
UScellular associates participated in 3,800 volunteer experiences and the company matched $296,000 in personal donations for 2021.
In 2021, UScellular donated $40,000 to Red Cross disaster support, recycled and repurposed 187,000 devices and avoided 238 million gallons of water pollution.
USCellular has donated $1 million annually to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America since 2016.
- Annual Black History Month Art Contest with Boys & Girls Clubs:
- Since 2008, UScellular has sponsored the Black History Month Art Contest. The contest started with Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Virginia in 2008 and has grown over the years to include 30 Clubs across the country in 2022.
- Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Art Contest with Boys & Girls Clubs
- In 2021, UScellular, with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America debuted the Hispanic Heritage Month Art Contest. The top three vote-getters from each Boys & Girls Club receive prizes that include $250 for first place, $150 for second and $100 for third.
Corporate sponsorship
UScellular owns the naming rights to:
- UScellular Soccer Complex, in Knoxville, Tennessee
- UScellular Connection Stage at Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Current Sponsorships:
- Presenting Sponsor of the Wisconsin State Fair
- Official Wireless Sponsor of the Milwaukee Brewers since 2008
- Official Wireless Partner of the Green Bay Packers since 2018
Official Wireless Provider and proud partner of:
- Iowa Hawkeyes (University of Iowa)
- Iowa State Cyclones (Iowa State University)
- WVU Mountaineers (West Virginia University)
- UMaine Black Bears (University of Maine)
The company formerly owned the naming rights to:
- U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa – now Alliant Energy PowerHouse
- U.S. Cellular Grandstand at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas – now Nex-Tech Wireless Grandstand
- U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee – now UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena
- U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago – now Guaranteed Rate Field
- U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville, North Carolina – now Harrah's Cherokee Center
- U.S. Cellular Community Park in Medford, Oregon – now Lithia & Driveway Fields
UScellular had served as the presenting sponsor of the 80/35 Music Festival in Des Moines, Iowa. It also served as the title sponsor of a NASCAR Xfinity Series race until 2019, the U.S. Cellular 250, at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.
Sound logo
The sonic logo, tag, audio mnemonic was produced by Musikvergnuegen and written by Walter Werzowa from the Austrian 1980s sampling band Edelweiss.
References
- "List of Mobile Operators in the United States (US)". 30 December 2021.
- Kent German (July 19, 2013). "Quick guide to cell phone carriers". CNet. Archived from the original on April 23, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
- "Comiskey Park benched by Sox". articles.chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2015-09-28.
- Cellular, U. S. "U.S. Cellular And TDS Announce CEO Transition". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
- "More speed and coverage with U.S. Cellular — now part of Project Fi". googleblog.com. 2016-06-09. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "New UScellular Brand and Logo Unveiled - Telecompetitor". www.telecompetitor.com. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
- "U.S. Cellular Launches in Chicago". Phone Scoop. 2002-11-12. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- "U.S. Cellular Plans to Launch 4G LTE in 2012: Report".
- "U.S. Cellular spectrum partner bewails absence of Band 12 in Apple's iPhone".
- "Spectrum Ownership Map for Cellular Companies in the US - Spectrum Omega".
- "U.S. Cellular completes LTE buildout and begins LTE roaming, but Q4 performance below some expectations".
- "MOBILITY FUND PHASE II COVERAGE MAPS INVESTIGATION STAFF REPORT" (PDF). docs.fcc.gov. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- "5G-ready Samsung Galaxy S20 Coming to U.S. Cellular". www.businesswire.com. 2020-02-11. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
- Fletcher, Bevin (October 4, 2021). "UScellular shuts off some 3G services as it upgrades LTE". FierceWireless. Questex. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- Dano, News Analysis Mike; Director, Editorial; 5G; Strategies 7/27/2020, Mobile. "U.S. Cellular firms up mmWave, CBRS deployment plans". Light Reading. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - "FCC Announces Winning Bidders In 3.45 GHz Auction". Federal Communications Commission. 2022-01-14. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- Dano, News Analysis Mike; Director, Editorial; 5G; Strategies 2/25/2021, Mobile. "C-band auction maps and charts: Who won what, where and how much". Light Reading. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Dano, News Analysis Mike; Director, Editorial; 5G; Strategies 6/3/2019, Mobile. "Here Are the Big Winners in the FCC's 24GHz & 28GHz 5G Auctions". Light Reading. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - "UScellular launches mmWave-based FWA in 10 cities". Fierce Wireless. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
- wsfpadmin. "landing". Wisconsin State Fair. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
- "Milwaukee Brewers, U.S. Cellular announce sponsorship". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
- "Packers announce U.S. Cellular as Official Wireless Partner". www.packers.com. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
- Paul Morley (2003-10-19). "Boot me up, Dessie". The Observer. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
