The new company, which will be named Clearwire, will
be focused on expediting the deployment of the first nationwide mobile
WiMAX network to provide a true mobile broadband experience for
consumers, small businesses, medium and large enterprises, public safety
organizations and educational institutions. The new Clearwire expects to
dramatically enhance the speed and manner in which customers access all
that the Internet has to offer at home, in the office and on the road.
Sprint and Clearwire also announced today that five innovative
technology, content and communications leaders – Intel Corporation
(NASDAQ: INTC) through Intel Capital, Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG),
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMSCA, CMCSK), Time Warner Cable Inc.
(NYSE: TWC), and Bright House Networks – have collectively agreed to
invest $3.2 billion into the new company. The investment by the five
strategic investors will be based on a target price of $20.00 per share
of Clearwire’s common stock, subject to a post-closing adjustment. This
adjustment is based upon the trading prices of new Clearwire common
stock on the NASDAQ Market over 15 randomly selected trading days during
the 30-trading day period ending on the 90th day after the closing date.
The price per share will be based upon the volume weighted average price
on such days and is subject to a cap of $23.00 per share and a floor of
$17.00 per share. In addition, Trilogy Equity Partners, led by
wireless veteran John Stanton, will invest directly in the new
Clearwire’s common stock.
Upon completion of the proposed transaction, Sprint will own the largest
stake in the new company with approximately 51 percent equity ownership
on a fully diluted basis assuming an investment price of $20.00 per
share. The existing Clearwire shareholders will own approximately 27
percent and the new strategic investors, as a group, will be acquiring
approximately 22 percent for their investment of $3.2 billion, both on a
fully diluted basis assuming an investment price of $20.00 per share.
Sprint and Clearwire also announced a series of commercial agreements
with the strategic investors, including 3G and 4G wholesale agreements.
“For Sprint shareholders, this is an opportunity to unlock and bring
visibility to the value of our significant spectrum assets, technology
and expertise, by leveraging the technology, applications and
distribution strengths of our investors, who together command nearly a
half- trillion dollars in market capitalization,” said Dan Hesse,
president and chief executive officer of Sprint. “We’ve made an
excellent start developing XOHM WiMAX services. Contributing those
advances to a strongly backed new company – in which we’ll hold the
largest interest – provides Sprint with additional financial flexibility
and allows Sprint management to leverage and focus on our core business.
“Additionally, the agreements allowing the new company and our cable
company investors to bundle and resell Sprint’s third-generation
wireless services strengthen the distribution of our current services
while reducing the complexity and enhancing Sprint’s cable
relationships,” Hesse added.
Clearwire Chairman Craig O. McCaw, said, “The power of the mobile
Internet, which offers speed and mobility, home and away, on any device
or screen, will fundamentally transform the communications landscape in
our country. We believe that the new Clearwire will operate one of
the fastest and most capable broadband wireless networks ever conceived,
giving us the opportunity to return the
U.S.
to a leadership position in the global wireless industry.
Benjamin G. Wolff, chief executive officer of Clearwire,
said, “The combination of robust next-generation mobile WiMAX technology
and nationwide spectrum that we believe is optimal for delivering mobile
broadband services – coupled with substantial new financial resources, a
team of experienced wireless industry veterans, and distribution and
technology agreements with some of our nation’s leading communications,
technology and content companies – creates what I believe to be a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Given the complexity of this transaction, we have taken the time and
effort to do it right, by thoughtfully leveraging the resources and
opportunities that we and our investors are bringing to the table. This
transaction is tremendous news for the entire Clearwire team – our
shareholders, our customers and our employee-partners, and we look
forward to partnering with the talented team from XOHM to achieve our
shared vision,” Wolff added.
The strategic investors are among the nation’s leaders in communications
technology, chipset development and Internet advertising, content and
distribution. It is expected that the new Clearwire will have a
time-to-market advantage over competitors in fourth-generation services,
supported by strong spectrum holdings and a national footprint. Further,
it will build on the strong foundation of Clearwire’s rapidly growing
subscriber base of nearly 400,000 wireless broadband customers as of
year-end 2007, as well as Sprint’s continued XOHM WiMAX network
build-out in certain markets throughout this year.
“This agreement is a historic step forward for WiMAX as it represents
the first nationwide deployment of a next-generation mobile broadband
Internet in the U.S.,”
said Paul Otellini, Intel president and CEO. “The agreement also
signifies growing industry support for WiMAX. Given its flexibility,
coverage and speed, WiMAX will enable the mobile Internet and is already
opening doors to a host of new and exciting applications, devices and
business models around the world.”
“Google is a firm believer in supporting new ways for
people to access the Internet," said Eric Schmidt, chief executive
officer and chairman of Google. "We are proud to invest in the new
Clearwire alongside several leading technology and communications
companies, and we believe that its planned WiMAX network will increase
the ability for users to get high-speed broadband anytime, anywhere.”
“This is a great coalition of innovative companies that have joined
together to create the next generation of mobile wireless products.
It is exciting to be on the ground floor of this new venture that we
believe will create unprecedented high-speed wireless products and make
them available across the nation,” said Brian L. Roberts, chairman and
chief executive officer of Comcast Corporation. “This transaction is
attractive to us strategically and financially and puts in place very
attractive wholesale relationships for access to Sprint’s existing 3G
and Clearwire’s 4G networks, giving us complete flexibility to introduce
wireless mobility in terms of product innovation and deployment.”
“This exciting new venture enables Time Warner Cable to
help shape the next generation of wireless services in ways that will
complement and enhance our products and services," said Glenn Britt,
Time Warner Cable’s president and chief executive officer. “We're
committed to giving our customers more control over how and where
they can easily connect to what's important to them - entertainment,
information, and each other. The agreements we're announcing today are a
financially prudent way for us to add mobility to our offerings when our
customers demand it."
“We are pleased to join our fellow cable operators as well as the new
technology and wireless investors in this strategic venture. This
broadband wireless relationship will help us to continue to provide the
best possible competitive services for our customers, today and in the
future. It is consistent with our commitment to delivering
customers the products and services that they desire, whenever and
wherever they want,” said Robert J. Miron, chairman and chief executive
officer of Bright House Networks.
The new Clearwire expects to offer mobile wireless Internet services on
a broad array of new devices that will be made possible by integrated
WiMAX chipsets, scalable operating expenses and a commitment to an open
architecture.
Mobile WiMAX is a standards-based wireless broadband technology designed
to operate multiple times faster than today’s 3G wireless networks.
With embedded WiMAX chipsets in laptops, phones, PDAs, mobile Internet
devices and consumer electronic equipment, mobile WiMAX technology is
expected to allow users to wirelessly access a range of multimedia
applications, such as live videoconferencing, recorded video, games,
large data files and more – anywhere in the network coverage area.
The transaction has been approved by all of the parties’ boards of
directors, and is expected to be completed during the fourth quarter of
2008. The transaction is subject to various closing conditions
including, but not limited to, the approval of Clearwire’s stockholders,
and receipt of regulatory approvals, including the approval of the
Federal Communications Commission and clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino
Act.
Governance
The new Clearwire’s board of directors will be comprised initially of 13
members, including seven directors to be named by Sprint of whom at
least one will be independent; four named by the strategic investors of
whom at least one will be independent; one named by Eagle River, the
private investment company controlled by wireless pioneer Craig O.
McCaw; and one independent member to be nominated by the new company’s
Nominating Committee.
The parties currently expect Craig McCaw to serve as non-executive
chairman of the board. Along with McCaw, other directors expected
to serve for an initial one-year term as new Clearwire board members are
Dan Hesse, Sprint’s president and CEO, Brian Roberts, Comcast’s chairman
and CEO, and Glenn Britt, Time Warner Cable’s president and CEO.
In addition, John Stanton, chairman and CEO of Trilogy Equity Partners
and former chairman and CEO of VoiceStream and Western Wireless, is
expected to serve on the board.
Overview of the New Clearwire
The new Clearwire will apply for listing of its common stock on the
NASDAQ under the ticker “CLWR.” The management team will be led by
Benjamin G. Wolff, currently CEO of Clearwire, as the new company’s CEO
and Barry West, currently Sprint’s Chief Technology Officer and XOHM
business unit leader, as president of the new Clearwire. Staffing
for the new Clearwire will include the talent from both Clearwire and
Sprint’s XOHM business unit. The headquarters of the new Clearwire
will be located in
Kirkland,
Wash.
The new company will continue to have a significant employee presence,
including research and development, in
Herndon,
Va.
The investment by Intel Capital, Google, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and
Bright House Networks will be used to advance the development of the new
Clearwire’s mobile WiMAX network. This nationwide footprint is
underpinned by the substantial next-generation wireless broadband
spectrum portfolio that Sprint and Clearwire collectively hold in the
United States.
The combined wireless spectrum should allow the new Clearwire to achieve
greater coverage, cost and operational efficiencies, and
bandwidth-utilization than either company could by operating alone. The
new Clearwire is targeting a network deployment that will cover between
120 million and 140 million people in the
U.S.
by the end of 2010.
In addition to spectrum, Sprint will contribute to the new
Clearwire certain hardware, software and all of its WiMAX-based
trademarks and other WiMAX-related intellectual property. The new
Clearwire expects to materially reduce capital and operating
expenditures by leveraging Sprint’s existing infrastructure, reducing
the cost of building out the mobile WiMAX network nationwide. The new
Clearwire expects to utilize Sprint’s towers, fiber network and IT
support at favorable bulk rates. Sprint also will realize cost savings
for its core business by sharing certain costs of towers and other
infrastructure.
The agreements with the strategic investor group define significant new
commercial relationships, including:
- Intel will work with manufacturers to embed WiMAX
chips into Intel® Centrino® 2 processor technology-based laptops and
other Intel-based mobile Internet devices, and will market the new
company’s service in association with Intel’s performance notebook
PC brand.
- Google will partner with the new Clearwire in the
development of Internet services, advertising services and
applications for mobile WiMAX devices. In addition, Google will be
the search provider and a preferred provider of other applications
for the new Clearwire’s retail product.
- Google will partner with the new Clearwire on an
open Internet business protocol for mobile broadband devices. The
new Clearwire will support Google’s Android operating system
software in its future voice and data devices that it provides to
its retail customers.
- Sprint, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Bright
House Networks will enter into wholesale agreements with the new
Clearwire, becoming 4G providers of new Clearwire’s mobile WiMAX
service.
- Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House
Networks and, after completion of the transactions, the new
Clearwire, will enter into 3G wholesale agreements with Sprint,
becoming bundled providers of Sprint’s wireless voice and data
services, expanding the reach of Sprint’s network to more customers,
while providing the cable companies a simpler, more effective
vehicle to bundle wireless services.
- Sprint and Google have also entered into an
agreement related to Sprint's mobile services, whereby Google will
become the default provider of web and local search services, both
of which will be enabled with location information, for Sprint.
Sprint will also preload several Google services - including Google
Maps for mobile, Gmail and YouTube - on select mobile phones and
provide easier access to other Google services.
- Google and Intel have options to enter into 3G
and 4G wholesale agreements with Clearwire and Sprint respectively
and have no current plans to do so.
Terms of the Transaction
Under the terms of the agreement, Clearwire will merge into a newly
created indirect subsidiary. In the merger, shares of Clearwire’s
Class A Common Stock, together with all outstanding options and warrants
to purchase shares of Clearwire stock, will be converted into an
equivalent number of new shares, options or warrants, respectively, in
the new Clearwire. Additionally, all of Clearwire’s outstanding
shares of Class B common stock, which are held by Eagle
River
and Intel, will convert into shares of Clearwire’s Class A Common Stock
prior to the merger. Going forward, the shares of the new Clearwire
will each have one vote per share. The target price of $20.00 per share
implies a total equity value of approximately $3.9 billion for the
existing Clearwire business.
Sprint will contribute all of its 2.5 GHz spectrum and its
WiMAX-related assets into a subsidiary of the new company. The implied
equity valuation of Sprint’s contribution is approximately $7.4 billion
which will result in approximately 51 percent ownership, based on the
target price of $20.00 per share.
Comcast will invest $1.05 billion, Intel Capital will invest $1.0
billion in addition to its previous investments made in Clearwire, Time
Warner Cable will invest $550 million, Google will invest $500 million,
and Bright House Networks will invest $100 million, for an aggregate
total of $3.2 billion. The investments by Intel Capital, Comcast, Time
Warner Cable and Bright House Networks and the contributions from Sprint
will be made into a limited liability company subsidiary of the new
company. Google will invest directly in the new Clearwire’s Class A
common stock. In a separate transaction to occur 90 days after closing,
Trilogy Equity Partners will invest $10 million in the purchase of
shares of Class A common stock on the same pricing terms as the other
investors.
The total transaction value will be approximately $14.5 billion,
assuming an investment price of $20.00 per share.
Financial and Legal Advisors
Clearwire was advised by financial advisors Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan,
and by legal counsel Davis Wright Tremaine LLP and Kirkland & Ellis LLP.
Sprint was advised by financial advisors Citigroup and Lehman Brothers,
and by legal counsel King & Spalding LLP, as well as by Jones Day on
certain matters.
Conference Call Information
Executives of Clearwire and Sprint will discuss this announcement during
a conference call at 8:30 a.m. EDT. The call in numbers are:
U.S./Canada: 866-297-0891 or International/Local: 706-679-8981. The
conference call passcode is 46844209. The call will be available for
replay shortly after it concludes. The replay call number is
800-642-1687 or 706-645-9291 and the replay ID number is 46844209.
Slides for the call will be simultaneously webcasted and can be accessed
via the Internet at
http://investors.clearwire.com
or
http://www.sprint.com/investors.
The conference call will be archived and available for two weeks after
the call.
About Clearwire
Clearwire, founded in October 2003 by wireless pioneer Craig O. McCaw,
is a provider of simple, fast, portable and reliable wireless high-speed
Internet service. Clearwire customers connect to the Internet using
licensed spectrum, thus eliminating the confines of traditional cable or
phone lines. Headquartered in
Kirkland,
Wash.,
the company launched its first market in August 2004 and now offers
service in 50 markets across the U.S.
as well as in Europe.
For more information, visit
www.clearwire.com.
About Sprint
Sprint offers a comprehensive range of
wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of
mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint is widely
recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative
technologies, including two wireless networks serving approximately 54
million customers at the end of 2007; industry-leading mobile data
services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities;
and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit
www.sprint.com.
About Intel Capital and Intel
Intel Capital, Intel's global investment
organization, makes equity investments in innovative technology
start-ups and companies worldwide. Intel Capital invests in a broad
range of companies offering hardware, software, and services targeting
enterprise, home, mobility, health, consumer Internet, semiconductor
manufacturing and cleantech. Since 1991, Intel Capital has invested more
than US$7.5 billion in approximately 1,000 companies in 45 countries. In
that timeframe, 168 portfolio companies have gone public on various
exchanges around the world and 212 were acquired or participated in a
merger. In 2007, Intel Capital invested about US$639 million in 166
deals with approximately 37 percent of funds invested outside the United States.
For more information on Intel Capital and its differentiated advantages,
visit
www.intelcapital.com.
Intel, the world leader in silicon
innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to
continually advance how people work and live. Additional information
about Intel is available at
www.intel.com/pressroom.
About Google Inc.
Google's innovative search technologies
connect millions of people around the world with information every day.
Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin,
Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's
targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with
measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for
users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout
the Americas,
Europe and Asia.
For more information, visit
www.google.com.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK)
(http://www.comcast.com)
is the nation's leading provider of entertainment, information and
communications products and services. With 24.7 million cable customers,
14.1 million high-speed Internet customers, and 5.2 million voice
customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development,
management and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery
of programming content.
Comcast's content networks and investments
include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel,
VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, ten Comcast SportsNet networks and
Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's
Internet business. Comcast also has a majority ownership in
Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers
NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia
76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in
Philadelphia.
About Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is the second-largest cable operator
in the U.S., with technologically advanced, well-clustered systems
located mainly in five geographic areas — New York state (including New
York City), the Carolinas, Ohio, southern California (including Los
Angeles) and Texas. As of March 31, 2008, Time Warner Cable served
approximately 14.7 million customers who subscribed to one or more of
its video, high-speed data and voice services, representing
approximately 33 million revenue generating units.
About Bright House Networks (BHN)
Bright House Networks is the nation’s 6th
largest MSO with 2.4 million customers in several large markets
including Bakersfield, California; Birmingham, Alabama; Detroit,
Michigan; Indianapolis, Indiana; Orlando, Florida (Central Florida
Division) and Tampa Bay, Florida along with several other smaller
systems in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. The high-growth
Tampa/Central Florida markets are contiguous and form one of the
country’s largest cable clusters. BHN’s corporate locations are in
Syracuse,
New York
and
Orlando,
Florida.
SAFE
HARBOR
This news release includes “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the securities laws. The statements in
this news release regarding agreements between Sprint and Clearwire and
the investors and the benefits to Sprint and Clearwire of the
arrangements contemplated by the agreements; plans for the development
and deployment of a broadband network based on WiMAX technology; the
timing, availability, capabilities, coverage, and costs of the WiMAX
network; products and services to be offered on the WiMAX network; the
expected closing date of the transaction; and other statements that are
not historical facts are forward-looking statements. The words “will,”
“would,” “may,” “should,” "estimate," "project," ”forecast,” "intend,"
"expect," "believe," "target," “designed” and similar expressions are
intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements are projections reflecting management's judgment and
assumptions based on currently available information and involve a
number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking
statements.
Future performance cannot be assured. Actual results
may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements due
to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:
- the ability of Sprint and Clearwire to complete
the merger and other transactions contemplated by the definitive
agreements and satisfy the conditions thereunder, including
obtaining Clearwire stockholder, FCC and Department of Justice
approvals;
- the uncertainties related to the implementation
of each company’s respective WiMAX business strategies;
- the costs and business risks associated with
deploying a WiMAX network and offering products and services
utilizing WiMAX technology;
- the inability of third-party suppliers, software
developers and other vendors to perform requirements and satisfy
obligations necessary to create products and software designed to
support WiMAX features and functionality, under agreements with one
or both of Sprint and Clearwire;
- the impact of adverse network performance;
- other risks referenced from time to time in each
company’s respective filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including in the Forms 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2007, in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors.”
Sprint and Clearwire believe the forward-looking
statements in this press release are reasonable; however, you should not
place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are based on
current expectations and speak only as of the date of this release.
Sprint and Clearwire are not obligated to publicly release any revisions
to forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this
release.
Important Additional Information will be Filed with
the SEC
In connection with the proposed
transaction, a registration statement on Form S-4 will be filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. CLEARWIRE SHAREHOLDERS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT
DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, INCLUDING THE
PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS THAT WILL BE PART OF THE REGISTRATION
STATEMENT, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE
MERGER AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS. The final proxy statement/prospectus
will be mailed to shareholders of Clearwire. Investors and security
holders will be able to obtain the documents free of charge at the SEC’s
web site,
www.sec.gov, or by directing a request
to Clearwire
Investor Relations at
investorrelations@clearwire.com
or (425) 216-4735. In addition, investors and security holders may
access copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Clearwire on
Clearwire’s website at
www.clearwire.com,
when they become available.
Participants in Solicitation
Sprint, Clearwire and their respective directors and
executive officers and other members of management and employees may be
deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of
the proposed transactions. Information concerning Sprint’s participants
is set forth in the proxy statement dated March 27, 2008 for Sprint’s
2008 annual meeting of shareholders as filed with the SEC on Schedule
14A. Information concerning Clearwire’s participants is set forth in the
proxy statement dated April 29, 2008 for Clearwire’s annual meeting of
stockholders as filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A. Additional
information regarding the interests of participants of Sprint and
Clearwire in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed
transactions will be included in the registration statement and proxy
statement/prospectus contained therein, to be filed with the SEC.
Once filed, those documents will be available free of charge at the
websites of the SEC and Clearwire.
Contacts
For further information, please contact:
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