The company initially specialized in providing cellular service to rural areas under the Cellular One brand, but expanded into urban areas by acquiring PCS spectrum licenses, building out digital networks and providing services under the VoiceStream brand.

[5] Stanton was the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Pacific Northwest Cellular, established in 1992.

The merged entity took the name Western Wireless Corporation and through the merger created what the company called the "largest rural cellular-service provider in the United States."

Combined with a separate public bond offering, the company raised US$430 million in net proceeds.

[6] Shares of VoiceStream Wireless traded on the NASDAQ under the stock ticker symbol VSTR.

The spin off was intended to remove any conglomerate discount, get better value recognition for each of Western Wireless' core analog cellular and digital PCS networks and help each business pursue independent strategies.

[2] Western Wireless subsidiary Western Wireless International Corporation held mobile licenses in several countries outside the United States including: Austria (Tele.Ring), Ireland (Meteor Mobile Communications), Slovenia (Vega), Haiti (ComCel), Bolivia (Viva), Iceland (TAL), Croatia (vipnet), Georgia, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire covering about 1.8 million subscribers in 2005.