AT Atlantic Power Corporation

Alltel (NYSE:AT) today announced that the Federal Communications Commission has approved the company's merger with Western Wireless Corporation. The FCC order contains no conditions beyond the divestitures required by the U.S. Department of Justice on July 6. The Justice Department approved the merger contingent upon divesting 16 markets in Arkansas, Kansas and Nebraska now owned and operated by Western Wireless. The divestiture includes all the assets - licenses, retail stores, employees and cell sites - used to operate the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) wireless business in those markets. The company also will divest the Cellular One brand that is owned by Western Wireless. "Chairman Martin demonstrated admirable leadership during the FCC's review of this transaction. The commission was thorough and thoughtful, yet still beat its 180-day merger review period by almost a month," Alltel President and CEO Scott Ford said. "This transaction should provide Alltel with the opportunity to deliver greater value, innovation and service to our customers across the country." Western Wireless has scheduled a shareholder vote on the merger for July 29, and the companies expect to close the merger shortly thereafter. Alltel is a customer-focused communications company with more than 13 million customers in 27 states and $8 billion in annual revenues. Alltel claims the protection of the safe-harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are subject to uncertainties that could cause actual future events and results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on estimates, projections, beliefs, and assumptions and are not guarantees of future events and results. Actual future events and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements as a result of a number of important factors. Representative examples of these factors include (without limitation) adverse changes in economic conditions in the markets served by Alltel; the extent, timing, and overall effects of competition in the communications business; material changes in the communications industry generally that could adversely affect vendor relationships with equipment and network suppliers and customer relationships with wholesale customers; changes in communications technology; the risks associated with pending acquisitions and the integration of acquired businesses; adverse changes in the terms and conditions of the company's wireless roaming agreements; the uncertainties related to Alltel's strategic investments; the effects of litigation; and the effects of federal and state legislation, rules, and regulations governing the communications industry. In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, and governmental and public policy changes.