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Giants may get FCC minority credits by using little-known firms as surrogates
THE TWO companies that anted up the largest payments - $238.8 million apiece for this week's Federal Communications Commission auction of cellular spectrum aren't exactly household names.
But those high opening bidders, Alaska Native Wireless LLC and Salmon PCS LLC, have partnered with two of the biggest names in the business - AT&T Wireless Group and Cingular Wireless.
Ken Woo, a spokesman for AT&T Wireless, confirmed that the Redmond, Wash.based company has a 39% ownership stake in Fairbanksbased Alaska Native Wireless.
Atlanta-based Cingular Wireless put up 85% of the equity for Salmon PCS, Cingular spokesman Cal Owen said. But, he added, Salmon PCS is controlled by George Crowley in Chevy Chase, Md., who put up the remaining 15%...