AirTouch

From Freepedia

AirTouch Communications (now Verizon Wireless)
Image:Airtouch.gif
Type	Wireless communications provider (paging and wireless telephone)
Founded	{{{foundation}}}
Location	San Francisco, California
Key people	{{{key_people}}}
Industry	Telecommunications
Products	{{{products}}}
Revenue	{{{revenue}}}
Website	{{{homepage}}}

AirTouch Communications was a wireless service provider that existed in the late 1980s and survived through the late 1990s until it was absorbed by Verizon Communications in one of the largest communications and even corporate mergers in U.S. history.

AirTouch was a company that had roots in U.S. West Communications. U.S. West started its own wireless company in the early 1990s and branded it as U.S. West Cellular, Inc; one of the first providers of personal wireless services at the time. However, due to federal regulations in place at the time, they were not allowed to combine the sales of cellular and paging service with their wireline telephone service.

The young U.S. West Cellular became too large for U.S. West Communications to handle, and the company later formed a spin-off called AirTouch Communications. In some areas, the U.S. West Cellular name was kept in place; given the false appearance that the two were separate companies. However, in 1996, U.S. West Cellular ceased to exist and all accounts were converted to AirTouch by the end of 1997.

The company relocated to San Francisco, California from Denver, Colorado and occupied the building at One California Street, which became known as "the AirTouch Tower".

It wasn't until after de-regulation, that U.S. West Communications formed another wireless company; simply called U.S. West Wireless which was absorbed by Qwest Communications when they took over U.S. West.