l problems dating back to November 2003. The company was dealing with a steep increase in the number of customers whose contracts were nearly up but hadn't been renewed, and at the same time, new federal rules went into effect that let cell phone customers switch carriers and keep their old telephone number, spelling trouble for AT&T. More pickups Beside the AT&T acquisition, Cingular has also been pretty busy growing the company in other ways, as well. In April 2004, the company said that it had closed the $1.4 billion acquisition of 34 licenses from NextWave Telecom Inc. With the exception of seven markets - Portland, Ore.; Salt Lake City; El Paso, Texas; Manchester, N.H., Hagerstown and Salisbury, Md.; and Kankakee, Ill. - the licenses are for areas where the company provides voice and data services. Visit Vault at www.vault.com for insider company profiles, expert advice, VAULT CAREER career message boards, expert resume reviews, the Vault Job Board and more. LIBRARY Vault Guide to the Top Telecom Employers Cingular Wireless Cingular first began an aggressive expansion plan in 2002, when it announced a $945 million plan to upgrade its existing service, and provide new services, in western states, including Nevada, California, Washington, Northern Idaho and Hawaii. That investment was part of the company's previously announced plan to spend $5.8 billion in capital expenditures during 2002 to improve its nationwide network. Going public ? In December 2003, rumors started swirling that Cingular was exploring the possibility of an initial public offering some time in 2004 to help fund its expansion plans. Despite some high-profile write-ups in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, no plans have been made public. GETTING HIRED Hiring process The company maintains a career site at www.cingular.com/about/careers, where interested parties can search for open positions based on location, function, level of experience, and other factors. Candidates who find appealing opportunities can apply online. The company 